29-250 SECRETARY OF STATE

1. BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES
   1. Chapter 1: RULES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SUSPENSION RELATING TO DEMERIT POINT ACCUMULATION, CONVICTIONS AND ADJUDICATIONS

SUMMARY: These rules have been promulgated for the purpose of identifying the reckless or negligent driver of a motor vehicle and to establish a uniform system of assigning demerit points for specified convictions or adjudications of violations of statutes and regulations governing the operation of motor vehicles. These rules will serve as the basis for the Secretary of State or any Deputy Secretary of State to suspend the license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle or the certificate of registration of any person without preliminary hearing whom is determined to be incompetent to operate a motor vehicle, or whom is found to be a reckless or negligent operator of a motor vehicle, or whom has been convicted or adjudicated of specified convictions or adjudications. These rules repeal and replace prior regulations adopted by the Secretary of State entitled "The Maine Point System".

1. PURPOSE

1. Pursuant to 29-A M.R.S.A. Section 2458, subsection 3, the Secretary of State has adopted these rules for the purpose of identifying the reckless or negligent driver of a motor vehicle and to establish a uniform system of assigning demerit points for specified convictions or adjudications of violations of statutes and regulations governing the operation of motor vehicles. These rules will serve as the basis for the Secretary of State or any Deputy Secretary of State to suspend the license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle or the certificate of registration of any person without preliminary hearing determined to be incompetent to operate a motor vehicle, or whom is found to be a reckless or negligent operator of a motor vehicle, or whom has been convicted or adjudicated of designated traffic offenses.

2. SUSPENSION FOR INCOMPETENCE

1. The license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle of any person, whom the Secretary of State or Deputy Secretary of State determines to be incompetent to operate a motor vehicle, such incompetence to include, but not limited to, adverse physical, mental or emotional impairments may be suspended without preliminary hearing pursuant to 29-A M.R.S.A. Section 2458(2)(D). Incompetence relative to physical, mental or emotional impairments shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 3, Rules of Secretary of State for Physical, Emotional and Mental Competence to Operate a Motor Vehicle, as amended.
2. 3. SUSPENSION PERIODS FOR DESIGNATED CONVICTIONS OR ADJUDICATIONS

   The license, permit or privilege to operate of any person convicted of eluding a police officer or passing a roadblock may be suspended for a period up to 90 days.

   The license, permit or privilege to operate of any person convicted of operating after suspension may be suspended for a period up to 60 days; except for convictions for operating after suspension when the term of the statutory suspension required on conviction is longer than the term suspension period provided by these rules.

   The license, permit or privilege to operate of any person convicted of the following offenses may be suspended for a period up to 30 days: failure to stop for a police officer, leaving the scene of an accident (bodily injury), operating alone on permit, operating a motor vehicle without a license (crime), passing a stopped school bus, exceeding posted speed by at least 30 miles per hour, altering a driver's license or registration certificate, loaning a driver's license, unlawful use of a driver's license, displaying a suspended license, falsifying an application for registration certificate or driver's license, or giving false information to a police officer.

4. SUSPENSION PERIODS FOR DEMERIT POINT ACCUMULATION

1. The following is a listing of certain convictions or adjudications for which demerit points have been assigned. The convictions and adjudications as listed herein are not intended to be the total list of convictions and adjudications to which the Secretary of State may assign demerit points. Points for a conviction or adjudication will be erased from a driver's record when the conviction or adjudication becomes one year old. Notice of assessment of demerit points shall be given when the accumulation reaches 50 percent of the number at which suspension is authorized by these rules. Any person whose driving record shows an accumulation of 12 demerit points for convictions or adjudications within a one year period may have his or her license, permit or privilege to operate suspended for a period up to 15 days.

CONVICTIONS AND ADJUDICATIONS DEMERIT POINTS

1. Operating After Suspension – Traffic Infraction 8

   Driving Wrong Side 6

   Driving Wrong Way 6

   Exceeding Posted Speed by at Least 15 Miles Per Hour

   But Less Than 30 Miles Per Hour 6

   Illegal Transportation Liquor - Minor 6

   Illegal Transportation Drug – Minor 6

   Improper or Erratic Lane Change 6

   Improper Passing 6

   Leaving Scene of an Accident (Property Damage) 6

   Mispresentation of Identity or Other Facts to Obtain Alcohol 6

   Operating Beyond Restriction 6

   Operating With Improper License 6

   Operating Without Corrective Lenses 6

   Operating Left on Curve 6

   Other Improper Pass 6

   Pass Within 100 Feet of Intersection 6

   Pass on Curve or Hill 6

   Pass on Right 6

   Pass Wrong Side 6

   Violation - Do Not Pass 6

   Violation of Instruction Permit 6

   Operating Motorcycle Beyond Restriction 6

   Exceeding Posted Speed by Less Than 15 Miles Per Hour 4

   Excessive Acceleration 4

   Failure to Keep Right 4

   Failure to Return to the Right 4

   Fail to Yield to Emergency Vehicle 4

   Fail to Yield - No Sign 4

   Fail to Yield to Pedestrian 4

   Fail to Yield - Sign 4

   Fail to Give Way to Other Vehicle 4

   Fail to Obey Stop Sign 4

   Fail to Stop at Red Light 4

   Fail to Yield Right of Way 4

   Imprudent Driving 4

   Imprudent Speed 4

   Operating a Motor Vehicle With Obstructed View 4

   Operating Without a License (traffic infraction) 4

   Red Light Violation 4

   Crossover Violation 2

   Displaying a Blue Light 2

   Displaying a Red Light 2

   Failure to Dim Headlights 2

   Fail to Signal 2

   Fail to Obey Traffic Island 2

   Failure to Obey Railroad Grade Crossing 2

Failure to Maintain Control of Vehicle 2

1. Failure to Reduce Speed on a Grade or Curve 2

   Follow Too Close 2

   Illegal Left Turn 2

   Illegal Right Turn 2

Illegal U-Turn 2

1. Impeding the Flow of Traffic 2

   Improper Turn 2

   Lane Conviction 2

   Littering 2

   Obstructing the Flow of Traffic 2

   Obstructing Traffic 2

   Operating Motor Vehicle Without Tail Lights. 2

   Operating Without Lights 2

   Other Moving Violation 2

   Speed Under Posted Minimum 2

   Squealing Tires 2

   Trailer Without Lights 2

   Trucks Traveling Less Than 150 Feet Apart 2

5. 120 DAY SUSPENSION

1. Any person whose license, permit or privilege to operate has been suspended three times within a three year period by the Secretary of State pursuant to these rules or by a court following a conviction or adjudication of an offense listed herein is subject to a further suspension for a period up to 120 days. The 120 day suspension applies to persons who have been convicted or adjudicated of an offense, which offense was committed following the third suspension within that three year period.

6. DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE CREDITS

1. Only one three-point credit will be given to a person for successful completion of a driver improvement course as authorized by the Department of Public Safety or the Secretary of State. The credit will be given only once in a twelve month period and the credit of points will be erased one year from the completion date.

7. VIOLATION FREE CREDITS

1. Every person holding a Maine operator's license whose driving record does not contain any convictions, adjudications, suspensions or revocations during a calendar year shall be awarded one (1) violation free credit at the end of each calendar year, except that no person may be permitted to accumulate more than four (4) violation free credits. The Secretary of State may apply such credits to offset an equivalent number of demerit points assigned to a traffic violation. If the Secretary of State receives notice of any motor vehicle violation which resulted in a conviction or adjudication which violation occurred during the period that violation free credits were awarded, the violation free credits shall become invalid.

8. HEARING

1. Any person whose license, permit or privilege to operate is suspended by the Secretary of State pursuant to these rules may request a hearing and the suspension may remain in effect pending such hearing.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 29-A M.R.S.A. §§ 153 and 2458

EFFECTIVE DATE:

January 1, 1978

1. AMENDED:
   1. September 8, 1981

      December 12, 1982

      November 17, 1987

REPEALED & REPLACED:

July 1, 1990

EFFECTIVE DATE (ELECTRONIC CONVERSION):

May 4, 1996

NON-SUBSTANTIVE CORRECTIONS:

December 15, 2000 - converted to MS Word, adjusted formatting

AMENDED:

July 25, 2012 – filing 2012-205

APAO ACCESSIBILITY CHECK (Word):

April 6, 2026