An Act Relating to Motor Vehicle Dealer Licensing Requirements
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0265
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: BEAULIEU, THOMAS, BICKFORD, BOLDUC, CELLI, HAMPER, LAJOIE, WEAVER, PLOWMAN
Amends: 29-A MRSA §952

Legislative Document 
No. 265 
H.P. 218 
House of Representatives, February 1, 2011 
An Act Relating to Motor Vehicle Dealer Licensing Requirements 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative BEAULIEU of Auburn. 
Cosponsored by Senator THOMAS of Somerset and 
Representatives: BICKFORD of Auburn, BOLDUC of Auburn, CELLI of Brewer, HAMPER 
of Oxford, LAJOIE of Lewiston, WEAVER of York, Senator: PLOWMAN of Penobscot. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §952, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and 
affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
1.  Facilities.  To qualify for a dealer license, an applicant must maintain the 
following facilities and personnel: 
A.  Facilities for the display of vehicles being handled; 
B.  A repair department for repair of 2 vehicles simultaneously; 
C.  Sufficient tools and equipment for servicing of the vehicles handled; 
D.  A suitable office in which business is conducted and records of the business are 
kept; 
E.  At least one mechanic, who may be the owner, who has a thorough knowledge of 
the vehicles being handled; and 
F.  On all used motor vehicles offered for sale, the written vehicle history statement 
required to be conspicuously affixed to the vehicle pursuant to Title 10, section 1475. 
An applicant may meet the requirements of paragraphs B, C and E by entering into a 
contract with a mechanic to perform repairs or leasing the applicant's facility to a 
mechanic who performs repairs. 
Sec. 2.  Secretary of State directed to amend rules governing motor 
vehicle dealer licensing.  Before January 1, 2012, the Secretary of State shall amend 
rules authorized by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 153 establishing the 
requirements for licensing motor vehicle dealers as provided in Title 29-A, section 952, 
subsection 1. 
Sec. 3.  Secretary of State to convene a working group; licensing 
requirements for motor vehicle dealers.  The Secretary of State shall convene a 
working group, including, but not limited to, representatives from the Department of the 
Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles and new and used motor vehicle dealers to 
study licensing requirements for new and used motor vehicle dealers.  The working group 
shall submit a report including its findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Transportation no later than January 15, 2012.  After reviewing the report, 
the committee may submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature 
concerning the requirements for licensing motor vehicle dealers. 
SUMMARY 
This bill eliminates the requirement that a motor vehicle dealer, to qualify for a dealer 
license, maintain a repair department that accommodates the repair of 2 vehicles 
simultaneously.  This bill provides that, for the purpose of providing repair services, a 
motor vehicle dealer may enter into a contract with a mechanic to perform repairs or may 
lease the dealer’s facility to a mechanic who performs repairs. 
This bill directs the Secretary of State to amend rules establishing the requirements 
for licensing motor vehicle dealers before January 1, 2012.  This bill also directs the 
Secretary of State to convene a working group to study licensing requirements for motor 
vehicle dealers and directs the working group to submit a report to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Transportation.  This bill gives the committee authority to submit a bill to 
the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature concerning licensing requirements 
for motor vehicle dealers.