How to Start a Driving School in Maine: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here you’ll learn everything you need to start your Driving School in Maine

Compared to many states, Maine makes it relatively easy to establish a driving school. You still need to complete forms, and meet requirements, but the state seems to be driving-school friendly.

Maine driving schools MUST offer classroom, on-road, and the required parental class in order to be licensed.

How to open your driving school in Maine

• Maine has two classes of driving schools—Class A schools offer both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction, while Class B schools offer behind-the-wheel instruction only.
• Schools need to be licensed by the state, and a school’s license lasts for one year.
• Instructors must also be licensed by the state, but the license lasts for two years.
• Your location can be in wide range of locations, but your premises must pass Bureau of Motor Vehicle inspection and meet local zoning and fire codes.
• You must keep certain student records for two years; Maine does not require written contracts.
• Maine requires 30 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction for new drivers under 18.
• Maine allows driving schools to obtain CDL endorsements, and the state sets the topics to be covered during instruction.

Driving School Licensing and Requirements

General requirements

Maine has two types of driver education school licenses.

• Class A school–your school may teach both the classroom and behind-the-wheel portions of driver education.
• Class B school–your school may teach only the behind-the-wheel portion of driver education.

Instructor licenses are issued in the same Classes.

To operate a driving school in Maine, you will need to be licensed by the state. Licenses are valid for one year from the date of issuance. Applications should be submitted online. In addition to a completed application form, your application packet should include the following:

• A list of all your vehicles–the form is included in the application packet.
• A copy of your certificate of insurance for all vehicles.
• A letter from the local Fire Department indicating that your premises meet local and state requirements for public health, safety, and access.
• A certificate of occupancy from the local code enforcement officer.
• A surety bond in the amount of $10,000 for a Class A school and $2,500 for a Class B school–the forms are available in the appendices to the regulations.
• Your harassment and refund/cancellation policies.

In addition, your vehicles and premises will have to pass inspection by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The current regulations for Driver Education schools are straightforward and clear. Driving school instructors and owners should know and comply with them.

Maine requires the following minimum liability insurance coverage:

• $100,000 bodily injury to one person
• $300,000 bodily injury to more than one person
• $100,000 personal injury protection–medical expenses, primarily

You may have a combined single limit policy of $400,000.

If you have employees, you must carry workers’ compensation insurance covering them–and potentially you–in the event of injury while on the job. You should, of course, consider higher coverages and/or an umbrella policy to cover your operations.

Driving School Owner’s License

Maine places few personal requirements on owners of driving schools. The main bar would be conviction for a number of crimes involving fraudulent behavior or moral turpitude.

You may not operate without a license for your program, and it is expected that your program of instruction will meet or exceed the requirements set by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Your school must have a policy covering harassment of students and instructors. All staff members must undergo harassment training on being hired; the policy is to be reviewed annually.

Driving Instructor’s License

Your Maine driver education instructor license lasts for two years from the date of issuance. While no specific requirements are set for driving school owners, instructors must demonstrate qualification before they receive a license from Maine. Submit the application form and the accompanying fees–$121 plus $10 for the exam fee when you submit your original application.

Your license will be either Class A or Class B. As noted, Class A instructors may provide both classroom and behind-the-wheel driver education, while Class B instructors may only provide behind-the-wheel driver education.

Instructors must

• Be at least 22 years old. and have at least a high school diploma (or the equivalent).
• Have at least 6 years of driving experience in the license class you will be teaching.
• Hold a valid license.
• Not have been convicted for a moving criminal traffic offense within the last six years.
• Not have had a license suspension within the past six years.
• Not have been declared an accident-prone driver.
• Pass the criminal background check.
• Complete a first aid course within the last three years, and hold a valid first aid certificate.
• Demonstrate taking a driving dynamics or defensive driving course within the past year.

If you are applying for a Class A instructor licence, you must also demonstrate successful completion of an introductory course in driver education instruction.

If you apply for a Class B license, you must take a Class B driver education instruction course.

Instructor licenses must be renewed every two years. To renew your license, you must have at least 16 hours of continued education over the course of those two years. Class A licensees must demonstrate at least 60 hours of classroom instruction and 20 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction during the two year period, and Class B licensees must demonstrate 40 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.

Instructors must take knowledge, vision, and road tests.

Location

You have a wide choice for your permanent place of business. This is the place where you keep all your records. You must keep all your records at this location, and you may have a sign. The regulations imply you may operate out of your residence–but that is subject to local zoning.

Your classroom must have 15 square feet per student and 24 square feet for the instructor. It must have adequate heat, lighting, and ventilation, and the restrooms must be fully accessible. You must have vision screening equipment, seating and writing space for your students, and a chalkboard/white board or other instructional device.

You must also have the current version of the Maine Motor Vehicle statutes at each location. Your textbooks must either be the current textbook or the next older editions only. Students are expected to buy the textbook, and if you sell them, you may mark the price up by a maximum of 25%. You may not require students to buy the book from you if the same edition is available elsewhere.

You may not locate your school in a building used by the Bureau.

Your school and instructor certificates must be conspicuously, along with any inspection reports.

Records must be maintained at your main business office.

Your school name cannot be substantially similar to that of another driving school, and you may not use the words “State”, “Government”, “Municipal”, “City”, or “County” in the school name, and you must use your school’s name only in advertising and publicity.

Don’t ever give a student or parent the impression that your instruction guarantees receiving a driver’s license–you may mention your pass rate.

Vehicles

Your vehicles need to have dual controls for the brakes, and dual clutches if they have manual transmissions. They also need an inside mirror for the instructor’s use. They must comply with the safety requirements covering all vehicles.

Signage on the vehicle must include the school name, as well as a “STUDENT DRIVER” sign visible from at least 30 feet away. Signs must be removed or obscured if the vehicle is used for driver examinations.

Records

Class A schools must keep a variety of records, some of which need to be submitted to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

• You must submit a new course report at least seven days before the starting date.
• Course completion reports must be submitted within 30 days of the final classroom session. Students who have not completed the behind-the-wheel portion by that time should be recorded on a separate report.
• You must also keep student record sheets for each student. These records must be kept for two years after completion of driver education. Dispose of them in a secure manner.
• A log or record for each private behind-the-wheel driving lesson an instructor for the school provides. This log must include the name, address, and date of birth of the student as well as the name of the instructor. This log must be kept for 2 years.

Class B driver education schools must maintain records of all behind-the-wheel instruction provided. The log required for Class A schools is a model for these records.

You must issue a Certificate of Completion for all parents who attend a program. The Certificate is valid for five years.

You must also keep a copy of each Driver Education Certification Request Form submitted to the registry.

Treat your permanently bound record book as a holy relic. Do not skip lines or pages, and do not use white-out to correct errors. If you do make a mistake, cross it out with a single cross-out, and make the correction on the next line. All entries must be written in ink, as well as in legible English.

Driving School Curriculum in Maine

Class A driver education schools in Maine must offer a 30-hour classroom curriculum as approved by the Secretary of State. In addition, 10 hours of behind-the-wheel training is required. Your program must also meet the following requirements:

• Classroom instruction may not exceed 10 hours in a seven-day period
• No more than three hours of classroom instruction may take place on any calendar day.
• At least 15 minutes must pass between consecutive classes at the same location.
• The maximum student/teacher ratio is 30:1.
• No more than 3 hours may be devoted to guest speakers, and the Class A instructor must be present.
• No more than 2 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction may take place on a given calendar day, and a 10 minute break must take place in the middle of a 2 hour session.

An hour of class time means a 60 minute block of time, but you are allowed to include a 5 minute break. You may not accumulate break time, but it appears you can combine two hours with a 10 minute break in the middle.

Maine expects that you will follow the state Driver Education Program curriculum–it begins on page 18 of the regulations. While you may create your own, it will require approval from the Registry.

Your 30-hour classroom course must be organized as follows:

At least nine hours covering the following:

• The highway system and risk management
• Observation techniques
• Road signs and pavement markings.
• Traffic control signals
• Right-of-way
• Speed limits
• Comfort and control systems and risk management.
• Visibility and protective systems
• Information & Communication devices
• Pre-trip inspections
• Basic operation of automatic and manual transmissions
• Acceleration, deceleration, speed, and steering

You must provide classroom instruction for a variety of driving skills in a set order, and these skills will also be developed in that order during behind-the-wheel education.

Other topics are also required in a sequence determined by the school. The regulations outline them.

Your behind-the-wheel course must ensure that each student can demonstrate ability in the following segments:

• Vehicle Checks
• Beginning to Drive
• On the Road Skills
• Reacting to Unexpected Situations

The required parental component of the curriculum can be met in one of four ways:

• One hour school orientation.
• One hour accompanying the student during behind-the-wheel instruction.
• Two hours of attendance during classroom instruction.
• Review of an hour-long instructional video and completion of worksheets by student and parent.

Commercial Driver’s License Instruction

If you want to teach candidates for a CDL, your license will need a endorsement within your license class. A Class A commercial vehicle endorsement allows you to teach both the classroom and behind-the-wheel portions of CDL training, while the Class B endorsement authorizes you to teach the behind-the-wheel and range portions of CDL driver education. You will use the regular application form for the endorsements.

Class A CDL instructors must have completed an introductory level course in commercial vehicle driver education. In addition, you must have a valid CDL and have at least 2 years’ experience in the last 10 as a driver in actual operation of a commercial motor vehicle–this driving experience is expected for Class B instructors, also. Both Class A and B instructors may not have been convicted of DUI within the last six years..

Maine has decided to be confusing by having instructor license Classes A and B allow instruction for Class C vehicles–passenger cars. The licenses need extra endorsements to teach for Class A and B vehicles.

Class A commercial motor vehicle driver education schools must also meet the following requirements:

• Current Federal motor carrier regulations–the most recent edition, and it may be available electronically.
• The most current Maine Commercial Driver’s Manual.
• A current textbook–no more than one edition old.
• An off-street driving range of at least 20,000 square feet for a Class A vehicle school, or 15,000 square feet for a Class B vehicle school.

If you are a Class A school for CDL instruction, your classroom course must use a current (or next most recent) edition of a textbook. Your Class A (license class) CDL curriculum must last at least:

• 78 hours of classroom instruction
• 25.5 hours laboratory instruction.
• 44 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.

If you offer a Class B (license class) CDL course, you must meet the following requirements:

• 42 hours of classroom instruction
• 20 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction on an off-road range.
• 10 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction on rural and urban roads.

The topics to be covered in your curriculum–both in class and behind-the-wheel–are outlined beginning on page 24 or the regulations.

Starting a Small Business in Maine

Your driving school is not just subject to the requirements for driver’s education in Maine. You also need to establish your Driving School as a small business, and have to consider a number of factors. The form of business you take up, as well as the procedures, are appropriate topics of conversation with your lawyer and accountant. The considerations we offer here are not legal advice, but should provide you with things to think about as you set up your business.

Business Registration

All businesses need to register in Maine, especially the business name—the “doing business as” certificate. Banks may not be willing to set up your account until you have that DBA form. We’ll include where to register in the business structures below.

You will also need to obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number. Banks may need it for your business accounts, and you may be wanting to employ people. To obtain an EIN, go to the IRS website and complete the application form you find linked there.

Business name

Before you get going, you’ll want to check to see if the business name you want is in fact available in Maine. You can search the Maine database, as well as visit the office of the county recorder.

Once you know your business name is available, you can reserve it with the Bureau of Corporations. Corporations use one form, while LLCs use another.

Sole Proprietorship

Owning your own business is the easiest one to set up, but also may open you to liability concerns. As a sole proprietor, your business is simply part of your life. You keep a separate set of books, and complete a Schedule C for your 1040 form every April.

Sole proprietorships can expose the proprietor for full liability, even with insurance. That may mean that if you are sued, you may lose your home and property, as well as your personal bank accounts and other assets. This risk may not be worth the ease and independence.

In Maine, the big step you have to take is to register your Assumed Business Name with the city or town clerk in which you have a place of business.

Corporations and LLCs

You may set up a full corporation (“Inc.”) as your business structure. Corporations limit your liability for loss to your investment in it, as a general rule (although banks may require you to be obligated personally if you take out a loan to get your business going). This form of business keeps your personal assets safe.

As an owner of a corporation, you’ll have to set up your driving school consistently with the rules for corporations in Maine. You’ll also have to decide whether to be an S Corporation or a C Corporation. Generally, the S Corporation form is set up for small businesses. It allows income and taxes to pass through to the owners. You will want to discuss these forms with your attorney and accountant.

You may be able to set your driving school up as an LLC in Maine. The LLC form provides the same limited liability as a Corporation, but do not have to comply with the corporate formalities most states require, including items like bylaws, required stockholder meetings, and minutes (although minutes of meetings are probably a good idea).

You’ll have to discuss the advantages and disadvantages for the LLC with your attorney and accountant.

Both Corporations and LLCs file with the Secretary of State. In addition to name reservation, you’ll need to submit the following forms

• Corporations submit Articles of Organization
• LLCs submit a Certificate of Organization

Now What Do I Do?

Once you’ve complied with all the legal requirements to be both a driving school and a small business in Maine, you need to get students.

Getting students requires marketing—largely on the internet. You will need the following systems set up to obtain students:

• A website—focused on the types of students you want to attract, and aimed at your locality.
• The website should also include a blog, which allows you write about a variety topics and engage in Search Engine Optimization—which will drive traffic to your site.
• A Facebook page, linked to your website, to become noticed and drive traffic.
• Getting testimonials from successful students.

Marketing is something you will have to devote time to. DrivingSchool.Marketing can help you get the best bang for your marketing buck.

Conclusion

Disclaimer: This page is part of DrivingSchool.Marketing’s series of state and provincial pages designed to help entrepreneurs like you start driving schools. States change their regulations, or the web pages they host their forms. While we believe these rules are accurate as of the date of publication, we cannot guarantee full accuracy. Please let us know if you spot any problems.

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Josh Meah

Josh is the CEO of DrivingSchool.Marketing. His goal is to be the marketing and business development partner of driving schools around the world, helping them become thriving businesses while also expanding general awareness for the importance of traffic safety standards and education.

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