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The Maine learner’s permit test has 30 questions, and you need 24 correct to pass. This practice test matches that length. The 30 questions are original and unofficial, written from the Maine Driver’s License Manual (Rev 11/23) and Maine law, and they are not the BMV’s questions.
Maine written test: key facts
- 30 questions. You pass with 24 correct, so you can miss 6.
- Topics: rules of the road, road signs, pedestrian and bicycle safety, OUI laws and distracted driving.
- The manual says the test puts special emphasis on Maine’s drinking and driving laws.
- Minimum age 15. Under 18, you must finish approved driver education first.
Booking, documents and fees: the Maine learner’s permit test guide. The full process is in learning to drive in Maine.
Signs, signals and markings (questions 1 to 4)
1. You can recognize a STOP sign from behind, or when it is covered in snow, because it is the only sign that is:
- A. Triangular
- B. Round
- C. Eight-sided (an octagon)
- D. Shaped like a pennant
Answer: C. Only STOP signs use the octagon shape. Manual topic: signs.
2. A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR means:
- A. A rest area is ahead
- B. Road repairs are ahead
- C. The right lane ends
- D. A railroad crossing is ahead
Answer: D. The round shape is used only for railroad advance warning signs. Manual topic: signs.
3. Orange signs with black letters or symbols tell you that:
- A. A school is nearby
- B. You are coming to a work zone
- C. A hospital is nearby
- D. A scenic area is ahead
Answer: B. Orange is the color for work zone signs. Slow down and watch for workers and equipment. Manual topic: signs.
4. The center line has a broken yellow line on your side and a solid yellow line on the other side. This means:
- A. You may pass when it is safe, but traffic on the other side may not
- B. Neither direction may pass
- C. Only the other direction may pass
- D. You must stay 10 mph below the limit
Answer: A. You may pass when the broken line is on your side and the road ahead is clear. Manual topic: pavement markings.
Right of way and roundabouts (questions 5 to 9)
5. At an all-way stop, the first vehicle to come to a complete stop should:
- A. Wait for every other car to go
- B. Go only after sounding the horn
- C. Wait for a pedestrian signal
- D. Go first, after checking that the way is clear
Answer: D. The first to stop is the first to go, once it is safe. Manual topic: right of way.
6. An ambulance with its siren and lights on is coming up behind you. You must:
- A. Speed up to stay ahead of it
- B. Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes
- C. Stop at once, even in the middle of an intersection
- D. Move to the left lane and keep going
Answer: B. Clear any intersection first, then pull to the right and stop. Manual topic: emergency vehicles.
7. When you reach a traffic circle or roundabout in Maine, you must:
- A. Expect vehicles in the circle to yield to you
- B. Stop inside the circle before each exit
- C. Yield to vehicles already in the circle
- D. Use the left lane to leave
Answer: C. Vehicles entering must yield to those already circulating, unless police or signals direct otherwise. Manual topic: traffic circles and roundabouts.
8. It is unlawful in Maine to follow a fire truck that is answering an alarm within:
- A. 100 feet
- B. 200 feet
- C. 300 feet
- D. 500 feet
Answer: D. Stay well back so crews have room to stop and work. Manual topic: emergency vehicles.
9. Maine drivers should signal at least how far before turning or changing lanes?
- A. 25 feet
- B. 50 feet
- C. 100 feet
- D. 500 feet
Answer: C. Signal as early as you can, and at least 100 feet before any change. Manual topic: turning.
Speed limits and space (questions 10 to 16)
10. Unless signs show otherwise, the speed limit outside any business, residential or built-up area of Maine is:
- A. 35 mph
- B. 45 mph
- C. 55 mph
- D. 65 mph
Answer: B. This is Maine’s default limit for open roads that have no posted limit. Manual topic: speed limits.
11. Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit in a Maine business district, residential district or built-up area is:
- A. 15 mph
- B. 25 mph
- C. 30 mph
- D. 35 mph
Answer: B. Watch for children, parked cars and pedestrians in these areas. Manual topic: speed limits.
12. When passing a school during recess, or while children are going to or from school, Maine’s limit is:
- A. 10 mph
- B. 15 mph
- C. 20 mph
- D. 25 mph
Answer: B. Fines are higher for speeding in a school zone. Manual topic: speed limits.
13. The manual says to keep at least how much time between your car and the vehicle in front?
- A. 1 second
- B. 2 seconds
- C. 3 seconds
- D. 4 seconds
Answer: D. Add at least a second at night, and more in bad weather. Manual topic: following distance.
14. At highway speeds of 50 to 55 mph, how long does a safe pass take?
- A. 2 to 3 seconds
- B. 4 to 5 seconds
- C. 10 to 12 seconds
- D. 20 to 25 seconds
Answer: C. In that time you cover a long distance, so you need a lot of clear road ahead before you pull out. Manual topic: passing.
15. On snow or ice, stopping takes how much more distance than on dry pavement?
- A. 3 to 12 times as much
- B. About the same
- C. Up to twice as much
- D. About 20 times as much
Answer: A. Slow down well before intersections and curves in winter. Manual topic: winter driving.
16. You must dim your headlights when you follow another vehicle within:
- A. 100 feet
- B. 300 feet
- C. 500 feet
- D. 1,000 feet
Answer: B. Dim within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following. Manual topic: night driving.
Sharing the road, wildlife and parking (questions 17 to 20)
17. You are approaching a stopped school bus with red lights flashing on an undivided Maine highway. You must:
- A. Stop, from either direction, and wait until the bus moves or the driver signals you on
- B. Stop only if you are behind the bus
- C. Slow to 15 mph and pass carefully
- D. Stop only when children are in the road
Answer: A. Passing a stopped school bus with red lights flashing is illegal on school property, any undivided highway or a parking area. Manual topic: school buses.
18. Collisions with moose in Maine rise sharply during which months?
- A. May and June
- B. January and February
- C. March and April
- D. August and September
Answer: A. Moose are tall, so their eyes rarely reflect in your headlights. Slow down at dawn and dusk. See avoiding moose and deer collisions in Maine. Manual topic: moose and deer.
19. You see a deer cross the road ahead. The manual says to:
- A. Speed up to pass the spot quickly
- B. Flash your high beams and keep going
- C. Swerve hard into the other lane
- D. Sound the horn and watch for more deer following
Answer: D. Deer often travel in groups. Deer strikes are most common in October and November. Manual topic: moose and deer.
20. Under the local parking rules listed in the Maine manual, you may not park within how far of a fire hydrant?
- A. 5 feet
- B. 10 feet
- C. 15 feet
- D. 25 feet
Answer: B. The manual lists this with other places you may not park, such as within 15 feet of a crosswalk. Manual topic: parking.
OUI and alcohol (questions 21 to 23)
21. A Maine driver under 21 may drive after drinking:
- A. No amount of alcohol at all
- B. Up to a BAC of 0.02
- C. Up to a BAC of 0.05
- D. One drink per hour
Answer: A. Under 21 you may not drive after consuming any amount of alcohol. Manual topic: alcohol and the law.
22. For drivers 21 and older in Maine, operating under the influence includes driving with an alcohol level of:
- A. 0.02 or more
- B. 0.05 or more
- C. 0.08 or more
- D. 0.10 or more
Answer: C. You can also be convicted of OUI on the officer’s evidence of impaired driving alone. Manual topic: alcohol and the law.
23. If you refuse a chemical test after being stopped for OUI in Maine:
- A. Nothing happens unless you are convicted
- B. You pay a small fine only
- C. You get a warning on a first refusal
- D. Your license is suspended right away by the Secretary of State, without court action
Answer: D. Driving in Maine means you have agreed to testing. A refusal also counts against you in court. Manual topic: implied consent.
Maine permit and intermediate license rules (questions 24 to 30)
24. Your permit supervisor in Maine must be a licensed driver who:
- A. Is at least 20, has held a license for at least 2 years and sits beside you
- B. Is at least 18 and sits anywhere in the car
- C. Is any licensed adult, even in the back seat
- D. Is a parent only
Answer: A. The supervisor must also be licensed for the class of vehicle you are driving. Manual topic: learner’s permit.
25. Before a Maine driver under 21 can take the road test, they must hold the permit 6 months and log at least:
- A. 40 hours, including 5 at night
- B. 50 hours, including 10 at night
- C. 70 hours, including 10 at night
- D. 100 hours, including 20 at night
Answer: C. Log the hours with your supervisor. See the Maine 70 hour driving log. Manual topic: learner’s permit.
26. On a Maine intermediate license you may not drive between:
- A. 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
- B. 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- C. 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
- D. 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Answer: C. The law lists no work or school exception. See Maine intermediate license rules. Title 29-A §1311: intermediate license.
27. For how long after you pass the road test do the Maine intermediate license restrictions apply?
- A. 90 days
- B. 180 days
- C. 270 days
- D. 365 days
Answer: C. A violation adds another 270 days, which can run past your 18th birthday. Title 29-A §1311: intermediate license.
28. An intermediate license holder wants to drive a friend home. This is allowed only if:
- A. A qualified licensed driver aged 20 or older, licensed 2 years, sits beside them
- B. The friend is under 16
- C. It is daylight
- D. The trip is less than 10 miles
Answer: A. Without that supervisor you may carry immediate family members only. Title 29-A §1311: intermediate license.
29. A permit or intermediate license holder may use a handheld phone:
- A. At a red light
- B. While stopped in traffic
- C. At a stop sign
- D. Only after pulling off the road and stopping where the car can safely stay
Answer: D. Being stopped in traffic, at a light or at a stop sign does not count as safely pulled over. Manual topic: distracted driving.
30. Your first Maine license, issued before age 21, is provisional for 2 years. A first moving violation conviction in that time brings a suspension of:
- A. 7 days
- B. 30 days
- C. 60 days
- D. 1 year
Answer: B. Second and third offenses bring longer suspensions. Manual topic: provisional license.
How to score yourself against the Maine standard
| Correct out of 30 | What it means |
|---|---|
| 28 to 30 | Ready for the BMV test. |
| 24 to 27 | A pass at the BMV standard. Review what you missed, especially OUI. |
| Under 24 | A fail on the real test. Reread the manual and its section practice questions. |
The manual ends each section with practice questions. Work through those as well as this test, since the BMV says they help you prepare.
Common questions
Are these the real Maine BMV questions?
No. They are original, unofficial practice questions written from the Maine Driver’s License Manual and Title 29-A.
How many questions can I miss on the Maine permit test?
Six. You need 24 of 30 correct.
What does the Maine test focus on?
Rules of the road, road signs, pedestrian and bicycle safety, OUI laws and distracted driving. The manual says drinking and driving laws get special emphasis.
Can I take the test in another language?
The BMV offers the digital test in several languages and free interpreters for others. See the Maine learner’s permit test guide.
What happens after I pass?
You drive with a qualified supervisor, log 70 hours (10 at night) over at least 6 months, then take the road test. See learning to drive in Maine.
Are there practice tests for other states?
Yes. See US permit practice tests by state.
Sources
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Maine Driver’s License Manual” (Rev 11/23) (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Drivers License Exam” (maine.gov)
- Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, §1304, Learner’s permit” (legislature.maine.gov)
- Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, §1311, Restricted licenses for minors” (legislature.maine.gov)