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Maine gives demerit points for traffic convictions. You get a warning at 6 points, and 12 points can lead to a suspension. Points drop off once the conviction is one year old. Completing the Maine Driving Dynamics course, or another approved driver improvement course, takes 3 points off your total, once in any 12-month period. This guide explains how the system works for new and experienced Maine drivers.
Key facts
- Warning notice at 6 points.
- Suspension possible at 12 points or more.
- Points are erased when the conviction is one year old.
- Driving Dynamics: 5-hour course, 3-point credit, once per 12 months.
- Course fee: $70, as of November 2026. Some schools may charge extra.
- Up to 4 violation-free credits, one for each clean calendar year.
How many points for common Maine violations?
From the Secretary of State’s demerit point rule (Chapter 1, 29-250), as linked from the BMV suspensions page. The rule says the list is not complete.
| Points | Examples |
|---|---|
| 8 | Operating after suspension (traffic infraction) |
| 6 | Speeding 15 to 29 mph over the limit; driving on the wrong side or wrong way; improper passing; passing on the right; passing on a curve or hill; leaving the scene of a property damage crash; violation of instruction permit; operating without corrective lenses |
| 4 | Speeding under 15 mph over the limit; failing to stop at a stop sign or red light; failing to yield to a pedestrian or emergency vehicle; imprudent driving or speed; operating without a license (traffic infraction) |
| 2 | Failing to signal; following too close; illegal U-turn or other illegal turn; failure to obey a railroad crossing; failure to maintain control; operating without lights; littering; other moving violation |
Check your own record for exact points. The BMV sells driving records online or at branches: $5 for 3 years and $10 for 10 years, as of November 2026.
What happens at 6 and 12 points?
- 6 points: the Secretary of State sends a warning notice.
- 12 points or more: your license can be suspended. The rule allows a suspension of up to 15 days for 12 points within one year.
- Three suspensions in 3 years: you may face a further suspension of up to 120 days.
When a suspension happens, you can ask for a hearing with the Secretary of State’s office. The suspension may stay in effect until the hearing. The decision can be appealed to Superior Court.
Offenses that can bring a suspension without reaching 12 points
| Up to | Offenses |
|---|---|
| 90 days | Eluding a police officer, passing a roadblock, street racing (manual) |
| 60 days | Operating after suspension |
| 30 days | Failing to stop for police; leaving the scene of an injury crash; operating alone on a permit; operating without a license (crime); passing a stopped school bus; speeding 30 mph or more over the limit; loaning or altering a license; giving false information to police |
Other ways to lose a Maine license
Some suspensions and revocations do not depend on points. The manual lists these among others:
- Failing to appear in court or to pay a traffic fine: suspended until you appear or pay.
- Driving to endanger: at least 30 days.
- A minor illegally transporting, possessing or drinking alcohol in a vehicle, or transporting illegal drugs: at least 30 days.
- Using a fake ID to buy alcohol or get into a bar under 21: up to 30 days for a first offense, 90 days for a second and one year after that, plus 6 demerit points.
- Causing crash damage without liability insurance: license and registration suspended until proof of insurance is filed.
- Vehicular manslaughter: revocation for at least 5 years, permanent if alcohol was involved. Habitual offender: revocation for at least one year.
- A parent or guardian who signed a minor’s application can file a notarized request to have the permit or license suspended.
The Secretary of State can also add license restrictions, call you in for a re-examination or a doctor’s statement, and suspend a license after a written adverse driving report from a police officer or a member of the public.
New drivers: the provisional license matters more than points
If your first Maine license was issued before 21, it is provisional for 2 years (1 year if first licensed at 21 or older). The BMV says a conviction for any moving violation in that period leads to a suspension: 30 days for a first, 180 days for a second and one year for a third. Under 18, breaking an intermediate license restriction brings 60 days, 180 days or one year. The BMV ties these to convictions, not to a point total. See Maine intermediate license rules for new drivers.
The Maine Driving Dynamics course
Driving Dynamics is a 5-hour driver improvement course run through the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety. It covers:
- collision avoidance techniques
- driving hazards and how to avoid them, including other drivers’ unsafe actions
- driver habits and attitudes
- the dangers of alcohol and other drugs with driving
What the 3-point credit does
- Three points come off your total after you complete the course.
- You can get the credit only once in any 12-month period.
- The rule says the credit is erased one year from the completion date.
- Anyone can take it, even with a clean record.
- Processing can take up to 2 weeks.
- Completing it may also qualify you for an insurance discount.
How to sign up
- Find a class on the Bureau of Highway Safety’s Driving Dynamics schedule. Classes are often run through local adult education programs.
- Call the number listed for the class, or use the registration link where one is given.
- Pay the course fee ($70 as of November 2026; some schools may charge more).
- If no class suits you, the Bureau has approved AAA online and classroom driver improvement courses for the same 3-point credit.
Questions about how the credit shows on your license go to the BMV at 207-624-9000.
Violation-free credits
Each calendar year with no convictions, adjudications, suspensions or revocations earns one violation-free credit, up to 4. The Secretary of State may use them to offset an equal number of demerit points.
Common questions
How many points before a Maine license is suspended?
12. You get a warning at 6.
How long do points stay on a Maine record?
Points are erased when the conviction is one year old.
How much is the Maine Driving Dynamics course?
$70 as of November 2026, according to the Bureau of Highway Safety. Some schools may add a fee.
Can I take Driving Dynamics online?
The Bureau has approved an AAA online driver improvement course that gives the same 3-point credit.
Can I use the course to avoid a provisional suspension?
The BMV ties provisional suspensions to a moving violation conviction, not to a point total. It does not say a course cancels them. Ask the BMV about your case.
How many points is speeding in Maine?
4 points under 15 mph over, 6 points for 15 to 29 mph over. At 30 mph or more over, you may face a suspension of up to 30 days.
How do other states handle points?
See points systems and license suspensions in the US.
Main guide: learning to drive in Maine. Related: Maine permit test.
Sources
- Maine Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Maine Driver’s License Manual” Rev 11/23, Section 1 (www1.maine.gov)
- Maine Secretary of State, “Chapter 1: Rules for Administrative Suspension Relating to Demerit Point Accumulation, Convictions and Adjudications” 29-250 (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, “Maine Driving Dynamics” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “License Suspensions & Revocations” (maine.gov)
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Intermediate/Provisional License Suspensions” (maine.gov)