Section 2607 of Maine Revised Statutes 29-A states that for every conviction or adjudication of a violation relative to motor vehicles or to the operation of a vehicle, a court shall transmit to the Secretary of State an abstract, duly certified, setting forth the name of the court, the docket number of the case, the names of the parties, the nature of the offense, the date of the offense, the date of hearing, the plea, the judgment and the result.

We contacted the Maine Secretary of State (SOS), since they are the keepers of the driving records for ME, to find out how long various violations remain on a ME driving record. The representative responded back to us that in Maine a driver record is a permanent record. Nothing ever goes "off" your driving record. So an accident, speeding ticket, DUI, leaving the scene of an accident, etc all stay on your motor vehicle record (MVR) and are not taken off by the state at all time.

An auto insurance company or potential employer may request a 3, 7 or 10 year history, but any motor vehicle conviction, regardless of how serious, is a permanent part of the driving record.

So while offenses placed on your ME driving record remain there permanently there may be a point at which the state does not pay attention to older offenses. For example a habitual offender in Maine is defined as a person whose record, as maintained by the Secretary of State, shows that the person has accumulated 3 or more convictions or adjudications for distinct offenses described below arising out of separate acts committed within a 5-year period. You can contact the ME SOS for more information on how long your driving record can be used against you.

If you are wondering how long your insurance rates may be affected by violations listed on your Maine driving record you will need to contact your insurance provider and find out about their rating system. Rating systems differ from insurance company to insurance company so your insurer can tell you specifically about their rates for various violations. Also the ME Bureau of Insurance should be able to tell you about your insurance company's rating system since their rates must be filed with this state agency.

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