• You are eligible to get a Learner’s Permit in Maine when you are 15 years old
• The learner’s permit allows you to operate a vehicle when accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 20 years of age and has held a valid license for two years
• Parental signature on the application is required if driver is under 18 years old
• Your learner's permit expires after two years. Permits cannot be renewed, but you can get additional two-year permits as needed

You are eligible for a Maine Driver’s License when you are 16 and over and meet all of the requirements

Maine law requires a 3-step graduated drivers licensing system for new drivers who are under 18 years of age, as well as restrictions for drivers under 21 years of age. The law is intended to allow Maine's young people to gain valuable driving experience under lower risk conditions.

To obtain a learner's permit, applicants must be at least 15 years of age and successfully complete the written driving examination. The BMV schedules these examinations through the application process: Applicants must submit:

• Application form
• $35 fee
• Two forms of identification (See required identification documents )
• Proof of residency
• Driver education completion certificate (applicants who are under 18 years old ONLY)
• A birth certificate (applicants under the age of 23 only)

The application can be submitted at your local Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch or mailed

Once the application is processed, the BMV will schedule the applicant for the written test, at the location closest in proximity to the applicant's mailing address, within about three weeks. The BMV will notify the person by mail. If the applicant has scheduling restrictions, those should be noted along with the application, and those requests will be accommodated when possible, based on the dates/times and testing location availability. Contact information is provided on the scheduling notice, and tests can be rescheduled with no penalty fee up to 48 hours prior

NOTE: If you completed driver education, another written test is not required and upon submission of the appropriate paperwork. A permit will be issued.

Ready for your road test? Visit our Exams page to learn more about scheduling and preparing for your test. The Exams page includes a study guide and a video that gives you a first-hand look at the entire road test experience.

• If a permit is issued to a person under 21 years of age that person must hold the permit for 6 months before applying for a road test and are prohibited from using a cellular phone while operating with a permit
• If a permit is issued to a person under 21 years of age, they must log 70 hours of driving and 10 of the hours must be done after dark
• If a permit expires, the person must take an exam for a new permit, but will not be required to wait before applying for a road test. The restriction from using a cellular phone still applies.
• To apply for your driver's license, you must be at least 16 years of age and have completed an approved driver education course. You must successfully complete a road test. You are required to complete 70 hours of practice driving, which must include 10 hours of night driving, and have held your learner's permit for at least six months.  The 70 hours of practice driving must begin after you have been issued a learner's permit. You must be accompanied by a supervising driver who is at least 20 years old and has held a license for at least two years

A license issued to a person under the age of 18 is an intermediate license, which prohibits the licensee from the following:

• Carrying passengers other than immediate family members unless accompanied by a licensed operator
• A person who is under court-appointed guardianship of an immediate family member; and
• Operating a motor vehicle between the hours of 12 a.m. and 5 a.m.; and
• Operating a motor vehicle while using a mobile telephone

A person must hold an intermediate license for 270 days from the date the license was originally issued before they can receive an unrestricted license

During the intermediate license period, violation of these license restrictions, will result in the extension of the intermediate license restrictions and license suspension. An operator's license is considered a provisional license for two years following initial issuance. The intermediate restrictions above do not apply after 270 days, but a conviction for any moving violation during the two year provisional license term will still result in license suspension

• If a permit is issued to a person under 21 years of age, that person must hold the permit for 6 months before applying for a road test and are prohibited from using a handheld electronic device or mobile telephone while operating with a permit
• If a permit is issued to a person under 21 years of age, they must log 70 hours of driving and 10 of the hours must be done after dark
• If a permit expires, the person must take an exam for a new permit but will not be required to wait before applying for a road test. The restriction from using a handheld electronic device or mobile telephone still applies
• If you are 18 years of age or older, you are not required to complete driver education
• You must successfully complete a road test. If you are under 21 years of age, you are required to complete 70 hours of practice driving, which must include 10 hours of night driving, and have held your learner's permit for at least six months. The 70 hours of practice driving must begin after you have been issued a learner's permit. You must be accompanied by a supervising driver who is at least 20 years old and has held a license for at least two years
• The first license issued to a new applicant who is between the ages of 16-20 is a juvenile provisional license for a period of two years. The provisional license is in effect for a full 2-year period as long as the first license that was issued occurred prior to the 21st birthday.  The provisional phase does not end when a person turns 21. If you are a juvenile provisional license holder and are within the first two years of your license, a conviction for any moving violation will result in the suspensions listed below. Additionally, if you are convicted of operating under the influence prior to reaching 21 years of age, your license will be viewed as a juvenile provisional license for law enforcement purposes, even if you have already held the license for two years

• If you are 21 years of age or older, you are not required to complete a driver education course or log driving hours.
• If a permit is issued to a person 21 years of age and over, that person does not have to wait 6 months before applying for a road test, however, they are prohibited from using a handheld electronic device or mobile telephone while operating with a permit
• The first license issued to a new applicant 21 years of age or older is a provisional license for a period of one year. During the provisional license period, a conviction for any moving violation, will result in license suspension

Applicants must provide:

• Two forms of identification (See required identification documents )
• Proof of residency
• Driver education completion certificate (applicants who are under 18 years old ONLY)
• A birth certificate (applicants under the age of 23 only)

The Maine Motor Vehicle Office main phone number is: 207-624-9000

The telephone directory for Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles for Driver Licenses is located here: https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/numbers/index.html

The Website for Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles for Driver Licenses & ID's is:

https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/index.html

Maine’s main DMV website is: https://www.maine.gov/sos/

Maine DMV office locations can be found here:

https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/locations/index.html

If you are under 18 years old, a parental signature on the application is required. If a parent is unavailable, you can bring a licensed driver over 21 years old

A vision test is required prior to issuance of a learner's permit when you appear for your written examination. You can also have your own doctor provide the exam and fill out the eye form. You must provide the completed form to the driver's license examiner at the time of your driver's examination

A physical exam is not required to obtain a Maine Learner’s Permit or Driver’s License, but there are certain medically required standards, which are available here:

https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/licenses/medical.html

A photograph will be taken at the Maine BMV office

Once you pass the permit test, you should prepare for your road test. If you are under 21 years old, you must hold an instruction permit for at least 6 months and get at least 35 hours of driving practice, including 5 hours of night driving. You must be accompanied by   licensed driver.  If you are at least 21 years old, you have to wait at least 3 months to take your road test