Alcohol, Drugs & Graduated Licensing
Impaired driving is a leading cause of serious crashes, and Maine enforces firm limits, with an especially strict rule for drivers under 21. Graduated licensing builds experience before granting full privileges.
BAC limits and implied consent
A driver 21 or older commits OUI at a BAC of 0.08 or higher; drugs, including some medications, can also impair driving. By driving you give implied consent to chemical testing, and refusal carries penalties.
Zero tolerance for under 21
Maine's zero-tolerance law suspends the license of a driver under 21 who has any measurable amount of alcohol, far stricter than the adult 0.08 limit.
Graduated licensing stages
Maine teens earn a learner's permit at 15, then an intermediate license at 16. For the first 270 days the driver may carry only immediate family unless a licensed driver 20 or older is present, may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m., and may not use any phone or device while driving.