Motor Vehicle Dealers - New or New and Used Vehicles
Motor vehicle dealers in Maine must obtain this bond to comply with state licensing requirements for selling new or new and used vehicles.
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About This Bond
The Surety Bond for Motor Vehicle Dealer is a licensing requirement mandated by the State of Maine for businesses engaged in selling new vehicles or both new and used vehicles. This bond ensures that motor vehicle dealers operate in accordance with state regulations and consumer protection laws.
Motor vehicle dealerships that sell new vehicles or a combination of new and used vehicles must obtain this bond as part of their licensing process with the State of Maine. The bond requirement applies to established dealerships as well as new businesses entering the motor vehicle sales industry.
This bond protects the State of Maine and consumers from financial losses that may result from a dealer's failure to comply with state laws, regulations, or contractual obligations. Coverage includes protection against fraudulent practices, failure to transfer titles properly, or other violations of motor vehicle dealer regulations.
Bond amounts range from $25,000 to $100,000 depending on the dealer's business volume and risk profile. The bond term is one year and is renewable annually. Lower bond amounts ($25,000 and $50,000) require standard underwriting with a completed application and clean credit, while higher amounts ($75,000 and $100,000) require additional financial documentation for approval.
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At a glance
Maine Auto Dealer Bond Key Facts
Governed by 29-A M.R.S. §§ 654, 659.
The basics
What Is an Auto Dealer Bond in Maine?
A bonded title in Maine is a regular certificate of title the Secretary of State issues on the strength of a Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond (BMV form MVT-18). Maine uses it only when you cannot provide enough paperwork to meet the normal title requirements — for example, you have no prior title — for a vehicle that must be titled. Maine law calls this filing a title surety bond under 29-A M.R.S. §659.
Good to know - There is no minimum dollar value. A surety bond applies only when you cannot provide enough documentation to meet the standard title requirements (29-A M.R.S. §654) and the Secretary of State is not satisfied as to ownership, and only for a vehicle Maine requires to be titled. As of January 1, 2026, vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer must have a Maine title; older, title-exempt vehicles do not need a title or a bond.
The bond protects the State of Maine and any prior or future owner or lienholder if someone else turns out to have a claim on the vehicle. You file it together with your Application for Title — it does not replace the application.
Maine sets the bond at 1.5 times your vehicle's value, and the bond stays in effect for three years. If no one makes a valid claim during that time, the bond ends and you keep a clear title.
A bond is not always needed. If the Secretary of State can confirm ownership another way, or your vehicle is old enough that Maine does not require a title, you will not need a bond. Check with the BMV Division of Title Services first.
Qualification
What You Need to Qualify for a Maine Auto Dealer Bond
Approval depends on your dealer license type, required coverage amount, and underwriting factors such as credit.
- You cannot provide enough documentation to meet the standard title requirements in 29-A M.R.S. §654 (for example, you have no prior certificate of title).
- The vehicle is one Maine requires to be titled. As of January 1, 2026, vehicles with a model year of 2001 or newer must have a Maine title.
- The Secretary of State is not satisfied as to ownership of the vehicle or the absence of security interests, and asks you to file a bond.
- The bond is issued by a surety company authorized to conduct surety business in Maine (a non-Maine company's bond must be countersigned).
Step by step
How to Get an Auto Dealer Bond in Maine: Step by Step
Contact the BMV Division of Title Services
Maine requires a title surety bond only in certain cases, so confirm you need one before you buy it. The Division of Title Services can tell you whether your vehicle must be titled and whether a bond is required.
Get your Application for Title
The Application for Title is not available online. Pick one up from a BMV branch office or your town office. This is the standard title application under 29-A M.R.S. §654.
Application for Certificate of TitleDetermine your bond amount
Maine sets the bond at 1.5 times your vehicle's value, as determined by the Secretary of State (29-A M.R.S. §659). Enter your vehicle value in the calculator above to estimate your premium.
Buy and sign your MVT-18 surety bond
Purchase the Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond from a surety company authorized in Maine and complete BMV form MVT-18. Once issued, the bond stays in effect for three years.
Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond (MVT-18)File your bond and application with the BMV
Submit the signed MVT-18 bond with your completed Application for Title and pay the $33 certificate of title fee. The BMV then issues your title.
Paperwork
Maine Dealer Bond Forms & Documents
Not available online — obtain it at a BMV branch office or your town office. The standard title application under 29-A M.R.S. §654.
The surety bond filed with your Application for Title.
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Cost
How Maine Auto Dealer Bond Pricing Works
You do not pay the full bond amount. In Maine, the surety bond must equal 1.5 times your vehicle's value, as determined by the Secretary of State. You pay a premium, which is a smaller percentage of that bond amount.
Your premium depends on the bond amount and underwriting. Use the calculator above for an estimate; your final premium may vary. The $33 certificate of title fee is separate from the bond premium.
Worked example
If your vehicle's value is $6,000, the bond amount is 1.5x that, or $9,000. You pay only the premium on the $9,000 bond, not the full $9,000.
Filing
Filing Information
Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Division of Title Services)
We prepare the issued bond and send you a copy for your records. Filing requirements vary by state, license type, carrier, and bond form.
207-624-9000, ext. 52138FAQ
Maine Auto Dealer Bond FAQ
Yes, in certain cases. Maine issues a certificate of title backed by a Motor Vehicle Title Surety Bond (form MVT-18) under 29-A M.R.S. §659 when you cannot provide enough documentation to meet the normal title requirements and the Secretary of State is not satisfied as to ownership.
The bond amount is 1.5 times your vehicle's value, as determined by the Secretary of State. You pay a premium — a percentage of that amount — not the full bond amount. Use the calculator above to estimate it.
By the Secretary of State. Under 29-A M.R.S. §659, the bond must equal one and one-half times the value of the vehicle as determined by the Secretary of State.
Three years. Under 29-A M.R.S. §659, the bond stays in effect for three years, unless it ends earlier when you fully meet the title requirements or you end the registration and surrender the title.
Only when you cannot provide enough paperwork to meet the standard title requirements (29-A M.R.S. §654) for a vehicle that must be titled, and the Secretary of State asks for a bond. If ownership can be confirmed another way, you will not need one.
With the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Get the Application for Title from a BMV branch office or your town office, then submit it with the signed MVT-18 bond and the $33 title fee. Call the Division of Title Services at 207-624-9000, ext. 52138 with questions.
A surety company authorized to conduct surety business in Maine. If the surety is not a Maine company, the bond must be countersigned.
Sources
Last verified 2026-06-23. Requirements change - confirm current details with Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Division of Title Services) before you file. This page is informational and not legal advice.
FAQ
Maine Auto Dealer Bond Questions
The cost of a Maine auto dealer bond is usually a small percentage of the state-required bond amount. Your exact premium depends on the bond amount, license type, business details, and underwriting factors such as credit.
Many auto dealer bonds can be issued the same day after you complete the application. Larger bond amounts or applications that need underwriting review may take longer.
Requirements vary by license type, but most Maine auto dealers need to complete a short application and purchase the bond amount required by the state before their license can be issued or renewed.
Often, yes. Many states have separate bond requirements for wholesale, retail, broker, or other dealer license types. Choose the bond that matches your Maine license instructions.
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AutoDealersBond.com is operated by Insurance Services by Shield, a California and Texas licensed insurance agency (CA License #6018195, TX License #3446536). Insurance Services by Shield is not an insurance carrier and does not underwrite bonds or insurance policies. Bond and coverage availability, pricing, and issuance are subject to carrier underwriting approval, eligibility, applicable state requirements, and policy or bond terms. Availability varies by state.
