Grumpas Driving School • Lincoln, Maine

Driver Education Policies

Please review these policies before registration and throughout the course. They explain enrollment, payment, attendance, AAA coursework, behind-the-wheel scheduling, fees, conduct, course completion, withdrawals, and refunds.

Policy page updated September 17, 2026

Important Registration ChangeSubmitting a registration now places a temporary hold on an available class seat while the registration is reviewed. After approval, the applicable required payment must be received by the Seat Hold Deadline shown in the approval email to fully reserve the seat.

Eligibility & Payment

Students must be at least 15 years old by Orientation Day.
Proof of age is required at Orientation.
Standard Driver Education tuition is $600, before any approved promotion, voucher, credit, or administrative adjustment.

Temporary seat hold and reservation

Submitting the registration form temporarily holds an available seat while the registration is reviewed. A temporary hold is not the same as a fully reserved seat.

If approved, the family receives a Registration & Payment email with the student's Payment Reference, payment instructions, and a Seat Hold Deadline.
The applicable required payment is normally due within 3 calendar days after approval. An earlier deadline may be stated when Orientation is approaching.
The seat becomes fully reserved when the applicable required payment is received by the Seat Hold Deadline.
If payment is not received by the deadline, the temporary hold may be released and the seat may be offered to another student.
A verified payment that is actively processing will not cause the seat to be released solely because processing extends beyond the deadline.

Payment amount required to reserve the seat

More than 7 days before Orientation: a $200 non-refundable deposit is required to confirm the reservation. The remaining balance is due 7 days before Orientation.
Within 7 days of Orientation: the full remaining course balance is required by the stated Seat Hold Deadline.
A $25 late fee may be applied when the remaining course balance is not paid by its required due date.

Approved payment arrangements, vouchers, credits, or other exceptions must be authorized by Grumpas Driving School and may follow different payment timing.

Course & Attendance Requirements

Student/Parent Orientation is required and is held in person.
Students must attend both required live Zoom classroom sessions.
The Review & Permit Test session is required and is held in person.
Missed required sessions may delay course completion and may require a makeup, transfer, or rescheduling fee when the change is within the student or family's control.
No rescheduling or alternate-date fee applies when Grumpas Driving School initiates the schedule change.

In-person location:
Mattanawcook Academy
33 Reed Drive, Lincoln, ME 04457

AAA Online Course

AAA online coursework is included with Driver Education tuition.
Students must show sufficient progress in AAA before behind-the-wheel appointments may be scheduled.
AAA coursework must be 100% complete no later than 4 days before the Review & Permit Test, unless Grumpas Driving School approves a specific exception.
Completion must be verified before the student may participate in applicable testing.

If the required AAA deadline is missed, a $25 administrative fee may be charged. Scheduled driving appointments may be canceled until AAA is completed, and the Review & Permit Test may need to be moved to a later available date. If the student's missed AAA requirement causes a Permit/Review reschedule, the applicable rescheduling fee may apply instead of the lower AAA administrative fee. No rescheduling fee applies when Grumpas Driving School initiates the schedule change.

Behind-the-Wheel Driving

Students must complete 10 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, normally scheduled as five 2-hour sessions.
Maximum of 2 driving appointments per week.
Maximum of 1 driving appointment per day.
At least 24 hours' notice is required to cancel or request a reschedule without the late-cancellation fee.
Less than 24 hours' notice may result in a $50 late-cancellation/rescheduling fee.
A no-call/no-show may result in a $100 fee.

Standard driving location:
Mattanawcook Academy
33 Reed Drive, Lincoln, ME 04457

Alternate pickup or drop-off locations require advance approval. A requested location change after an appointment is booked may not be accommodated.

Course Completion

Students must successfully complete all required parts of the Driver Education program, including:

Orientation
Both live Zoom classroom sessions
AAA online coursework
10 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
Review & Permit Test requirements

Course completion documents are issued only after all required course components and applicable administrative requirements are satisfied.

Student Conduct & Driving Safety

Students must behave respectfully and safely during every portion of the course.
Alcohol, drugs, impairment, threatening behavior, harassment, and unsafe conduct are prohibited.
Students must wear footwear that permits safe vehicle operation.
Flip-flops, slippers, and other footwear that interferes with safe pedal control are not permitted during driving sessions.

Unsafe or seriously disruptive behavior may result in removal or suspension from a class or driving session. Reinstatement is not automatic and may be subject to additional conditions or fees.

Additional Fees & Policy-Related Charges

These charges are separate from standard course tuition and apply only when the circumstances described below occur.

Course Stage	Fee	Amount	When It Applies
Registration / Before Orientation	Late Payment Fee	$25	When the remaining course balance is not paid by the required due date.
Orientation	Missed Orientation / Course Transfer Fee	$75	When a student misses the scheduled Orientation and must be transferred to a future Orientation or course. If an approved makeup allows the student to remain in the original course, the classroom makeup fee may apply instead.
Classroom / Zoom	Missed Classroom Session / Makeup Fee	$50	When a required classroom session is missed and a makeup or another available session is required. A student arriving more than 15 minutes late may be treated as absent when the session cannot reasonably be completed.
Behind-the-Wheel	Late Cancellation / Rescheduling Fee	$50	When a driving appointment is canceled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours' notice, provided notice is received before the appointment start time. It may also apply when a student arrives more than 15 minutes late and the appointment cannot reasonably proceed.
Behind-the-Wheel	No-Call / No-Show Fee	$100	When the student does not attend a scheduled driving appointment and no notice is received before the appointment start time.
AAA Requirement	AAA Late Completion / Administrative Fee	$25	When AAA is not completed by the established deadline but the student can remain on the originally scheduled Review/Permit date. If the missed requirement forces a Review/Permit reschedule, the applicable rescheduling fee generally replaces this lower fee.
Permit / Review	Alternate Review/Permit Date Fee	$100	When a student or family needs the Review & Permit Test moved outside the student's original cohort. This fee does not apply when Grumpas Driving School initiates the schedule change.
Permit / Review	Permit-Test Retake Fee	$25	There is no retake fee after the first failed permit-test attempt. If another retake is required after the student's second unsuccessful attempt, this fee applies before the next attempt can be scheduled.

Withdrawal & Refunds

The $200 deposit is non-refundable.
Refund eligibility for amounts paid beyond the deposit depends on the timing and circumstances of the withdrawal.
No refunds are issued after Orientation Day unless required by law or specifically approved by Grumpas Driving School because of exceptional circumstances.

Releasing a temporary seat hold because the required initial payment was never received is not a refund event because no reservation payment has been collected.