How to Get a REAL ID in Maine: Documents, Fees, and Steps

To get a REAL ID in Maine, you visit a Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch in person with original documents that prove your identity and legal status, your Social Security number, and two separate proofs of Maine residency, then pay the fee for your license class or ID card. You cannot apply online. Since May 7, 2025, a standard Maine license is no longer accepted for boarding domestic flights or entering secure federal buildings, so a REAL ID (or a valid passport) is what you need for those purposes.¹ A REAL ID is optional for driving and everyday use; if you already carry an unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, you can use that at the airport instead.²

Documents to Bring

Everything has to be a physical original or a certified copy. Photocopies and digital images are not accepted, and a missing document means another trip.

Proof of Identity and Legal Status

Bring one document that establishes your identity, date of birth, and citizenship or lawful status.² For U.S. citizens, that means a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a certified birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Lawful permanent residents bring an unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551). Other authorized non-citizens bring an unexpired Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766) with an unexpired foreign passport, or a foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and approved I-94.³

A birth certificate has to be a certified government-issued copy on security paper with a raised, embossed, or multicolored seal. Laminated birth certificates are not accepted.²

Social Security Number

You need to provide your Social Security number, but you do not have to bring the card itself. Being able to state the number is enough.² If you want to bring a document anyway, the BMV accepts an original Social Security card, a W-2, a 1099, or a pay stub showing the full nine-digit number.³

Two Proofs of Maine Residency

You need two separate documents showing your physical Maine address. A P.O. Box will not work. Accepted documents include a utility bill, a paycheck stub, a mortgage statement or property tax bill, a Maine vehicle registration, a Maine resident hunting or fishing license, a tax return or W-2, and documents issued by a government entity.⁴

If you live with family and don’t have bills in your name, two adults with personal knowledge that you live in Maine can each complete a Residency Eligibility Affidavit (Form MVL-17). Minors need one affidavit from a parent or guardian, and someone experiencing homelessness can have a single affidavit completed by a representative of an agency providing them services.⁵

Name Change Documents

If your current legal name is different from the name on your identity document, you have to show every step in between. Someone who was born under one name, married into a second, and divorced into a third needs both the marriage certificate and the divorce decree to trace the chain.⁶ Marriage licenses, divorce decrees, and court-ordered name change documents are accepted.

The Branch Visit

Applications are handled only at BMV branches, because staff have to inspect original documents, take a facial recognition photograph, and run a vision screening.² The BMV recommends going about two months before any travel that depends on the card.⁷

Walk-ins are allowed, but wait times have run past three hours at some branches during peak periods, and some locations are closing at 4:00 p.m. because of the volume. Appointments are available at every branch and the BMV strongly encourages using one.⁷⁸

Before your visit, download and fill out the Driver’s License or ID Card application from the BMV website, or pick one up at a branch.⁹ Make sure the address on the form matches your residency documents exactly. At the counter, a staff member reviews the application and your originals, then sends you through the photograph and vision screening.

What You’ll Pay

The fee depends on the credential and your age.¹⁰

REAL ID Class C license, under 65: $55 for six years
REAL ID Class C license, 65 and older: $40 for four years
REAL ID commercial license, under 65: $59 for five years
REAL ID commercial license, 65 and older: $47 for four years
REAL ID identification card (no driving privileges): $30
Mid-cycle upgrade from a standard license (duplicate credential): $30

If your standard license is still valid and you don’t want to wait for renewal, you can upgrade at any point by paying the $30 duplicate fee.² Branches accept cash, check, money order, and Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.¹¹

When Your Card Arrives

You leave the branch with a paper temporary license good for 60 days.¹² The permanent REAL ID is mailed to the address on file, usually within two to three weeks.¹³ If it hasn’t arrived within 60 days, call the BMV at 207-624-9000, ext. 52114.

If You Hold Temporary Lawful Status

Applicants on a nonimmigrant visa, with a pending asylum application, on Temporary Protected Status, or with approved deferred action can get a REAL ID, but the card expires the same day their authorized stay ends. Where the status has no set end date, the card is valid for one year and must be renewed.¹⁴ Bring your unexpired immigration documents (for instance, an Employment Authorization Document with a foreign passport) along with the same Social Security and residency proofs everyone else needs.³

Adding a Veteran Designation

Veterans and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces can have a veteran designation printed on the REAL ID. You’ll need proof of honorable discharge (DD Form 214), certification from the Veterans Administration, or documentation of current active-duty service. Adding the designation outside of a regular renewal also requires you to bring your identity and residency documents.¹⁵

1
Federal Register. Minimum Standards for Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies
2
SOS – Maine.gov. Real ID
3
State of Maine. REAL ID Document Requirements
4
Maine.gov. How to Prove Maine Residency
5
Maine.gov. Drivers License/Identification Card Residency Eligibility Affidavit
6
Maine.gov. REAL ID Requirements and Information
7
SOS – Maine.gov. Bureau of Motor Vehicles
8
Secretary of State. Find Your Local Branch
9
SOS – Maine.gov. BMV Forms and Applications
10
SOS – Maine.gov. Drivers License and Examination Fees
11
Maine.gov. Driver’s License Reinstatement Fees – FAQ
12
SOS – Maine.gov. Frequently Asked Questions About Driver License Renewals
13
SOS – Maine.gov. ID – Obtaining an Identification Card
14
Homeland Security. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions for the Public
15
SOS – Maine.gov. I Want to Get a Veteran Designation