As cold cars become more common in the early mornings of winter, many Massachusetts residents turn to idling their cars in the morning to heat them up.

However, what might seem like a few quick minutes to get a car on the road could result with a fine.

According to Massachusetts law Chapter 90 Sec. 16A, “No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is stopped for a foreseeable period of time in excess of five minutes.”

Idling your car for more than five minutes could result in a $100 fine for the first offense, and up to $500 for each subsequent offense.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, “The goal of the Massachusetts Anti-Idling Law is to improve air quality by reducing unnecessary air pollution from idling vehicles.”

The department says that an exception to the rule is for defrosting windshields, as it’s necessary to clear an obstructed view for safety reasons.

Additional exceptions and details can be found here.