Maine BMV Permit Test FAQ

Maine requires 80% — at least 24 of 30 questions correct. You can miss no more than 6 questions on the written test.

If you fail, you can reschedule another exam at any Maine BMV branch office on the next available date. The Class C / motorcycle permit examination fee is $35. The Maine manual does not impose a fixed waiting period between attempts.

You must be at least 15 to obtain a Maine learner's permit. Drivers under 18 must complete an approved driver education course, and any application from a minor under 18 must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Drivers under 18 may not: (1) use a mobile telephone or handheld electronic device while driving, (2) drive between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., or (3) carry passengers other than immediate family members unless a qualified licensed operator is in the front passenger seat. These restrictions remain in effect for 270 days after the road test is passed; any violation triggers a license suspension and a 270-day extension.

It is illegal for anyone under 21 to consume any alcoholic beverage, so a driver under 21 may not drive after consuming any amount of alcohol. A driver under 21 convicted of OUI loses their license for at least 1 year; an additional 180 days is added if a passenger under 21 was in the vehicle.

Maine's per se BAC limit is 0.08 for adults (0.04 for commercial drivers; zero tolerance for drivers under 21). Driving in Maine constitutes Implied Consent: refusing the chemical test can suspend your license up to 6 years and adds penalties to any OUI conviction.

When not posted, Maine's default speed limits are 15 mph in school zones (during recess or when children are present), 25 mph in business or residential districts, and 45 mph outside business or residential areas. Maine Turnpike (I-95) sections are posted up to 70 mph.

In Maine you cannot park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, within 15 feet of a crosswalk, or within 15 feet of a fire-station driveway. When parallel parking, your wheels must be no more than 18 inches from the curb.

A 1st OUI conviction (BAC 0.08–0.14) carries a minimum $500 fine ($600 with refusal), at least 150 days license loss, a reinstatement fee, and a mandatory alcohol & drug treatment program. Aggravated cases (BAC 0.15+, 30+ over the speed limit, eluding police, refusing the test, or a passenger under 21) add at least 48 hours of jail (96 hours with refusal). A passenger under 21 also adds 275 days to the suspension. Subsequent offenses bring steeper penalties and an ignition-interlock requirement.

Maine requires minimum liability coverage of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. Drivers must also carry $2,000 in medical-payments coverage and uninsured-motorist coverage matching the bodily-injury limits. An uninsured driver who causes injury or property damage of $1,000+ can have their license and registration suspended.

In Maine, after coming to a complete stop, you may turn right on red unless a sign prohibits it. You may turn left on red only when turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a complete stop, unless prohibited by a sign. Always yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to cross traffic before turning.

A standard Maine driver's license is valid for 6 years (4 years for drivers age 65 and older). You can typically renew online, by mail, or in person at a BMV branch; an in-person renewal with a vision screening is required periodically. By Maine law you must notify the BMV of any name or address change within 30 days; new residents must transfer their out-of-state license within 30 days of establishing residency.