Massachusetts Driving & Vehicles Laws (2026)

Massachusetts law does not prohibit driving barefoot. There is no statute or regulation explicitly addressing footwear requirements for drivers. Drivers are expected to operate vehicles safely, but barefoot driving is not illegal.

Lane splitting is not permitted in Massachusetts. There is no explicit statute allowing lane splitting, and general traffic laws prohibit motorcycles from riding between lanes of traffic. No specific statute addresses lane splitting, but it is considered unsafe and illegal under general motor vehicle operation rules.

License plate covers are allowed as long as the plate remains legible from 60 feet. Tinted covers are not currently banned, but a bill has been proposed to prohibit them.

Radar detectors are illegal in Massachusetts for all vehicles under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 13B. The law prohibits the use and possession of radar detectors in motor vehicles on public ways.

Radar jammers are federally illegal in all states including Massachusetts under FCC regulations. There have been no recent legislative changes in Massachusetts regarding laser jammers.

Right turn on red is legal in Massachusetts after coming to a complete stop and yielding to pedestrians and cross traffic, unless a sign prohibits it at a specific intersection. In May 2024, the city of Cambridge banned right turns on red at all intersections.

Studded Snow Tires are legal in Massachusetts. There have been no significant recent changes to the law.

Massachusetts law restricts window tinting on the front side windows to a minimum of 35% visible light transmission (VLT). The rear side and back windows may have any darkness, but reflective or mirrored tint is prohibited. These rules are codified under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 7.