Maine driver license and state ID — guide for immigrants

Maine issues a driver license or non-driver state ID only to people who can prove lawful presence in the United States. There is no undocumented-driver program here. This page explains who qualifies, the Social Security number (SSN) rule, the documents the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) accepts, fees, how long a non-citizen credential lasts, and how to apply. Information below is procedural, not legal advice (as of 2026-06-30).

Quick answer

  • Undocumented driver access: No — Maine does not issue a license or ID without proof of lawful presence.
  • Non-driver state ID available: Yes, on the same lawful-presence and SSN rules. Fee is $5 (standard) or $30 (REAL ID).
  • SSN rule: Provide your SSN if you have one. If you believe you are ineligible for one, Maine does not accept an SSA letter of ineligibility — you instead present an unexpired immigration document, such as an I-94.
  • REAL ID: Available as the federally compliant version at a higher fee; a standard (non-REAL ID) credential is also offered. The first REAL ID must be completed in person.
  • Agency: Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Secretary of State.

Who qualifies

Maine groups eligible non-citizens into two tiers, and what tier you fall into controls how long your credential lasts.

Permanent / unlimited-duration legal presence (issued a full-term credential):

  • Lawful permanent residents (Permanent Resident / Resident Alien Card)
  • I-551 stamp or ADIT stamp; an approved Form I-485; a Temporary Resident Card
  • People granted cancellation of removal or suspension of deportation
  • Refugees (INA §207) and asylees (INA §208)
  • Withholding of removal or relief under the Convention Against Torture (CAT)
  • Refugee Travel Document or Reentry Permit holders
  • COFA passport holders (Marshall Islands, Palau, FSM) with an I-94
  • Canadian S13 entrants / First Nations members

Limited-term non-citizens (issued a limited-term credential):

  • Pending Form I-485 (EAD code C09/C9) and pending Form I-589 asylum (EAD code C08/C8)
  • Any Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
  • Nonimmigrant visa holders (I-94 with an admit-until date or D/S)
  • SEVIS students on Form I-20 or DS-2019
  • TPS, deferred action, or DED
  • Parolees, Cuban-Haitian Entrants, Conditional Entrants
  • People in pending EOIR removal proceedings, on an Order of Supervision, with a stay of deportation, or granted voluntary departure
  • Anyone with a pending or approved immigration benefit application

Undocumented residents: Maine issues no license or non-driver ID.

The Social Security number rule

Maine’s rule is the same for the driver license and the state ID:

  • If your SSN is on file, or you have one, you must know it and provide it.
  • If you believe you are ineligible for an SSN, you do not use an SSA letter of ineligibility. Instead you must submit an unexpired immigration document, such as an I-94, to help the BMV determine your ineligibility.

The SSN disclosure requirement is set by statute at 29-A M.R.S.A. §1301(6).

Documents the BMV accepts

You bring documents in three buckets. Every document must be legible, valid, and unexpired (or have no expiration date).

  • Lawful presence: the immigration document for your category above. A foreign passport is accepted in specific cases — for example, an I-94 or a foreign passport bearing a notation referencing temporary evidence of, or processed for, “I-551”; a COFA passport with an I-94; or an I-94 or Canadian passport coded S13. For most nonimmigrants, the I-94 and visa-status documents establish presence.
  • Identity: two different forms that prove your identity — one showing your date of birth and one bearing your written signature.
  • Maine residency: one residency document for a standard credential, two for a REAL ID.

A driver license applicant also takes a vision screening. A consular ID / matricula consular is not on Maine’s accepted list for either legal presence or identity — it cannot be used to apply.

If you are unsure which documents prove your status, contact the BMV License Information section before you go: 207-624-9000 ext. 52114 or License.BMV@maine.gov.

Fees and credential term

Fees (driver license and exam, plus state ID):

  • Driver license (Class C passenger), under 65: $30 for a 6-year license; $55 for a REAL ID.
  • Driver license, age 65 or older: $20 for a 4-year license; $40 for a REAL ID.
  • Permit / written exam: $35.
  • Out-of-state conversion: $35 application + $30 license fee.
  • Non-driver state ID: $5 standard; $30 REAL ID.

Credential term for non-citizens (Maine Chapter 15 Rules §6):

  • Citizens and permanent-presence non-citizens get a full-term credential.
  • F/J/M “duration of status” (D/S): 4 years from issuance, or the program-end date if earlier.
  • A pending petition or case with no defined end: 2 years.
  • An interim action date (EAD expiry, TPS or deferred-action expiry, parole expiry, or ICE check-in date): the credential expires on that same date.
  • A nonimmigrant with a defined admission period: expires on the immigration-document date (plus any federal grace period) or the 29-A M.R.S.A. §1406 date, whichever is earlier.

One limit to plan around: a nonimmigrant credential cannot be issued if your authorized admission period (plus grace) expires fewer than 120 days from your application date, with exceptions for duplicates and pending extensions.

How and where to apply

  • Apply in person at a BMV branch office. Non-driver state IDs are also issued at mobile-unit locations.
  • For a first driver license, submit a Learner’s Permit application with the $35 fee, your two identity forms, proof of Maine residency, and your lawful-presence document. Documents may be mailed in, but you must show originals at the exam.
  • Mailing address: Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Driver License Services Division, Examination Section, 29 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0029.
  • The BMV mails a written-exam appointment notice within about 3 weeks. Licenses arrive by mail in 3–4 weeks; state IDs in 2–3 weeks.
  • The first REAL ID license or ID must be completed in person.
  • Questions on proving legal presence: License Information section, 207-624-9000 ext. 52114 or License.BMV@maine.gov. General BMV accessibility line: 207-626-8400.

If you do not have lawful status

Maine will not issue a license or ID without lawful presence, but these options exist for everyday identification and finances:

  • Use your foreign passport as primary identification for many banking and account-opening purposes.
  • Open an ITIN-friendly bank account if you do not have an SSN — see ITIN-friendly banks and what an ITIN is.
  • Get a matricula consular from your home-country consulate for consular identification — see consulates serving Maine. It is not accepted at the BMV, but it is recognized for some other uses.
  • An International Driving Permit (IDP) must be obtained in your home country before you travel and is only for short-term visitors; it does not replace a Maine license for residents.

Last verified: 2026-06-30. Sources: Maine BMV — proving legal presence for a non-U.S. citizen, Chapter 15 legal-presence rules (PDF), state ID page, how to obtain a license, and license and examination fees.

General procedural information. DMV policies, fees, and document requirements change — verify with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles before visiting. Not legal or immigration advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney.