CDL Requirements in Maine (2026): Steps, Cost & Testing

Requirements verified July 20, 2026 against Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Secretary of State

Maine issues CDLs through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), under the Secretary of State. You hold a regular Maine license first, complete federal ELDT, pass the knowledge tests, hold a Commercial Learner Permit at least 14 days, then take a three-part skills test in a vehicle you supply. The commercial exam fee is $70 and a standard CDL lasts 5 years ($34 to license, under age 65).

Maine handles CDLs through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, part of the Secretary of State's office. The process follows the federal pattern — a regular Maine license first, ELDT training, knowledge tests, a 14-day permit hold, then a three-part skills test in a vehicle you provide. You'll pay a $70 commercial exam fee and $34 to license a 5-year CDL (under age 65).

Maine is not one of the TSA self-managed hazmat states, so hazmat fingerprinting is handled through the federal TSA program at an IdentoGO enrollment center rather than at the BMV. Since mid-2025, DOT medical certificates are transmitted electronically by your examiner, so you no longer drop off a paper card.

One current wrinkle: effective September 29, 2025, the BMV paused issuing and renewing non-domiciled CDLs and permits until further notice. If that applies to you, confirm the status directly with the BMV before starting the process.

Eligibility and documents in Maine

• Age: at least 18 for intrastate driving; 21 to drive interstate or haul hazmat.
• Two forms of identification — one showing date of birth and one bearing your written signature (required at both application and testing)
• A birth certificate with the embossed seal/stamp of the issuing agency if you are under age 23 (notarized copies are not accepted)
• Proof of residency and lawful presence
• A valid Maine noncommercial Class C driver's license (required before applying for a CDL)
• Applicants under 18 must meet Maine driver-education requirements
• Medical self-certification on form MVE-64C, plus a valid medical examiner's certificate if your category requires one

How to get your CDL: step by step

1. Get your Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). Pass the required knowledge tests: General Knowledge (all applicants); Combination Vehicles (Class A); Air Brakes (if your vehicle has them); Any endorsement tests you need (P, S, H, N, T).
2. Complete ELDT training. For a first Class A/B CDL or a first hazmat, passenger, or school-bus endorsement, you must train with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. The BMV relies on the federal FMCSA Training Provider Registry (tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov), which retains the record of who has completed ELDT. You must finish ELDT with a registered provider before the CDL skills test, and before the hazmat knowledge test. Maine has no separate state training portal. ELDT has applied since February 7, 2022. Drivers who held a valid CDL or S/P/H endorsement before that date are grandfathered.
3. Hold your permit 14 days. Federal rules require at least 14 days before the skills test.
4. Pass the skills test. It has 3 parts: Pre-trip vehicle inspection, Basic vehicle control, On-road driving test. Skills tests are scheduled through the BMV CDL Examination Section (207-624-9000 ext. 52122). Maine uses BMV examiners and approved examiners; confirm current third-party options with the BMV. The road-test phase may be waived if you hold a valid out-of-state CDL.
5. Get your CDL issued. Pay the license fee, submit your medical self-certification, and receive your license (valid 5 years). A standard Maine CDL is valid 5 years (4 years at age 65+). Each endorsement costs $20. Effective September 29, 2025 and until further notice, the BMV cannot issue or renew non-domiciled (term-limited) CLPs or CDLs. Upgrading class or adding a passenger or school bus endorsement requires the applicable knowledge and skills tests plus ELDT for first-timers.

Medical certification in Maine

Self-certify your category on form MVE-64C and submit it by mail, fax, email (cdlcompliance.BMV@maine.gov), or at any branch office. For non-excepted categories, the form now states a medical examiner must digitally submit a valid medical certificate before your credential is processed — reflecting the June 23, 2025 federal National Registry II rule (Maine's BMV notice cited a June 9, 2025 go-live). You no longer hand the paper card to the BMV yourself.

If your card lapses: Keep your self-certification and medical exam current. A lapsed medical certificate downgrades your CDL to a non-commercial license. CDL Compliance Unit assistance: 207-624-9000 ext. 52126.

Every CDL holder must self-certify one operating category. The categories offered here:

• NI — Non-excepted Interstate (medical card required)
• EI — Excepted Interstate
• NA — Non-excepted Intrastate (medical card required; carries a 'K' intrastate-only restriction)
• EA — Excepted Intrastate (carries a 'K' restriction)

New to the DOT physical? See our DOT physical guide and CDL medical card explainer.

What a CDL costs in Maine

State fees are modest — roughly $104 for a new CDL, plus $20 per endorsement. The larger costs are ELDT tuition, a DOT physical, and, for hazmat, the TSA fingerprint/background-check fee (set by TSA, not published by the BMV — confirm with universalenroll.dhs.gov).

See the full national breakdown on our CDL cost guide.

Skills testing in Maine Third-party testing allowed

Maine allows approved third-party testers to administer the CDL skills test, which can mean shorter waits than a state office. The BMV does not publish official wait times — confirm current scheduling with the CDL Examination Section.

Your test vehicle: You must supply a vehicle representative of the class of CDL you're seeking; the BMV does not provide a test vehicle. Federal rules prohibit interpreters during CDL testing (ASL translators are permitted).

Endorsements available in Maine

Maine offers the standard federal endorsements. Adding one usually means an extra knowledge test (and a skills test for passenger and school bus). Tap an endorsement for the full federal process and cost:

• HHazmat — Maine is NOT a TSA self-managed state. You pay the $20 BMV endorsement fee, but the fingerprinting and TSA Security Threat Assessment are completed through the federal TSA program at a Universal Enroll / IdentoGO enrollment center (universalenroll.dhs.gov), not at the BMV. You must be 21 and hold a valid medical card.
• NTanker — Tank vehicles; knowledge test, $20 endorsement fee.
• XHazmat + Tank — Combined hazmat + tank. Maine's application lists H and N separately rather than as a distinct 'X' code — confirm how the combined endorsement is issued with the BMV.
• PPassenger — Passenger vehicles seating more than 15 (including operator); must be 21; requires knowledge and skills tests.
• SSchool Bus — School bus (more than 15 passengers); must be 21 and have held a valid license one full year; requires ELDT plus knowledge and skills tests. Maine also issues a separate '3' credential for buses carrying 15 or fewer passengers (no CDL required, but must be 21 and pass the skill/road test).
• TDoubles/Triples — Double/triple trailers (Class A only, where allowed by law); knowledge test only.

CDL disqualifications

Disqualifying offenses are set by federal law (49 CFR 383.51) and apply in every state — including offenses in your personal vehicle. Maine applies the federal 49 CFR 383.51 disqualification framework. Administratively, any misstatement on the CDL application results in immediate suspension or revocation, and knowingly supplying false information is a Class D crime under Maine law. Intrastate self-certification adds a 'K' (intrastate-only) restriction to the credential.

Full federal detail: CDL disqualifications explained.

Military skills-test waiver

Maine offers a Military Skills Test Waiver for currently licensed service members who are, or were within the past 12 months, employed in a military position operating a CMV-equivalent vehicle. You must have operated a commercial vehicle of the same class/type for at least two years with a clean record. School bus (S) and passenger (P) endorsements cannot be transferred through the waiver.

Maine CDL FAQ