Massachusetts RMV handed out nearly 2,000 licenses to dead people, audit finds

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) issued 1,905 licenses to dead people – 97 percent of which were active as of January – in a move the state auditor called "a significant public safety risk."

The audit, conducted by the State Auditor Office Suzanne Bump, found the state agency did not deactivate 4,688 licenses for people who died before their licenses expired.

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Most of the dead dates of those issued were between 1988 and 2010, with "some" as early as 1962, according to which the said "licenses appeared to have been issued to individuals who were attempting to obtain false identification."

"Bump said in a statement," The failure to prevent individuals from the United States.

"Fixing this problem must be a top priority for the RMV," Bump added.

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Additionally, the audit – conducted between July 2014 and December 2016 – determined that more than 10,000 requests for disabled persons have been processed.

The RMV, however, disputed the auditor's findings, calling it "false claim" that the agency issued licenses to almost 2,000 dead people.

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"RMV ​​spokesperson Jacquelyn Goddard told WFXT," The audit is outdated, as it was conducted before the implementation of an entirely new software system.

Bump's office recommends to the RMV that people with permanent disability closets be required to reapply every five years. It also suggests the use of the Social Security Administration's Death Master File to identify deceased people.