Driving Tests

How Much Is a Maine Driver's License? Test and License Fees (2026)

informational·how to guide·Published June 2, 2026

How much does a Maine driver's license cost?

In Maine, the Class C examination for a car license costs $35 and includes your first road test. Each retest costs $35. The license costs $30 for 6 years, or $55 if you choose a REAL ID compliant license. At 65 or older, the 4-year license costs $20, or $40 with REAL ID. All amounts are in U.S. dollars, as of 2026.

Where the Maine fee rules come from

Maine sets the test fees in Maine law (Title 29-A, section 1307) and the license fees and terms in Maine law (Title 29-A, section 1406-A). The REAL ID option is in Maine law (Title 29-A, section 1260), last changed by Public Law 2025, chapter 163. The license classes and the permit, full-examination and driver education rules come from Title 29-A, sections 1252, 1304, 1306 and 1351. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is part of the Department of the Secretary of State. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (maine.gov/sos/bmv) before you drive.

Maine test and license fees at a glance

Maine test and license fees at a glance
Item	Fee (U.S. dollars)	What it covers
Class C examination	$35	Includes the first road test
Retest (reexamination)	$35	Each later examination
Missed appointment	$35 extra	Charged when you book again; waived if you cancel at least 48 hours ahead
License, under 65	$30	6 years
REAL ID compliant license, under 65	$55	6 years
License, 65 or older	$20	4 years
REAL ID compliant license, 65 or older	$40	4 years
Faster issue of a license	$10 extra	You give a reason, and the Secretary of State decides

What does the Maine Class C road test cost?

A Class C license is the license for an ordinary car. The Class C examination fee is $35, and it includes your first road test. You pay it to the Secretary of State before the examination is given. If you need another try, each reexamination costs $35. Do not confuse it with the commercial license examination, which costs $70.

Example: the total for a first license under age 65

Take an applicant under 65 who passes the road test on the first try. The Class C examination fee is $35 and the standard license fee is $30, so the two state fees come to $35 + $30 = $65. With a REAL ID compliant license, the license fee is $55, so the fees come to $35 + $55 = $90. Each failed road test adds a $35 reexamination fee: with one retest, the standard total is $65 + $35 = $100.

What if you miss your Maine road test appointment?

You tell the BMV Driver Examination Section at least 48 hours before the examination that you cancel

The Secretary of State waives the extra missed-appointment fee.

You do not keep the appointment and you do not cancel in time

The Secretary of State charges an extra $35 for a Class C noncommercial examination when you make a new appointment.

How long does a Maine license last?

A standard or REAL ID compliant license for a driver under 65 expires at midnight on the 6th birthday after the date of issue, with some exceptions in the law. If you are 65 or older on the date of issue, the license expires at midnight on the 4th birthday after issue. A license for a person who is not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident expires at the end of the authorized stay or on the normal date, whichever comes first. It is valid for at least 120 days.

Is a REAL ID compliant license optional in Maine?

Yes. Maine law (Title 29-A, section 1260) says the Secretary of State may issue a REAL ID compliant license when you ask for one. The Secretary of State must also offer a license that does not meet REAL ID standards and that is valid for all state identification requirements. Public Law 2025, chapter 163, "An Act to Preserve Traditional Driver's Licenses and Nondriver Identification Cards", last changed this section. The REAL ID compliant license costs $25 more for a 6-year license and $20 more for a 4-year license.

Where each fee comes in on the way to a Maine license

1
Finish driver education if you are under 18
A person who is 15 or older may apply for a learner's permit. If you are under 18, you must finish a driver education course before you apply. Maine law lets the course provider collect the learner's permit fees. The guide to driver education requirements in Maine has the course details.
2
Pay the $35 Class C examination fee
Pay the Secretary of State before the examination is given. The fee includes your first road test.
3
Pass all parts of the examination except the driving test
The Secretary of State may then issue a learner's permit, which is valid for 2 years. The Maine learner's permit rules explain how you may drive with it.
4
Take the road test
If you are under 21, you may apply for a license only after 6 months with the permit and at least 70 hours of driving, 10 of them at night, with a parent, guardian or licensed driver at least 20 years old. If you cannot keep the appointment, cancel at least 48 hours ahead, or you pay $35 extra when you book again. Each reexamination costs $35.
5
Choose your license and pay for it
Pay $30 for a standard license or $55 for a REAL ID compliant license. At 65 or older, pay $20 or $40 for a 4-year license.

What other Maine licenses and exams cost

Motorcycle or moped: the learner's permit and the first road test cost $35, and each later examination costs $35.
Commercial license examination (Class A, B or C): $70 with the first road test, and $70 for each reexamination. A missed appointment without 48 hours notice adds $70.
Commercial license, under 65: $34 for 5 years, or $59 for a REAL ID compliant license.
Endorsement examination (double or triple trailer, bus, tank vehicle or hazardous materials): $20.

Key takeaways

The Maine Class C examination costs $35 and includes the first road test. Each retest costs $35.
A missed road test appointment adds $35 unless you cancel at least 48 hours before.
Under 65, a standard license costs $30 and a REAL ID compliant license $55, for 6 years. At 65 or older, the 4-year license costs $20, or $40 with REAL ID.
A REAL ID compliant license is optional: the Secretary of State must offer a license that does not meet REAL ID standards.
Next step: practice on the free Maine Class C permit practice test.

Maine license fees: common questions

Do I pay a separate fee for the Maine road test?

Not for the first one. The $35 Class C examination fee includes your first road test, and you pay it to the Secretary of State before the examination is given. You pay $35 again for each reexamination, and $35 extra after a missed appointment that you did not cancel at least 48 hours ahead.

Can I have a REAL ID license and a regular license at the same time?

Not if they have the same class or restriction. Maine law does not let a person hold a REAL ID compliant license at the same time as another license with the same class or restriction on it. For a car license, choose one of the two when you apply.

How much does it cost to get a Maine license faster?

An applicant who asks for expedited issuance of a driver's license pays an extra $10 and must give the reason for the request. The Secretary of State then decides if the faster issue is warranted.

I had a license years ago. Do I have to take the full Maine exam again?

Yes, if you have not held a license in Maine or in another jurisdiction in the past 5 years. Maine law then requires a complete examination: a vision test, a written test and a road test. For a car license, the Class C examination fee is $35 and includes the first road test.

Will Maine remind me to renew my driver's license?

Yes. Before your license expires, the Secretary of State sends you a renewal notice. The license expires at midnight on a birthday. If you were born on February 29, Maine law counts March 1 as your birthday for the expiration date.

Is a Maine car license a Class C license?

Yes. In Maine law, Class A is for a combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more when the towed vehicles are over 10,000 pounds. Class B is for a single vehicle with a rating of 26,001 pounds or more. Class C covers every other single vehicle or combination, so an ordinary car needs a Class C license. Practice it with the free question on which Maine license class covers a passenger car. Our practice questions are free and in English only.