Your First Maine Driver's License as an Adult, Start to Finish

Before you begin: which group are you in?

Maine splits new adult drivers by age. At 18, 19 or 20 you are free of driver education, but the practice rules for under 21 drivers still apply: six months on the permit and 70 logged hours, 10 of them at night, before a road test. Your first license is then a juvenile provisional license that runs two years.

At 21 and up, the course, the log and the waiting period all disappear, and the provisional stretch on your first license lasts 12 months. In both groups, a handheld phone or device is off limits while you drive on the permit.

Getting your documents in order

Identity needs two separate documents. One must show your birth date and the other must show your signature. Good options on the BMV's list include your passport, military ID, Social Security card, a certified school transcript, or a certified copy of your birth certificate. Add one piece of mail or paperwork that shows your physical Maine address: a pay stub, W-2, tax bill, utility bill, Maine vehicle registration or Maine fishing or hunting license all qualify.

If the BMV does not already have your Social Security number, you must give it. Not eligible for a number? An I-94 or another immigration document that has not expired takes its place. If your name today is not the name on your documents, add the court order, divorce decree or marriage certificate that links the two.

A few people do not have to prove residency for a standard license, for example out-of-state students enrolled at a Maine college, and people on active military duty here along with their families, if they bring proof of that status. And if you live in Maine but have nothing with your address on it, two people who know where you live can each sign a residency affidavit for you.

Choosing standard or REAL ID

The REAL ID card has a gold star on it. That star is what lets you through airport security for domestic flights and into secure federal buildings without a passport. A standard card is perfectly good for driving and for day to day ID, so REAL ID is optional.

If you want it, start with a single document proving who you are, when you were born and that you are a citizen or lawfully here; a passport or certified birth certificate usually does it. Add your Social Security number and a pair of residency proofs. The BMV takes only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency, and the first REAL ID has to be issued in person.

What you will pay, as of October 2026

You pay twice: $35 for the written exam when you apply for the permit, and then the license fee after a successful road test. Prices for CDLs and endorsements are listed separately on the BMV's fee page.

For a typical 30 year old choosing REAL ID, that means $35 up front and $55 after the road test, $90 in all.

• Permit written exam: $35
• Standard Class C under 65: $30, six years
• Gold star (REAL ID) under 65: $55
• Standard Class C at 65 and up: $20, four years
• Gold star (REAL ID) at 65 and up: $40
• Converting another state's Class C: $35 application plus $30

On road test day

Bring the permit, the appointment notice from the BMV and a legal, safe car. A car with antique plates will not be accepted. The examiner watches your control of the car going forward and in reverse, where you place the car in the lane, your turns, and how you deal with signals, signs, people on foot and other drivers. You will parallel park and back up in a straight line.

Weather can upend plans. When a storm shuts state offices or delays their opening, the BMV rebooks your test at no charge and mails the new date. When offices stay open but your roads are not safe, phone 207-624-9000, extension 52119, ahead of your slot to cancel; no rescheduling fee applies.

After you pass: the provisional period

Any moving violation conviction while you are provisional means a suspension. The first costs you 30 days, the second 180 days, and the third or any later one a full year. To be reinstated you may have to complete an approved driver traffic offender program, pay a $200 reinstatement fee and take the road test again, and a court may add community service.

If you were first licensed at 18, 19 or 20, your provisional status runs the whole two years even after your 21st birthday. One more wrinkle: an OUI conviction picked up before your 21st birthday falls under the juvenile provisional rules no matter how long you have been licensed.

If you already drive: converting a license from another state or Canada

You have 30 days after becoming a resident. A license from any U.S. state or Canadian province can be converted if it is valid, or expired no more than five years ago, and is not suspended or revoked. At a BMV branch you pass a vision screening and show proof of lawful presence, residency and your Social Security number. In most cases the written and road tests are waived.

Hand in your old card along with a copy of both sides stapled to the application. If the card is gone, a certified driving record issued within the last 30 days works. Going for REAL ID? Expect extra document requirements even if your previous license was a REAL ID. CDL holders must convert at 101 Hospital Street in Augusta; that office is at 207-624-9000, ext. 52122.