Maine Intermediate License
The intermediate license is the middle stage of Maine's graduated driver licensing track. It's available at age 16 to teens who have held a learner's permit for at least 6 months, completed the 70-hour supervised driving log, and finished a state-approved driver education course. The intermediate credential allows independent driving for the first time, but with strict limits on passengers, nighttime driving, and any handheld electronic device use.
Eligibility
To qualify for an intermediate license, the applicant must:
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Have held a Maine learner's permit for at least 6 months with no traffic convictions.
- Have completed a Maine-approved driver education program.
- Have completed and submitted the 70-hour supervised driving log, including 10 night hours and 5 inclement-weather hours, signed by a parent or guardian.
- Pass the BMV road test administered at a branch office.
The road test mirrors the test for the full Class C license, with extra weight given to lane discipline, head checks, and stop-sign behavior.
Passenger restrictions
For the first 270 days after the intermediate license is issued, the teen may not transport any passenger other than:
- A parent, stepparent, grandparent, or legal guardian.
- A licensed driver age 20 or older with at least two years of licensed driving experience.
- An immediate family member (sibling).
Maine's intermediate passenger rule is among the strictest in the country — the limit covers all non-family passengers, not just teens. After 270 days, the limit relaxes, but no intermediate holder may exceed the number of seat belts in the vehicle.
Nighttime restriction
Intermediate license holders cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless one of the following applies: a licensed adult age 20 or older with two years of experience is in the front passenger seat, the teen is driving directly to or from work or a school activity (with documentation), or the teen is responding to a family emergency. The nighttime rule applies for the entire intermediate phase, not just the first 270 days.
Cell phone and texting
Maine prohibits any use of a handheld electronic device while driving for anyone under 18, even hands-free configurations. The rule applies on top of the statewide texting-while-driving prohibition that covers all drivers. A first violation by an intermediate holder is treated as a moving violation that pauses the GDL clock.
The 9-month violation-free rule
The intermediate license must be held for at least 9 months without a moving-violation conviction before the teen can move to a full unrestricted Class C license at age 17. Without the clean 9 months, the teen waits until age 18 for the full license. Any conviction during the intermediate period restarts the 9-month clock from the conviction date. Two convictions during the intermediate period typically extend the restricted phase or trigger an administrative review by Maine BMV that can require driver-improvement training.
Stepping up to the full license
When the intermediate holder turns 17 with the 9-month violation-free record, the teen can apply for a full Class C license by visiting a BMV branch, paying the regular license fee, and surrendering the intermediate card. No additional road test is required for teens stepping up cleanly. The full license becomes available automatically at age 18 for any teen who chose not to apply at 17 or who had a violation that delayed the upgrade.
Why Maine's GDL is so strict
Maine's combination of 70 hours of supervised driving, the 270-day no-passenger rule, the midnight-to-5:00 a.m. curfew, and the under-18 cell-phone ban is among the most rigorous GDL frameworks in the country. National research consistently shows that teens who drive longer with adult supervision and shorter with peer passengers crash less often during the first year of solo driving. Most insurers also recognize the GDL completion as a positive factor in teen auto insurance rates, especially when paired with a good-student discount.