Mass. bill would authorize firefighter motorcycle license plates, add $10 fee

A bill filed Jan. 13 in the Massachusetts Senate would authorize special motorcycle license plates for municipal firefighters and members retired in good standing, and require an additional $10 issuance and renewal fee to be paid to the Massachusetts Firefighters Academy Trust Fund. Sen. Peter J. Durant presented the measure in the Senate docket as Senate No. 2386.

The measure would amend Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws by inserting a new Section 6D after Section 6C. Under the bill, the registrar of motor vehicles would issue a distinctive firefighter motorcycle license plate to members of any municipal fire department, or to members retired in good standing, for private motorcycles owned and operated by those individuals. The registrar would not issue or renew such a plate until the head of the relevant fire department certifies that the applicant is or was a member of that department.

The bill specifies that, in addition to the standard fee required under Section 33 of Chapter 90, there would be an additional $10 fee for issuance and renewal of the firefighter motorcycle plate. That $10 would be collected by the registrar and paid to the Massachusetts Firefighters Academy Trust Fund pursuant to Section 165A of Chapter 6. The filing notes similar matter in the prior legislative session (House No. 3427 of 2023–2024) but does not include a fiscal note, plate design details, or an implementation timeline.

Sen. Durant is listed as the petitioner; Sen. Bruce E. Tarr is listed among the petitioners. The docket entry identifies the filing date as Jan. 13, 2025, in the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court (2025–2026). The submission is a bill filing; the transcript does not record committee referral, votes, debate, or an enacted outcome.

What the bill specifies and what is not specified: the text sets eligibility (current municipal firefighters and retirees in good standing), requires certification by a fire chief or head of department, and earmarks the $10 fee to the Firefighters Academy Trust Fund. The bill does not specify plate design, whether plates may be personalized, any limits on the number of plates, the timetable for implementation should the bill pass, or any administrative procedures beyond the head-of-department certification. Those items are not addressed in the filing.