Speed limits and school zones

Key points

1. Posted limits do not tell you what speed you must drive; they only say you cannot go faster. Slow down when road or weather makes them unsafe.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-7

   “Posted speed limits do not tell you at what speed you must drive. They only say you cannot go faster than the speed shown. If road and weather conditions make the posted speed unsafe, you must slow down.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-7

2. The limit is 45 mph outside any business, residential or built up area.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-7

   “45 Miles per hour outside any business or residential or built-up area of Maine.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-7

3. The limit is 25 mph in a business district, residential district or built up area.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-7

   “25 Miles per hour in a business district, residential district, or built-up area of the state.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-7

4. The limit is 15 mph when passing a school during recess or school opening and closing hours.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-7

   “15 Miles per hour when passing a school during recess, or when children are going to or from school during the school's opening or closing hours.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-7

5. Speeding in a school zone brings twice the usual fine.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-8

   “A fine twice that of the usual fine is imposed for exceeding the posted speed limit in a school zone.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-8

6. It is illegal to exceed the posted limit, and racing and reckless driving are not allowed.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-8

   “It is illegal to exceed the posted speed limit. Racing on the highway and driving recklessly are not allowed.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-8

7. You must not drive so slowly that you interfere with traffic, except when slower speed is needed for safety.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-8

   “Maine law also says you must not drive so slowly that you interfere with the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except where reduced speed is necessary for safety.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-8

8. Farm tractors and roadway maintenance vehicles usually go 25 mph or less.

   Source: Handbook p. 8-10

   “Farm tractors, animal-drawn carts and roadway maintenance vehicles usually go 25 mph or less.”
   Maine Driver's License Manual, Handbook p. 8-10

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Maine practice test

1. 1. What maximum speed applies when passing a school during recess in Maine, unless a different limit is posted?

   1. 35 miles per hour
   2. 25 miles per hour
   3. 15 miles per hour
   4. 45 miles per hour
   Show answer

   15 miles per hour. Maine sets a 15 mile per hour maximum when a driver passes a school during recess, or when children are traveling to or from school during opening or closing hours. The 25 mile per hour figure belongs to business, residential, and built-up areas, so it is the most plausible but incorrect substitute here. A posted limit still controls when one is lower or otherwise specific. The practical cue is the school setting and the timing: slow to 15 mph during recess or the listed arrival and departure periods, and use extreme care when the exact period is uncertain.

2. 2. Unless posted otherwise, what is the maximum speed outside any business, residential, or built-up area in Maine?

   1. 25 mph
   2. 45 mph
   3. 55 mph
   4. 65 mph
   Show answer

   45 mph. Maine's default maximum is 45 miles per hour outside business, residential, or built-up areas, unless a different limit is posted. Twenty five mph is the default inside a business district, residential district, or built-up area. Fifty five and 65 mph are not among the unposted default maximums the handbook lists, so they apply only where a sign sets them. Conditions can still require a slower speed than the default.

3. 3. In a Maine school zone, how does the handbook define school opening and closing hours for the 15 mph limit?

   1. One hour before the school day starts to one hour after it ends
   2. Only while a crossing guard is present
   3. The whole school day, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
   4. Half an hour before the school day starts to half an hour after it ends
   Show answer

   Half an hour before the school day starts to half an hour after it ends. A five sided school sign means you must slow to 15 mph during recess, when children are going to or leaving school, and during opening or closing hours, which run from half an hour before the start of the school day to half an hour after the end. One hour is twice the stated window. A crossing guard is not required for the limit to apply, and the handbook sets no fixed clock hours. Exceeding the posted limit in a school zone brings twice the usual fine.

Source: the Maine Driver's License Manual, Section 8: Managing Time and Space. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.