Driving Tests

Driving in Maine With a Foreign License: Visitors, New Residents, Students

informational·how to guide·Published May 1, 2026

Can I drive in Maine with a foreign driver's license?

Yes, if you are a visitor aged 16 or older. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) says a non-resident can drive on the unexpired license from the home country, except vehicles that need a commercial license. A nonresident student at a Maine school can also drive on a valid home license. If you move to Maine, apply for a Maine license within 30 days.

Where these rules come from

Maine law sets the rules in Maine law (Title 29-A, section 109) for visitors and students, and in Maine law (Title 29-A, section 1251) for new residents. The BMV explains how it applies them in a December 2025 letter to the Legislature. The rules for license applicants come from sections 1301, 1306, 1351, 1406-A and 2472 of the same title. This guide is correct as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (maine.gov/sos/bmv) before you drive.

Rules for visitors who drive on a home-country license

Who is covered. A nonresident who has followed the licensing laws of the place where the person lives is exempt from the Maine license rules (section 109). The BMV applies this to an unexpired license from your country of residence.
Age. You must be 16 or older.
Restrictions. Follow every restriction on your home license or permit.
Vehicle type. Non-CDL driving only: no vehicle that needs a commercial driver's license (CDL).
Have it with you. The exemption is for a nonresident who has the valid license or permit in their possession.

Do you need an International Driving Permit in Maine?

Maine law lets a nonresident drive on a valid home license, and the BMV letter of December 2025 says the unexpired home license is enough. A 2025 BMV staff e-mail attached to that letter says something different: a visitor can drive if the visitor also has a valid International Driving Permit (IDP), and must carry both documents while driving. Because the two BMV statements disagree, ask the BMV before you drive whether to carry an IDP with your home license.

Can an international student drive in Maine on a home license?

Yes, while you stay a nonresident. Section 109(1)(B) exempts a nonresident student who is enrolled in a university, college or school in Maine, as long as the student has a valid registration and license from the place of legal residence. If you become a Maine resident, the 30-day rule below applies to you. A student under 21 must also follow the zero-alcohol rule below.

Which rule applies to you?

You visit Maine and live in another country

You can drive on your unexpired home license if you are 16 or older, except vehicles that need a commercial license. Follow its restrictions and have it with you.

You are a nonresident student at a Maine university, college or school

You can drive on a valid license from your place of legal residence. The exemption ends if you become a Maine resident.

You move to Maine for good

Apply for a Maine license within 30 days of becoming a resident. Drivers new to the United States take the written and road exams.

You are a Canadian driver who moves to Maine

Apply within 30 days, as any new resident. Ask the BMV before your visit which tests you must take with a Canadian license.

Moving to Maine from another country: the 30-day rule

A new resident must apply for a Maine license within 30 days of becoming a resident (section 1251). A person who does not apply and then drives on a public way or in a parking area commits a traffic infraction. After 90 days as a resident, driving without a Maine license can bring a fine of $150 to $500 (U.S. dollars) or a Class E criminal charge: the section has both rules. The Maine license for new residents guide covers the move step by step.

Written and road exams for drivers new to the United States

Maine law says that a license applicant must pass a written examination and a driving test. If you hold a license from another country, including Canada, ask the BMV before your visit which tests you must take.

How to get a Maine license as a new resident

1
Bring proof of legal presence, residency and identity
Bring valid documents that prove legal presence in the United States, proof of Maine residency and two different forms of proof of identity. You also complete a vision screening.
2
Have a Social Security number, or be ineligible for one
An applicant needs a valid Social Security number. A person who is legally ineligible to receive one is excepted.
3
Pass the written and road exams
Take the written exam and the road test described above. An applicant who has not held a license anywhere in the past 5 years also takes a vision test. The free practice questions on this site cover the Maine rules, in English only.
4
Give up your other licenses
You cannot get a Maine license unless you surrender all valid licenses you hold from any jurisdiction. A person may not have more than one valid license, unless the Secretary of State allows it.

Rules for drivers under 21 and under 18

Maine law treats a license from another jurisdiction held by a person under 21 as a provisional license for driving in Maine. A driver under 21 may not drive with an alcohol level above 0.00. The practice question on the alcohol level for a driver under 21 covers it. A Maine license that you get before age 21 is a juvenile provisional license for 2 years or until you turn 21, whichever is later. Under 18, you need a driver education course certificate, but the course may be waived if you hold a valid license from another jurisdiction.

How long is a Maine license valid for a non-citizen?

If you are not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, your Maine license expires when your authorized stay ends, or on the normal expiration date if that comes first. The license must still be valid for at least 120 days. The normal noncommercial license of a driver under 65 expires on the 6th birthday after the date of issue.

Key takeaways

A visitor who is 16 or older can drive in Maine on an unexpired home license, except vehicles that need a commercial license, and must follow its restrictions.
The BMV letter says a home license is enough, but a 2025 BMV staff e-mail says to carry an International Driving Permit with it. Ask the BMV before you drive.
A nonresident student can drive on a valid home license. A new resident must apply for a Maine license within 30 days.
Drivers new to the United States take the written and road exams. Ask the BMV which tests apply to a Canadian license. A non-citizen's Maine license ends no later than the authorized stay.
Next step: practice the rules on the free Maine Class C permit practice test.

Foreign license in Maine: common questions

Is an International Driving Permit enough to drive in Maine?

No, not on its own. Both BMV statements about visitors name the unexpired license from your home country: the December 2025 letter says the home license is enough, and a 2025 staff e-mail says to carry an IDP along with it. Always have your valid home license with you when you drive in Maine.

Can a 15-year-old visitor drive in Maine?

No. Maine law says a nonresident who is not yet 16 may not drive a motor vehicle, even with a license or learner's permit from home. From age 16, a nonresident can drive on a valid home license or permit and must follow every restriction on it.

Can I use an expired passport or visa as ID at the Maine BMV?

No. Maine law says the Secretary of State may not accept these documents as identification for a driver's license: an expired document issued by a foreign country, a foreign passport that shows an elapsed departure date, and an expired U.S. visa. Check the dates on your passport and visa before you apply.

Do international students need proof of a Maine address to get a Maine license?

Maybe not. A license applicant must normally show a document with the applicant's name and Maine address, and a P.O. box is not enough. Maine law lets the Secretary of State exempt a student enrolled in a university, college or school in Maine from this rule. Ask the BMV about the exemption before you apply.

How do I renew a Maine license that ends with my visa?

Bring an updated, unexpired document issued by immigration authorities. BMV staff check legal presence each time a person applies for or renews a license. The document must show that your current status is unexpired, and that status can be different from the one you had when you entered the U.S. Without it, the BMV will not renew the license.