The Learner's Permit
29-A M.R.S. § 1304 — a permit at fifteen after driver education, and 70 hours of driving before a license
- A person 15 or older may apply for a learner's permit; anyone under 18 completes a driver education course first.
- The permit is valid for 2 years and is carried while driving.
- The permit holder drives with a licensed operator at least 20 years old, licensed for at least 2 years for that class of vehicle, in the seat beside them.
- Anyone under 21 waits 6 months after the permit is issued, and completes at least 70 hours of driving, including 10 hours at night, before applying for a license.
Who handles this in Maine: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maine directory.
The first 270 days of a license under eighteen. A licensed driver under 18 carries no passengers outside the immediate family unless a qualifying licensed operator is along, does not drive between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., and does not use a handheld device or phone while driving. These limits last 270 days from the license, and a violation adds another 270 days.
A violation is a traffic infraction with a fine of $250 to $500, and the Secretary of State suspends the license for 60 days on a first offense, 180 days on a second, and one year on a third.
Sources for this section (2)
- 29-A M.R.S. § 1304 — Learner's permits
- 29-A M.R.S. § 1311 — Intermediate license
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maine attorney.