Learn about driving regulations and special initiatives aimed at keeping both older drivers and Maine’s roads safe.
While the various laws and regulations enforced by the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) apply to drivers of all ages and stages, senior drivers are subject to additional requirements and limitations.
Maine’s restrictions are detailed in further depth below, but many of them are concerned with detecting and dealing with elderly drivers who may have become hazardous behind the wheel.
Maine in particular:
requires a vision test at the first renewal for drivers under the age of 40, and then requires drivers 65 and older to renew their licenses every four years; younger drivers must renew every six years, and accepts requests to report concerns about unsafe driving from anyone with personal knowledge of the driver.
Drivers over the age of 40 who want to renew their licenses must follow certain regulations.
Time limitations are set every four years for drivers 65 and older, and every six years for those under 65.
A vision test is necessary at the first renewal after the age of 40, and subsequently at every second renewal until the age of 62, when a test is required at each renewal.
The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles provides free eye exams, but people may also have them performed by a doctor of their choosing within a year of the renewal request; that doctor must submit an Eye Form.
No written exam is necessary.
Road test: Only required if the BMV obtains signs that the driver is inebriated.
The Maine Secretary of State has the authority to impose limits on a person’s driver’s license. The most prevalent limitation for senior drivers is the need for corrective lenses or glasses.
Other typical limitations include:
To start the process of obtaining a limited license, please contact:
207-624-9000 Bureau of Motor Vehicles 29 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333
Anyone who feels a person has a medical condition that impairs their ability to drive may make a complaint with the Maine Secretary of State; all such reports are kept secret.
The Secretary of State’s office may seek an additional medical report from a physician or other treatment professionals after receiving the report. This report must be completed on the Driver Medical Evaluation Form provided by the BMV.
Personnel from the Secretary of State may then launch an inquiry to gather further information or to require the individual in issue to submit to a driving examination. As a consequence, the license may be suspended, kept, or limited by specific criteria such as acceptable driving hours and locations.
For further information about regaining a suspended or revoked license, contact:
Driver License Services Division 29, State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 207-624-9000 877-456-8195 Bureau of Motor Vehicles (TTY)
The driver’s name, date of birth, and current address should all be included in the inquiry.
Drivers may enhance their abilities by enrolling in an education and training program designed exclusively for elderly drivers. Maine Driving Dynamics lists local course programs online.
Drivers with restricted mobility may be awarded disability parking placards and license plates provided a certified medical expert confirms the condition.
Placards and license plates are also offered to people who:
The following steps must be taken in order to receive a disability placard or plate:
A description of Maine’s legal requirements for disabled drivers may be found online under “Disability Plates, Disability Placards, and Disability Parking.”
