Dealer Licensing in Maine

Always had a passion for cars? Could you sell water to a Maine lobster? Then you’ll want to apply for a ME car dealer license with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

The BMV provides requirements for all applicants and car dealerships including a completed and notarized questionnaire, a background check, passing a dealership inspection, and more.

Who Needs a Maine Car Dealer License?

You must obtain a dealer license in ME if you’re in the business of:

  • Buying vehicles to resell.
  • Selling at least 5 vehicles over the course of 12 months.
  • Advertising or displaying for sale 3 vehicles within 30 days.

NOTE: The above criteria DO NOT apply to vehicles you’ve owned and registered for at least 6 months.

ME Dealer License Application Packet

The ME BMV provides a Complete Dealer Packet that explains the requirements and includes the documents ALL types of dealer applicants must fulfill and provide. On this page, we’ll go over the steps to obtaining a new or used dealer license.

To start, make sure you have all of the following items to accompany your Complete Dealer Packet:

  • Payment for the applicable dealer licensing fees.
  • A completed AND notarized:
    • Dealer packet questionnaire.
    • Ordinance clearance for building, zoning, and land use.
  • A copy/copies of the:
  • Your sales tax number.
  • Your Federal ID from the OR your Social Security number.
  • Criminal background checks, conducted by the Maine State Police for all your dealership’s:
    • Owners.
    • Officers.
    • Directors.
    • Shareholders.
    • Members.
    • Managers.
    • Partners.

After confirming you have all the required items above, your business location will need to pass an inspection as an established place of business. Maine provides a list of all the requirements your dealership must meet for the inspection in Dealer Rules and Regulations—Chapter 103 (Form MVD-359).

Once your business location passes inspection, ask your insurance agency to submit the following items to the ME Bureau of Motor Vehicles on your behalf:

  • R-1348 insurance.
  • The applicable surety bond amount.
    • The surety bond depends on the number of motor vehicles you sell each year—refer to the Complete Dealer Packet for details.

When your insurance is all squared away, submit your completed dealer license application to:

Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Dealer Licensing
29 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

If you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to call the Maine BMV at (207) 624-9000, extension 52143. There’s also a wealth of online motor vehicle dealer resources available for you to peruse.

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