An Act to Modify the Laws Regarding Driver's License Applications
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1411
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: ANKELES
Amends: 29-A MRSA §1251, 29-A MRSA §1301

Legislative Document
No. 1411
H.P. 933
House of Representatives, April 1, 2025
An Act to Modify the Laws Regarding Driver's License Applications
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ANKELES of Brunswick.
Cosponsored by Representatives: LEE of Auburn, O'HALLORAN of Brewer, RANA of 
Bangor, SATO of Gorham, SINCLAIR of Bath.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §1251, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 2001, c. 687, §14, is 
further amended to read:
1-A.  Residents required to obtain license.  Within 30 days of becoming a resident 
of this State, a person shall apply to obtain a license in accordance with section 1301.  
Except as provided in section 510, subsection 1, a person who fails to comply with the 
requirement of this subsection and operates a motor vehicle on a public way or parking 
area commits: a traffic infraction.  If the person has been a resident for at least 90 days the 
penalty is a fine of not less than $150 and not more than $500.
A.  A traffic infraction if the person has been a resident for less than 90 days; or
B.  A Class E crime if the person has been a resident for at least 90 days.
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §1301, sub-§6, as repealed and replaced by PL 2005, c. 250, 
§2, is amended to read:
6.  Social security number.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the social 
security number of any applicant for a license or nondriver identification card must be 
recorded on the application, and the Secretary of State may not issue a license or nondriver 
identification card to a person who does not possess and provide a valid social security 
number.  The Secretary of State shall collect, store and verify the social security number of 
an applicant for a license or nondriver identification card and may use that number to 
establish a permanent license number or nondriver identification number.  This subsection 
does not apply to a person who provides written proof to the Secretary of State that the 
person is legally ineligible to receive a social security number.
SUMMARY
This bill modifies the penalties applicable to a person who fails to obtain a license 
within 30 days of becoming a resident of this State. Under current law, a violation of this 
provision is a traffic infraction if the person has been a resident for less than 90 days and a 
Class E crime if the person has been a resident for more than 90 days. Under the bill, a 
person who violates this provision commits a traffic infraction and if the person has been a 
resident for at least 90 days the person may be fined a minimum of $150 up to a maximum 
fine of $500. The bill eliminates the Class E crime for violating this provision. 
The bill also modifies the provision of law that requires a person to disclose the person's 
social security number on the person's application for a driver's license or nondriver 
identification card. In current law there is language specifying that the provision does not 
apply if the applicant provides proof to the Secretary of State that the person is ineligible 
to receive a social security number. The bill clarifies that the provision is not applicable to 
any person who is ineligible to receive a social security number, whether or not the person 
provides proof to the Secretary of State.