Maine uses a step-by-step system for new drivers. You practice on a permit for months, log supervised hours, pass a road test, and then drive with limits that ease off as you gain experience.
To get a Maine driver's license you must:
- Be at least 16 and have completed an approved driver education course, OR
- Be at least 18 if you have not completed an approved driver education course
- If under 21: hold your learner's permit for 6 months from its date of issue
- If under 21: log at least 70 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night
- Successfully complete a road test
Supervised practice required before the road test if you're under 21 (10 of them at night)
Handbook p. 8 ↗How long someone under 21 must hold a permit before applying for a road test
Handbook p. 8 ↗Know the rule
The 70 practice hours must begin after the permit is issued and be supervised by a licensed driver at least 20 years old who has held a valid license for 2 years.
Handbook p. 8 ↗Know the rule
A parent, stepparent, guardian or spouse certifies the driving time on a Secretary of State form. If you have none of these, an employer may certify it.
Handbook p. 9 ↗Taking the road test:
- Mail the road test request form or driving log to the BMV main office in Augusta
- You'll be scheduled at the testing location nearest your home
- Bring your learner's permit and appointment notice
- Furnish your own vehicle, properly registered (bring the registration) and inspected
- Be accompanied by a licensed operator with a valid driver's license
- On a snow or ice day you can choose to reschedule at no fee
For 270 days after passing the road test, a licensed driver under 18 may not:
- Drive while using a mobile telephone or handheld electronic device
- Drive between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.
- Carry passengers other than immediate family, unless a qualified licensed driver sits beside you
Know the rule
The adult who lets you carry non-family passengers must be at least 20, licensed for 2 years, seated beside you, and licensed for the class of vehicle you're driving.
Handbook p. 9 ↗Immediate family member
Grandparent, parent, brother, sister, child or spouse (including step-relatives), foster family members and, when living with the family, foreign exchange students and court-appointed wards.
Handbook p. 9 ↗Know the rule
Violating these restrictions brings a license suspension plus a 270-day extension of the restrictions, which may run past your 18th birthday.
Handbook p. 9 ↗Provisional period for a first license
| Age at first license | Provisional for |
|---|---|
| Under 21 | 2 years |
| 21 or older | 1 year |
Know the rule
A moving violation committed while driving on a provisional license brings a 30-day suspension. Second and third offenses carry more severe penalties.
Handbook p. 9 ↗Put it into practice
You're 17 and got your license three months ago. Friends ask you to drive them to a movie that ends at 12:30 a.m. You can't: no non-family passengers without a qualified adult beside you, and no driving between midnight and 5 a.m. during your first 270 days.