📋 What to Bring
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Proof of identity, SSN & Maine residency
Bring proof of your legal name and date of birth, proof of your Social Security number, and documents proving Maine residency. A federally compliant REAL ID requires these same documents.
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Application & fee
Apply at a Maine BMV branch office (Secretary of State) and pay the applicable license fee.
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Parent/guardian consent & driver education (if under 18)
Applicants under 18 go through Maine's Graduated Driver License (GDL) program: a parent or legal guardian must consent, and a driver education course plus supervised driving hours are required before the intermediate license.
📅 How to Schedule
- 1
Study the handbook and practice
Read the Maine Motorist Handbook and Study Guide and take practice tests covering signs, traffic laws, alcohol rules, and safe driving.
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Visit a Maine BMV branch office
Maine driver licensing is handled by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Secretary of State). Bring your documents and fee to a BMV branch office. Some services and appointments can be arranged online.
- 3
Pass the vision and knowledge tests
Pass a vision screening and the 30-question knowledge test (24 correct, 80%, to pass). Then hold your instruction permit, complete the required practice, and pass the road test to be licensed.
💡 Test Day Tips
- •The Maine knowledge test has 30 questions; you must answer 24 correctly (80%) to pass.
- •The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08 for drivers 21 and over. Maine has ZERO tolerance (0.00) for drivers under 21, and the limit is 0.04 for commercial (CDL) drivers. Impaired driving in Maine is charged as OUI (Operating Under the Influence).
- •Maine has a hands-free law: it is illegal to hold or use a handheld phone or other electronic device while driving. Use a hands-free setup instead.
- •Maine's Move Over law requires you to slow down and, when safe, move over a lane for stopped emergency, police, and utility vehicles displaying flashing lights.
- •Watch for moose and deer, especially at dawn and dusk — wildlife collisions are a real hazard on Maine roads. Scan the roadsides and slow down in posted wildlife-crossing areas.
- •The Maine Motorist Handbook is offered in several languages (Arabic, French, Portuguese, Somali, and Spanish) by the Maine BMV, in addition to English.
📚 Driver Handbook
All practice questions are based on the chapters below. Click any chapter to read it on the official DMV website.
🎯 Practice by Topic
Your Driver's License
Who needs a license and license classes, the graduated/intermediate license for teens and its restrictions, learner permits, REAL ID and required documents, renewals, and demerit points.
State Laws and Rules
Speed limits, right-of-way, the point system, insurance and financial responsibility, the move-over law, the distracted-driving law, and penalties.
Ready to Drive
Driver fitness, vision, fatigue and drowsy driving, distractions, emotions, and alcohol, drugs and OUI (impaired driving).
Before You Drive
Seat belts and child restraints, air bags, adjusting the seat, mirrors and head restraints, and pre-drive vehicle checks.
Getting Started
Basic vehicle control: starting, steering, accelerating and braking smoothly, backing, and parking basics.
Rules of the Road
Traffic signals, traffic-sign shapes, colors and meanings, work-zone and route signs, and pavement and lane markings.
General Driving
Turning, intersections and right-of-way, roundabouts, passing, lane use and changing lanes, signaling, and parking.
Managing Time and Space
Following distance and space cushions, scanning, stopping distance, and managing time and space around your vehicle.
Avoiding Crashes
Crash-avoidance and emergency techniques: braking, skids, vehicle failures, hazard recognition, and what to do in a crash.
Sharing the Road
Sharing the road with pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, large trucks and buses, school buses, and emergency vehicles.
Special Driving Challenges
Driving at night, in rain, fog, snow and ice, on highways and rural roads, and around deer and moose.
🔗 Official Resources
🛑 New to US road signs? See all road signs and their meanings →
❓ Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Maine Driver's License test, and how many do I need to pass?
The Maine Driver's License knowledge test has 30 questions. You must answer 24 correctly (80%) to pass.
How many questions can you miss on the Maine Driver's License test?
You can miss up to 6 of the 30 questions and still pass.
What is the minimum age to take the Maine Driver's License test?
Minimum age: 15 (permit) / 15（学习许可）/ 15 (permiso).
What should I bring to the Maine Driver's License test?
Proof of identity, SSN & Maine residency — Bring proof of your legal name and date of birth, proof of your Social Security number, and documents proving Maine residency. A federally compliant REAL ID requires these same documents. Application & fee — Apply at a Maine BMV branch office (Secretary of State) and pay the applicable license fee. Parent/guardian consent & driver education (if under 18) — Applicants under 18 go through Maine's Graduated Driver License (GDL) program: a parent or legal guardian must consent, and a driver education course plus supervised driving hours are required before the intermediate license.
How do I schedule and take the Maine Driver's License test?
1. Study the handbook and practice: Read the Maine Motorist Handbook and Study Guide and take practice tests covering signs, traffic laws, alcohol rules, and safe driving. 2. Visit a Maine BMV branch office: Maine driver licensing is handled by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Secretary of State). Bring your documents and fee to a BMV branch office. Some services and appointments can be arranged online. 3. Pass the vision and knowledge tests: Pass a vision screening and the 30-question knowledge test (24 correct, 80%, to pass). Then hold your instruction permit, complete the required practice, and pass the road test to be licensed.