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This guide is for teens, parents and adults getting a first driver’s license in Maine. In Maine you can get a learner’s permit at 15 (after driver education if you are under 18), take the road test at 16 after 6 months and 70 logged hours, and drive on an intermediate license with curfew, passenger and phone limits for 270 days. Everything below comes from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), the Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 11/23) and Maine law.
Key facts
- Permit age: 15. Under 18 you must finish an approved driver education course first.
- Permit test: 30 questions, at least 24 correct to pass, plus a vision screening.
- Permit lasts: 2 years and cannot be renewed.
- Supervisor: licensed driver at least 20 years old, licensed for at least 2 years, in the seat beside you.
- Before the road test (under 21): hold the permit 6 months and log 70 hours, 10 of them after dark.
- License age: 16 with driver education, 18 without.
- Under 18: intermediate license for 270 days: no driving 12 a.m. to 5 a.m., no non-family passengers without a qualified supervisor, no handheld phone or device.
- Provisional period: 2 years if your first license comes before 21, 1 year at 21 or older.
Maine licensing rules by age
| 15 to 17 | 18 to 20 | 21 and older | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver education | Required before the permit | Not required | Not required |
| Permit hold before road test | 6 months | 6 months | No wait |
| Logged practice | 70 hours, 10 after dark | 70 hours, 10 after dark | Not required |
| Phone while on permit | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| First license | Intermediate (270 days of restrictions), provisional for 2 years | Provisional for 2 years | Provisional for 1 year |
Step 1: get your Maine learner’s permit
Send the BMV a learner’s permit application, the $35 fee, two forms of identification, proof of Maine residency, your driver education certificate (under 18) and a birth certificate (under 23). You can bring them to a branch or mail them to the BMV Examination Section in Augusta. The BMV then mails you a written test appointment. A free vision screening happens at the same visit.
Full details, including how the test is scored and the interpreter program, are in the Maine learner’s permit test guide.
Step 2: log 70 hours of supervised driving
If you are under 21, your hours count only after your permit is issued. At least 10 of the 70 must be after dark. A parent, stepparent, guardian or spouse certifies the log (form MVE-21). An employer can certify it if you have none of those. See the Maine 70 hour driving log guide.
Step 3: pass the Maine road test
Under 21, you request the road test by mailing your completed driving log. At 21 or older, you mail the road test request card from the back of your permit. You bring your own registered and inspected vehicle. The test includes parallel parking and straight-line backing. An examiner can refuse to start the test if your car fails basic checks, for example an expired inspection sticker. See Maine road test and reasons it can be refused.
Step 4: drive on an intermediate and provisional license
Under 18, your first license is an intermediate license. For 270 days you may not drive between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., carry passengers other than immediate family unless a qualified supervisor sits beside you, or use a handheld phone or device. Breaking these rules adds another 270 days and a suspension. Every new driver under 21 is also on a 2-year provisional license, so any moving violation conviction means a suspension. Read Maine intermediate license rules for new drivers.
What the Maine Driver’s License Manual covers
The written test is based on the manual. Each section ends with practice questions.
| Section | Topics worth studying |
|---|---|
| 1. Your driver’s license | Permit and license rules, tests, renewal, suspensions and demerit points |
| 2. State laws and rules | Title, registration, insurance, annual inspection, sound system noise limit |
| 3. Ready to drive | Vision, fatigue, distractions, aggressive driving, alcohol and drugs, OUI penalties |
| 4. Before you drive | Seat and mirrors, safety belts, air bags, child seats |
| 5. Getting started | Starting, stopping, steering, backing |
| 6. Rules of the road | Right of way, signals, signs, pavement markings, lane use, crosswalks |
| 7. General driving | Turns, intersections, roundabouts, passing, school buses, parking, turnarounds |
| 8. Managing time and space | Speed, curves, slippery roads, stopping distance, speed limits, following distance |
| 9. Avoiding crashes | Emergencies, skids, vehicle failures, stalls on railroad tracks |
| 10. Sharing the road | Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, emergency vehicles, police stops, move-over law |
| 11. Special driving challenges | Night driving, work zones, rural roads, winter, fog, flooding, moose and deer |
| 12. Test your knowledge | Review questions |
| Appendix A | Road test refusal reasons, road test information, residency and legal presence documents |
Maine driving laws new drivers often miss
- Phones: the manual states that using a mobile phone or handheld electronic device while driving is prohibited in Maine. For permit holders and drivers under 18 the law also covers being stopped at a light or in traffic. See hands-free and texting laws.
- Alcohol under 21: you may not drive after drinking any amount. Driving with any alcohol in your blood, or refusing a test, costs your license for at least one year, plus another 180 days if you had a passenger under 21 with you. See zero tolerance laws.
- Annual inspection: every Maine-registered vehicle needs a current inspection sticker, renewed once a year at an official inspection station.
- Default speed limits: unless posted otherwise, 45 mph outside built-up areas, 25 mph in business, residential and built-up areas, and 15 mph passing a school at recess or when children are arriving or leaving (from half an hour before the school day starts to half an hour after it ends). Speeding fines double in school zones.
- School buses: stop for a bus with red lights flashing from either direction, unless a solid divider separates you from it on a divided highway. See school bus stopping laws.
- Bicycles: leave at least 3 feet between your car and the bicycle when passing.
- Move-over law: slow down and, if you safely can, change lanes away from an emergency vehicle stopped at the roadside. See move over laws.
- Parking: no parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, within 15 feet of a crosswalk or within 15 feet of a fire station driveway. Park no more than 18 inches from the curb. Parking in a disability space without a placard or plates is a $100 fine, and parking in the striped access aisle beside one is at least $200.
- Snow and ice: drivers of vehicles under 10,000 pounds must take reasonable measures to stop snow or ice falling off their vehicle.
- Pickup trucks: passengers under 19 must ride inside the cab, with limited exceptions such as workers, licensed hunters and parade participants.
- Car stereo: no sound system audible beyond 25 feet and over 85 decibels.
- Wildlife: moose collisions peak in May and June, deer collisions in November. See avoiding moose and deer collisions in Maine.
- Seat belts and child seats: everyone in the car must be belted. A child under 55 pounds rides in a child safety seat. A child of 55 to 79 pounds who is under 8 uses an approved child restraint. Children under 12 who weigh less than 100 pounds ride in the back seat when possible. See seat belt and child seat laws.
- Headlights: required from sunset to sunrise, whenever your wipers are in constant use and whenever you cannot see 1,000 feet ahead. Dim your high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following.
- Following distance: the manual teaches at least 4 seconds behind the vehicle in front, including motorcycles.
- Fire trucks: do not follow within 500 feet of a fire truck answering an alarm.
- Blind pedestrians: stop for anyone with a white cane or guide dog, at least 10 feet away. Failing to yield is a fine of $50 to $1,000.
- Left turns: yield to oncoming bicycles and roller skiers, and turn only if you will not interfere with them.
- Reading: reading printed material while driving is illegal.
- Loads and pets: do not drive with more than 3 people in the front seat, or with a load, if it blocks your view or your controls. A dog in an open pickup bed or convertible must be secured so it cannot fall or jump out.
- Crashes: report any crash with an injury or $1,000 or more in damage to the police or sheriff. If you hit a dog, cat or livestock, take reasonable steps to tell the owner, or police or animal control if you cannot find them. See what to do after a crash.
Owning a car in Maine
- Title: a vehicle 25 years old or newer needs a Maine title before its first registration. Keep the title somewhere safe, never in the car.
- Registration: pay the excise tax at your town office first, then register. A passenger car costs $35 a year to register. New residents must apply within 30 days. Under 18, a parent or guardian also signs the registration.
- Insurance: every owner and driver must carry liability insurance and show evidence when an officer asks, even in a car you do not own. Maine policies include uninsured motorist cover. See minimum car insurance by state.
- Inspection standards: tires need at least 2/32 of an inch of tread, the horn must be heard from 200 feet, and the foot brake must stop the car within 30 feet from 20 mph. A gas car may not give off visible smoke for more than 5 seconds in a row.
Maine license and test fees
As of November 2026, from the BMV fee page:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Class C permit examination (written test) | $35 |
| Class C license, under 65, 6 years | $30 |
| REAL ID Class C license, under 65, 6 years | $55 |
| Converting a Class C license from another state | $35 application plus $30 license |
| Reinstatement after a suspension | $200 (intermediate and provisional suspensions) |
The BMV fee page does not list a separate road test fee. Check with the BMV Examination Section before booking. For REAL ID documents, see REAL ID and your first license.
Keeping your Maine license
Maine uses demerit points. The Secretary of State warns you at 6 points, and 12 points can lead to a suspension. A Maine Driving Dynamics course takes 3 points off your total. A parent or guardian who signed your application can ask the Secretary of State, by notarized request, to suspend your permit or license. See Maine points system and the Driving Dynamics course.
Moving to Maine with a license or permit
- New residents must get a Maine license within 30 days.
- With a valid out-of-state license, the written and road tests may be waived.
- At 16 or 17 you may need to show proof of an approved driver education course.
- A 16-year-old visiting with a valid out-of-state permit may drive in Maine with a supervisor who is at least 20 and has held a license for 2 years.
See moving to a new state and driving with a permit in another state.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to drive in Maine?
15 for a learner’s permit and 16 for a license if you have completed driver education. Without driver education you must be 18 to get a license.
Is driver’s ed required in Maine?
Yes, if you are under 18. You need an approved course before you can apply for the permit. From 18, driver education is not required.
How many hours of practice do you need in Maine?
70 hours, including 10 after dark, if you are under 21. Drivers 21 and older do not need to log hours.
Can I drive my friends at 16 in Maine?
Not for the first 270 days of your intermediate license, unless a licensed driver at least 20 years old, licensed for 2 years, sits beside you. Immediate family members are allowed.
What time is the Maine teen curfew?
Drivers under 18 on an intermediate license may not drive between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
What happens if my permit expires before I pass?
You apply again and retake the vision screening and written test. Your logged hours carry over, and there is no extra wait before the road test.
How does Maine compare with other states?
See how to get a driver’s license in the US, GDL laws by state and supervised driving hours by state.
Sources
- Maine Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Maine Driver’s License Manual” Rev 11/23 (www1.maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “How to Obtain a License” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “License Age Restrictions” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Graduated Drivers License” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Drivers License Exam” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Drivers License and Examination Fees” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Intermediate/Provisional License Suspensions” (maine.gov)
- Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, section1304: Learner’s permits” (legislature.maine.gov)
- Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, section1311: Intermediate license” (legislature.maine.gov)