The no-fix rule is one of the strongest defenses a Massachusetts driver has — and one of the most overlooked. This review walks through whether the officer gave you the citation properly, whether the case was handled correctly, and whether the ticket has meaningful mistakes.
✓ Included with every Mass Speeding Ticket packet
What the no-fix law says. Under G.L. c. 90C § 2, the officer must hand you the citation at the time and place of the violation, and police must deliver citations to the Registry by the end of the 6th business day. If they didn't — and no statutory exception applies — that failure is a defense to the ticket. The exceptions are narrow: you couldn't have been stopped, the officer reasonably needed more time to identify you or the violation, or a court finds a circumstance that justifies the failure. This review tests all of it so nothing is missed.
How you got the citation
The heart of the no-fix defense.
Did the officer give you the citation in person, at the time and place of the stop?
A ticket that shows up by mail days later is the classic no-fix situation.
When did it happen, and when did the citation reach you?
We compare the dates to the 6-business-day rule.
Were you actually pulled over / did you interact with the officer at the scene?
If you were stopped and still didn't get the ticket, the defense is strong.
Were any exceptions in play?
These are the situations that can excuse a late or mailed citation.
Could the officer realistically have stopped you at the time?
E.g., a camera, an accident you'd left, or being identified later all mean you "could not have been stopped."
Did the officer reasonably need extra time to identify you or figure out the violation?
Time to determine the nature of the violation or the identity of the violator is a statutory exception.
Were you arrested at the scene?
An arrest changes how the at-scene delivery rule applies.
Was the ticket itself proper?
Even if delivery was fine, meaningful mistakes can matter. Check anything that's true.
Awaiting answers
No-fix review
Answer the questions and we'll assess whether the no-fix defense is available — and how strong it looks.
Draft argument
Your tailored no-fix argument language appears here as you answer.
Strategy note. The no-fix defense usually lands hardest at the judge's appeal, where the officer must appear and you can question them on the record. At the clerk-magistrate stage, raising it in writing is risky — the clerk can simply find you responsible, leaving you to relitigate on appeal anyway. Your packet handles the timing.
Have it confirmed by an attorney
A thorough No-Fix Review is included with every packet — a licensed MA attorney verifies the defense and the ticket before you rely on it.
This Thorough No-Fix Review is an educational tool applying G.L. c. 90C § 2 to the answers you provide; it is not legal advice and not a guarantee of any outcome. Whether the "no-fix" defense applies depends on the specific facts, the citation, and how a court weighs the statutory exceptions (the violator could not be stopped; additional time was reasonably needed to determine the violation or the violator's identity; or a court finds a circumstance that justifies the failure). A facial error on a citation is not automatically fatal. As part of a Mass Speeding Ticket packet, your review is verified by Patrick Donovan, Esq., a licensed Massachusetts attorney, under a separate limited-scope engagement; using this free tool does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship. Always confirm the details against your actual citation. Mass Speeding Ticket is a private law practice, is not a government agency, and is not affiliated with the RMV or the Merit Rating Board. See our Privacy Policy. Attorney advertising.