Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 31 (2026)

Use and operation of motor vehicles or trailers; conduct of operators and chauffeurs; rules and regulations

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 31. The registrar may make rules and regulations governing the use and operation of motor vehicles or trailers and the conduct of operators and chauffeurs and may establish regulations to govern operators' licenses, permits and identification cards and any other products the registrar is authorized to issue or which are provided by general or special law. A copy of the rules and regulations, attested by the registrar, shall be prima facie evidence that they have been adopted as provided by law. This section shall not be construed as giving the registrar power to regulate the speed at which motor vehicles may be operated on public ways.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 3 cases, 1934–2011 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Miller, 944 N.E.2d 179 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011).

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Commonwealth v. Miller, 944 N.E.2d 179 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011). · cites it 2× “207, as the motion judge ruled, but rather that it was within the broad authority that the Legislature delegated to the agency, in this case the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), to promulgate regulations pertaining to the “use and operation of motor vehicles.”

Beard v. Town of Salisbury, 392 N.E.2d 832 (Mass. 1979). “Although regulatory authority on this subject may be delegated by the Legislature, it is inconsistent with the present statutory scheme for a town to assume this power on its own. We do not deny that, in certain circumstances, municipalities may have the power to restrict the…”

Kzcowski v. Johnowicz, 192 N.E. 6 (Mass. 1934). “The record does not show that any such rule or regulation was offered in evidence as is contemplated by the statute, since it provides that a copy of such rules and regulations when attested by the registrar shall be prima facie evidence of the approval of those rules.”

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