Maine and Quebec have an inter-national reciprocal agreement that allows them to exchange information and takes adverse action regarding traffic violations a driver from either location commits.
The Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) notes in its demerit points section that an equivalent offence committed in another province or in an American state with which Québec has a reciprocal agreement results in demerit points as if the breach had occurred in Québec.
This reciprocal agreement between the government of Quebec and the State of Maine concerns both driver's licenses and traffic offenses. Article 3 of this Regulation states that declarations of guilt concerning the following offenses shall be reported to the jurisdiction of origin of the license holder by the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed:
- Offenses relating to the failure of a driver involved in an accident to do his or her duty under Maine statutes or the Quebec Highway Safety Code.
- Offenses relating to driving over a posted speed limit or at a speed in excess of that which is reasonable or prudent.
- Offenses relating to the failure to obey a red light or stop sign.
- Offenses relating to the failure to stop at the approach of a school bus with its flashing lights in operation.
The reciprocal agreement goes on to say that demerit points shall be assessed and suspensions or revocations issued in accordance with the laws of the home jurisdiction. As you can see from the violation list above, speeding offenses are one of the violations that are reported back to the person's licensing jurisdiction, thus Maine's courts or Bureau of Motor Vehicles will inform the SAAQ of the speeding citation.
The agreement continues on saying that whenever a person resident in a party jurisdiction is declared guilty in the other party jurisdiction of an offense mentioned in above, and the person fails to pay any fine imposed as a result of such declaration of guilt, the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed may notify the home jurisdiction of such unpaid fine.
Upon receipt of the notification of the citation's fine being unpaid, the home jurisdiction may inform the resident that his or her driving privileges are or will be suspended in the other party jurisdiction pending compliance with the terms of the citation.
From this information it appears that your license would be suspended in Maine only at first if the citation is not taken care of. After you have been informed by your home jurisdiction of this suspension, they may also place penalties against you.
Check with the SAAQ to find out if your license could be suspended in Quebec, Canada if you fail to pay Maine speeding ticket. If your licence is suspended by the SAAQ your license would be invalid and thus could not be used to drive in any state until it was reinstated by your home jurisdiction.
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