Maine · CDL Guide Updated August 2026

How to Get a CDL in Maine

Six steps, in order, with the Maine numbers that actually matter. Median heavy-truck pay is $54K+ — and step one takes a day and costs $29.95.

Enroll Now — $29.95 See the 6 steps

FMCSA-compliant under 49 CFR Part 380 · Reported to the federal TPR · 7-day refund

The short version

01Check eligibility — 18 in-state, 21 across state lines
02Finish ELDT theory training — today, $29.95
03Pass the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) knowledge test, get your CLP
04Behind-the-wheel practice, then the skills test
05DOT medical card on the national registry
06Upgrade the CLP to a full Maine CDL

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In Short

Am I eligible for a CDL in Maine?

You can get a Maine CDL at 18 to drive commercially inside Maine, or at 21 to drive across state lines, haul hazmat, or transport placarded loads. You need a Maine residential address, a valid Maine driver's license in good standing, and — for most classes — a current DOT medical certificate.

Disqualifiers are federal, not state: a suspended license, certain drug or alcohol convictions, or an open Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse prohibition will stop you at the counter. Clear those first — the rest of this page assumes you're eligible.

Applicant must hold a valid Maine noncommercial Class C driver's license before applying for a CDL. The Maine CDL Manual states 'You must be at least 16 years of age to operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle; 21 years of age to operate a bus or carry hazardous materials,' and the CDL application states applicants 'may not apply for road test and be issued a CDL until attaining their sixteenth birthday.' As of 09/29/2025 the Maine BMV has paused all non-domiciled commercial driver activities (permits, licenses and exams) until further notice.

New to the requirement? What is ELDT? →

Federal · same in all 50 states

Step 1 · How do I complete ELDT theory training?

Since February 7, 2022, the FMCSA requires Entry-Level Driver Training before you can take the CDL knowledge test. Take the theory course from a provider on the federal Training Provider Registry, and your completion is reported electronically to the registry — usually within a day.

This step is not Maine-specific. The theory curriculum is standardized nationally under 49 CFR Part 380, so a $150 course and a $29.95 course put the identical record in the same federal registry. Paying more buys marketing, not a better certificate.

Do step 1 right now

Class A ELDT Theory Course

Self-paced · finishable in one day · lifetime access · no subscription

$99$29.95one-time

FMCSA-CompliantReported to the TPR7-day refund before you start

Enroll Now — $29.95

Need endorsements too? The All-Access bundle covers all 7 courses for $49.95.

Maine-specific

Step 2 · How do I get a Maine CDL learner's permit?

Once your ELDT completion is in the federal registry, take your documents to a Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) driver exam station and pass the general knowledge test plus any endorsement tests. The agency issues your commercial learner's permit (CLP), and you must hold it at least 14 days before the skills test.

Permit fee: No separate commercial learner's permit fee is published. Maine's fee schedule lists a single 'Class A, B & C Commercial Driver's License Examination' fee of $70 plus $20 for each endorsement.

Bring with you — per the ME checklist

Two forms of identification - one showing date of birth and one bearing a written signature (passport
military ID
birth certificate
Social Security card
school records)
Birth certificate with embossed seal or stamp from the issuing agency for applicants under 23
Photocopies of the front and back of any license held from another state or province
Proof of Maine residency and lawful presence

Knowledge test covers

General Knowledge
Passenger Transport
Air Brakes
Combination Vehicles
Hazardous Materials
Tanker
Doubles/Triples
School Bus (one or more depending on the class of license and endorsements needed)

Find a Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) location →

Federal + in-person

Step 3 · Do I need behind-the-wheel training?

Yes. ELDT has two halves: the theory course you finished in step 1, and behind-the-wheel (BTW) training on a range and on public roads. BTW must be done in person with a registered provider, has no minimum hour requirement, and ends when an instructor judges you proficient.

Your CLP lets you drive a commercial vehicle only with a qualified CDL holder in the passenger seat. Most drivers do BTW through a local school or a carrier-sponsored program — look near Portland, Lewiston, or Bangor.

Maine-specific

Step 4 · How do I schedule the Maine skills test?

Maine runs CDL skills testing through examiners approved by the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), and you schedule once your 14-day CLP hold is up. The test has three parts — pre-trip inspection, basic control skills, and an on-road drive — and you must supply a vehicle representing the class you're testing for.

Skills test fee: Not itemized separately - Maine's published fee schedule shows one '$70' Class A, B & C Commercial Driver's License Examination fee covering CDL examination, plus $20 per endorsement
Third-party testing: No third-party CDL tester program is published by Maine. All CDL examinations are scheduled and administered by the Secretary of State's Bureau of Motor Vehicles CDL Examination Section in Augusta - the applicant mails the skills test request card to the BMV main office and receives an appointment notice giving the location, date and time. 29-A M.R.S. § 1304 provides that "Any required examination for a learner's permit may be administered only by the Secretary of State," and neither 29-A M.R.S. ch. 11 nor the BMV CDL pages reference outside testers. (A separate FMCSA military skills-test waiver program is offered.)
'The applicant must supply a vehicle for the skills test in the class applied for.'

By statute (29-A M.R.S. § 1307): "The examination fee for a Class A, Class B or Class C commercial driver's license is $70, which includes the first road test. A reexamination is $70." Endorsement reexamination (double/triple trailer, bus, tank, hazmat) is $20. Missed appointment: "If the applicant does not keep that appointment, the Secretary of State shall assess an additional $70 fee for a Class A, Class B or Class C commercial examination," waivable with at least 48 hours' notice of cancellation - the Maine CDL Manual states the same rule as "If you do not notify the CDL examination section of an appointment cancellation within 48 hours, a penalty fee of $70.00 will be assessed before another date is scheduled." No mandatory waiting period between attempts is published; BMV states that an unsuccessful applicant is given feedback "and a receipt to send in, to request your next test."

Federal · same in all 50 states

Step 5 · Do I need a DOT medical card?

Almost certainly. Most CDL drivers must pass a DOT physical with an examiner listed on the FMCSA National Registry and file the certificate with the state. A standard card is good for up to 24 months; conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes can shorten that to 12 months or less.

Get this done before your Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) visit — you'll need the certificate on file to be issued the CLP, so it isn't really step 5 in practice.

Maine-specific

Step 6 · When do I actually get the CDL?

After you pass the skills test, you take the examiner's results and your CLP to the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), pay the license fee, and are issued a temporary CDL on the spot. The permanent card arrives by mail, and your driving record shows the class and endorsements immediately.

Endorsements you skipped now can be added later — each one is a knowledge test, and Hazmat adds a TSA background check.

License fee: $34.00 standard / $59.00 REAL ID for a 5-year commercial license (under 65); $27.00 standard / $47.00 REAL ID for a 4-year commercial license (age 65+). Out-of-state CDL conversion: $70 application fee + $34 licensing fee + endorsement fees.
License term: 5 years
Not published CDL-specifically. On its general driver's license pages the BMV states that a temporary license is issued at the branch on passing the road test ("the BMV staff will issue you a temporary license... as well as instructions on how to obtain your photo license") and that "When ordered, licenses take 3-4 weeks to arrive." Exam appointment notices are mailed within about three weeks.

$29.95 One-Time✦FMCSA-Compliant✦Finish in a Day✦Valid in All 50 States✦Instant Access✦Certificate Included✦Reported to the FMCSA Registry✦No Subscription✦Any Device✦

Compare your ELDT options

Same federal curriculum, same registry, same certificate. The difference is what you pay and how long it takes.

	ELDT HQ	Typical online	CDL school theory
Theory course price	$29.95	$99 – $150	Bundled, $3k – $8k total
All 7 endorsements	$49 bundle	$300+	Varies
Time to complete	One day, self-paced	One day – two weeks	3 – 8 weeks, fixed schedule
Reported to federal TPR	Yes	Yes	Yes
Curriculum	49 CFR Part 380	49 CFR Part 380	49 CFR Part 380
Refund window	7 days before starting	Often none	Enrollment contract

Competitor figures are typical advertised ranges, not quotes. Behind-the-wheel training is priced separately by every provider, including us.

Maine CDL questions

Per the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) (verified 2026-08-03): the commercial learner's permit runs No separate commercial learner's permit fee is published, the skills test Not itemized separately - Maine's published fee schedule shows one '$70' Class A, B & C Commercial Driver's License…, and the license itself $34.00 standard / $59.00 REAL ID for a 5-year commercial license (under 65); $27.00 standard / $47.00 REAL ID for a…. Add ~$50–$150 for the DOT physical and $29.95 for ELDT theory at ELDT HQ. Behind-the-wheel training is the largest cost and is priced by the school you choose.

No. Transferring an existing, valid CDL to Maine is a license transfer at the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), not new training. ELDT is required only when you first obtain a Class A or B CDL, upgrade a class, or add a Hazmat, Passenger, or School Bus endorsement for the first time.

Most people take four to eight weeks. Theory training is one day, the CLP hold is 14 days minimum, and the rest is behind-the-wheel practice and how far out your skills test appointment lands. Metro testing sites book further out than rural ones.

It is if the provider is listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry — that listing is the only thing that makes any theory course count. The curriculum is standardized in 49 CFR Part 380, so every registered provider teaches the same required topics.

Yes, for intrastate driving only. You must be 21 to drive across state lines, haul hazardous materials requiring placards, or transport passengers interstate.

No. Our course is the theory half. Behind-the-wheel must be completed in person with a registered provider on a range and on public roads, and it is priced and scheduled separately.

No. ELDT is training, not an exam. You still take Maine's knowledge test for the CLP and the three-part skills test for the CDL, both administered by the state.

You retake only the portion you failed, but each attempt carries its own fee and requires a new appointment. Your CLP must still be valid on the retest date.