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If you get your first Maine license before 18, it 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 without a qualified supervisor, or use a handheld phone or electronic device. This guide explains each rule, what breaking one costs, and how the separate 2-year provisional period works for every new driver under 21.
Maine intermediate license at a glance
| Rule | What Maine law says |
|---|---|
| Who it applies to | Licensed drivers under 18 |
| How long | 270 days from the day you pass the road test. It can run past your 18th birthday. |
| Night limit | No driving between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. |
| Passengers | Immediate family only, unless a qualified licensed driver is with you |
| Phones and devices | No handheld electronic device or mobile phone, even when stopped in traffic, at a light or at a stop sign |
| Fine for a violation | $250 to $500 |
| Suspension for a violation | 60 days (1st), 180 days (2nd), 1 year (3rd or later) |
| Extra restriction time | Another 270 days per violation |
The 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. limit
Title 29-A, section 1311 bans intermediate license holders from driving between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. The statute lists no exceptions for work or school, and it does not lift the ban when a supervisor is in the car.
Who counts as a passenger you can carry?
Immediate family members are allowed. The BMV lists them as:
- grandparent and step-grandparent
- parent and stepparent
- spouse
- child and stepchild
- brother, sister, stepbrother and stepsister
When living with your immediate family, these also count:
- a foreign exchange student
- a person under court-appointed guardianship of an immediate family member
- a child whose parent is deployed for military service and who is under the guardianship of an immediate family member
The manual also includes analogous family members connected through a family foster home.
The supervisor exception
You can carry other passengers if a licensed driver is with you who:
- has held a valid license for at least 2 years
- is at least 20 years old
- sits in the seat beside you
- is licensed for the class of vehicle you are driving
The phone and device ban
You may not use, manipulate, talk into or otherwise interact with a handheld electronic device or mobile phone while driving on a public way. That includes being stopped in traffic, at a traffic light or at a stop sign. You may use one only after you pull over to the side of, or off, the road and stop where the car can safely stay. See hands-free and texting laws.
What happens if you break an intermediate rule?
- A fine of $250 to $500.
- A suspension without a right to a hearing: 60 days for a first offense, 180 days for a second, one year for a third or later.
- Your restrictions are extended by another 270 days, which can run past 18. Each violation during an extension extends them again.
Before your license is restored, the BMV may also require a $200 reinstatement fee, an approved driver traffic offender program, a road re-examination or court-ordered community service, depending on the violation.
Restricted license decals
Maine law requires the Secretary of State to offer intermediate license holders a set of 2 decals. One may go on the rear window and one in the upper left corner of the windshield, to show the driver may hold an intermediate license. The law says the car “may display” them, so they are optional.
Provisional license: the 2-year rule for all new drivers under 21
Separate from the intermediate rules, your first Maine license is provisional:
- First license before 21: provisional for 2 years. It does not end when you turn 21.
- First license at 21 or older: provisional for 1 year.
During the provisional period, a conviction for any moving violation means a suspension: 30 days for a first violation, 180 days for a second and one year for a third or later. The BMV applies this to under-18 drivers too. Breaking an intermediate restriction carries the stricter 60-day, 180-day and one-year schedule above.
Under 21, Maine also treats you as provisional for OUI purposes even after the 2 years. You may not drive after drinking any amount of alcohol. See zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21.
Scenario: Saturday night at 16
You got your license 3 months ago. A friend wants a ride home from a game at 10 p.m. Under the passenger rule, you cannot drive them unless a licensed driver 20 or older, licensed for 2 years, sits beside you. Even with that driver, you must be off the road by 12 a.m.
Common questions
How long is the Maine intermediate license?
270 days from the day you pass the road test, longer if you break a restriction.
Does the intermediate license end at 18 in Maine?
Not automatically. The 270 days, and any extension, can run past your 18th birthday.
Can I drive my siblings to school?
Yes. Brothers, sisters, stepbrothers and stepsisters are immediate family.
Can I drive my boyfriend or girlfriend?
Not during the 270 days unless a qualified supervisor sits beside you, since they are not immediate family.
Can I use GPS on my phone?
You may not use, manipulate or interact with a handheld device while driving, even at a light. Set it up before you move, or stop safely off the road to change it.
Does the curfew apply if my parent is in the car?
The statute bans driving between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. for under-18 license holders with no supervisor exception.
How does Maine compare with other states?
See GDL laws by state.
Main guide: learning to drive in Maine. Related: Maine road test, Maine 70 hour driving log and Maine points system.
Sources
- Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, section 1311: Intermediate license” (legislature.maine.gov)
- Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, section 1304: Learner’s permits” (legislature.maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Graduated Drivers License” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “License Age Restrictions” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Intermediate/Provisional License Suspensions” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Family Resources” (maine.gov)
- Maine Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Maine Driver’s License Manual” Rev 11/23 (www1.maine.gov)