State rules
Driver training rules in Maine
What Maine requires of driving schools, CDL training and school bus drivers, with every fact linked to its official source.
✓ Checked against official sources · 2026-10-18
Driver training rules in Maine for teen and adult driver's education, CDL schools, carriers that train their own drivers and school bus drivers, each with a link to the official source. Federal ELDT rules (49 CFR Part 380) apply in every state on top of these.
| Driver education (teens) | Required under 18: approved driver ed course of 30 hours classroom + 10 hours behind the wheel.source 1 · source 2 |
|---|---|
| Supervised practice (teens) | 70 hours supervised driving, 10 at night, with a parent, guardian or licensed driver 20+. Permit held 6 months.source 3 · source 4 |
| New adult drivers | No driver ed required at 18+. Under 21 must hold a learner's permit 6 months and complete 70 hours of supervised driving, 10 at night. 21+ need not wait or log hours (29-A MRSA 1304).source 3 · source 4 |
| Who licenses driving schools | Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles licenses driver education schools and instructors.source 5 |
| CDL training: state rules beyond federal ELDT | Licensed commercial driver ed schools: Class A course 78 hrs classroom + 25.5 hrs lab + 44 hrs BTW; Class B course 42 classroom + 20 range + 10 on-road (2015 rule).source 2 |
| CDL schools: state license | Yes. Secretary of State (BMV) issues Class A or Class B commercial motor vehicle driver education school licenses (29-A MRSA 1354; BMV rule ch. 9, 2015).source 5 · source 2 · source 6 |
| CDL schools: state hours or curriculum | Yes. Class A course: 78 hrs classroom, 25.5 hrs lab, 44 hrs behind-the-wheel. Class B course: 42 classroom, 20 range, 10 on-road (BMV rule, 2015).source 2 |
| CDL schools: instructor rules | Yes. State instructor license: valid CDL, 2 years' experience in the last 10 operating a representative CMV, and a State Bureau of Identification background check.source 5 · source 2 |
| Carriers training their own drivers: license | Unclear. No employer exemption in the law. The license covers CMV driver education given "in exchange for remuneration or course credit"; free in-house training is not expressly addressed.source 2 · source 5 |
| Carriers: hours or curriculum | Unclear. Hour rules bind licensed commercial driver education schools; whether an unpaid in-house carrier program counts as one is not addressed.source 2 |
| Carriers: instructor rules | Unclear. Anyone who conducts driver education must be licensed; the definition depends on remuneration or course credit, and no employer exemption is stated.source 2 · source 5 |
| New school bus drivers | At least 40 hours initial school bus driver training, classroom and behind the wheel (DOE rule ch. 81, 2017).source 7 · source 8 |
| School bus refresher | At least 16 hours in-service training every year, classroom and behind the wheel.source 8 |
Driving manuals and handbooks
Official publications from Maine, checked 2026-10-19. Read them here or download them; the state's own copy is always linked.
Commercial (CDL)Maine Commercial Driver License Manual
Open on the state siteCopyright American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), so it opens on the state's site.
Commercial (CDL)Maine Commercial Driver License Skills Test Addendum
Open on the state siteCopyright American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), so it opens on the state's site.
Commercial (CDL)
Maine's Move to CDL Modernized Testing (Commercial Driver License Letter Addendum)
Motorcycle and mopedMotorcycle Operator Manual, 16th Edition (Maine)
Open on the state siteCopyright Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), so it opens on the state's site.
Driving schools and instructors
Class A Introductory Course in Commercial Vehicle Driver Education
Driving schools and instructors
Class A Introductory Course in Driver Education (Class C Vehicles)
Driving schools and instructors
Class B Introductory Course in Driver Education (Class C Vehicles)
Driving jobs in Maine
9,980heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers employed (May 2025)
$57,050median yearly pay (May 2025)
1,120projected openings each year, 2024 to 2034
-0.4%projected job growth, 2024 to 2034
U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Maine, May 2025Projections CentralLong-Term Occupational Projections (2024-2034)
Rules change. Always confirm with the state agency before you rely on a rule. Something out of date? Email terry@eldt.courses.
Federal rules in every state
CDL entry-level driver training must come from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, for a first Class A or B CDL, an upgrade to Class A or B, or a first P, S or H endorsement (49 CFR 380.609). See ELDT record keeping under 49 CFR 380.
Sources
- https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/29-A/title29-Asec1351.html
- https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/250c009-6.docx
- https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/29-A/title29-Asec1304.html
- https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/driver-licenses-and-ids/car-license/license-age-restrictions
- https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/29-A/title29-Asec1354.html
- https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/driver-licenses-and-ids/teach-driving/obtain-a-passenger-vehicle-education-driver-school-license
- https://www.maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/content/assets/071c081.docx
- https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/School%20Safety%20Transportation%20-%20Chapter%2081%20-%203.26.2025_0.pdf