Driving Tests

Maine Driver's Ed Requirements: Who Needs It and When to Start

informational·how to guide·Published June 7, 2026

Is driver education required in Maine?

Yes, if you are under 18. Maine law (Title 29-A, section 1351) says a license cannot be issued to a driver under 18 without a course completion certificate. Section 1304 says a driver aged 15 to 17 must finish the course before applying for a learner's permit. You must be at least 15 when you begin the course.

Where these rules come from

Maine sets the driver education rules in Maine law: Title 29-A, section 1351 (the course and the certificate), section 1304 (the learner's permit) and section 1354 (schools and instructors). Section 1251 (license age and new residents) and section 1311 (intermediate license) also apply. This guide uses these texts as of 2026. Course hours, course fees and the list of approved schools come from your school or the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Confirm the rules with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (maine.gov/sos/bmv) before you drive.

Who needs driver education in Maine

Who needs driver education in Maine
Your situation	Driver education
Age 15 to 17	Required. Finish an approved course before you apply for a learner's permit, and show the certificate before a license is issued.
Under 18, moped-only license	A moped-only license does not need the course certificate.
Age 18 or older	Not required. The course rule is for drivers under 18.
Under 18 with a valid license from another jurisdiction, such as another state	The course requirement may be waived.

How old must you be to start driver's ed in Maine?

At least 15 when the course begins. A school cannot issue a certificate to a student who was not 15 on the first day of the course. Age 15 is also the minimum age for a Maine learner's permit. Your first license can come at 16 at the earliest, except a special restricted license.

Driver's ed to license: the steps for a driver under 18

1
Start the course at 15 or older
Pick an approved provider. You must be at least 15 when the course begins.
2
Finish the course and the exam
The certificate shows that you passed an approved course and its examination. A school can issue it only if the course meets the standards of the Secretary of State.
3
Get your learner's permit
Your course provider can collect the permit fees and application materials and can issue the permit. The Secretary of State can also issue it. Read the learner's permit rules for the permit limits.
4
Practice with the permit
Hold the permit for at least 6 months and complete at least 70 hours of driving, 10 of them at night, with a parent, guardian or licensed driver at least 20 years old. A parent, stepparent or guardian certifies the hours on a Secretary of State form.
5
Apply for the license
You need the certificate for a license before 18. Your license is then an intermediate license: for 270 days, no passengers other than immediate family unless a qualified supervising driver is with you, no driving from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. and no handheld device.

Can you drive with the course completion certificate?

Yes, for a limited time. The certificate works as a temporary learner's permit for a noncommercial Class C vehicle for 60 days from the completion date on the front of the certificate. Keep it with you whenever you drive. A licensed operator must sit in the seat beside you. That person must be at least 20 years old, must have held a license for at least 2 years and must be licensed for the class of vehicle you drive. This is the same supervisor rule as for a learner's permit.

Do you still take the permit exam after driver's ed?

Maine law says any required permit exam is given only by the Secretary of State, except that the Secretary of State may waive this requirement when it receives your course completion certificate. If you take the exam, the permit comes after you pass all parts of it except the driving test. The learner's permit is valid for 2 years and ends when you pass the driving examination.

Driver's ed if you have a license from another state or country

You are under 18 and hold a valid driver's license from another jurisdiction

The driver education requirement may be waived for you.

You are a new Maine resident

Apply for a Maine license within 30 days of becoming a resident. The moving to Maine license guide has the next steps.

You live in another state or province, you are 16 or older and you carry a valid license or learner's permit from it

You do not need a Maine license. Follow the limits of your own license or permit.

Who can teach driver education in Maine

Who can teach driver education in Maine
Instructor license	What the holder can teach
Class 1	The classroom phase and the behind-the-wheel phase
Class 2	The behind-the-wheel phase only
Class 3	The classroom phase only

Approved providers and instructor rules

An approved course can come from a public secondary school, a private secondary school that the Commissioner of Education approves, a career and technical education center or region, or a person licensed by the Secretary of State.
No one can run a driver education school, teach driver education or act as an instructor without a Secretary of State license. Teaching without one is a Class E crime.
An instructor must be at least 21, have a high school diploma or its equivalent, have 4 years of driving as a licensed operator with a valid license, pass a knowledge test, have fingerprints taken and go through state and national criminal history checks.
The Secretary of State sets a standard curriculum for every course, and every course must teach how to share the road with a motorcycle or vulnerable user.

Key Takeaways

A driver aged 15 to 17 must finish an approved driver education course before applying for a learner's permit, and needs the certificate for a license.
You must be at least 15 when you begin the course.
The certificate works as a temporary Class C learner's permit for 60 days, with a licensed driver at least 20 beside you.
The Secretary of State may waive the permit exam requirement on receipt of the certificate, and the course requirement may be waived for a driver with a valid license from another jurisdiction.
Next step: practice on the free Maine Class C permit practice test, which is in English only.

Maine driver's ed: common questions

Can I get a Maine license at 16 without driver's ed?

No. A license cannot be issued to a driver under 18 without a certificate for an approved driver education course and examination. The one exception is a moped-only license. If you are 15 to 17, the course must also come before your learner's permit.

Does driver's ed lower car insurance in Maine?

It can. Maine law allows, but does not require, rating bureaus and independent insurers recognized by the Superintendent of Insurance to give an automobile insurance discount to driver education school graduates. Ask your insurer if it gives one.

Can my parent teach me instead of a driver's ed school?

Not for the course. Only an approved provider, such as a public secondary school or a person licensed by the Secretary of State, gives the course that leads to the certificate. Your parent can sit beside you for permit practice if the parent is at least 20, has held a license for at least 2 years and is licensed for the vehicle class.

Can I ride a motorcycle with my driver's ed certificate?

No. The certificate works as a temporary learner's permit only for a noncommercial Class C motor vehicle. A motorcycle or moped learner's permit has its own rules: you must be at least 16, and you must pass a vision test and a knowledge test for a motorcycle or moped. A motorcycle permit also needs a motorcycle rider education course.

Can I drive during driver's ed before I have a learner's permit?

You may be able to, with a restricted permit. The Secretary of State may issue a restricted learner's permit to a student in a driver education program that includes practice driving. It is valid for a school year or another set period, and only when a driver education teacher or instructor licensed by the Secretary of State is with you.