Motor Vehicle Franchise Board

The Maine Motor Vehicle Franchise Board was created in 2003 to hear cases under Maine 's Motor Vehicle Franchise Law, Title 10 M.R.S.A., Chapter 204, subchapter 1: REGULATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES BETWEEN MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS. The Board is empowered to adopt rules, review complaints, hold hearings, render decisions and impose penalties and costs on motor vehicle manufacturers and distributors under the Franchise Law.

The Board consists of seven regular members and four alternate members. The Board Chair is an attorney appointed by the Secretary of State.

Board Members: John McCurry, Esq. was appointed Board Chair by the Secretary of State in December, 2003. The Governor appoints the other ten members; six serve as regular members and four serve as alternate members. All are appointed to five year terms. Three regular and two alternate members must be past or present franchised Maine new motor vehicle dealers. Those regular Board Members are Charles Gaunce, Stacy Dodge Chandler, and Steven Hartley ; Neal Shepard serve as alternate member. One regular and one alternate member must be past or present employees or representatives of motor vehicle franchisors. The regular Board member is Ben Luja, and the alternate Board member seat is vacant. Two regular members and one alternate member represent the general public. Jill Goodwin serves as an alternate public member, and one regular public member seat is vacant.

Remote meeting of the Board will be held on February 16, 2023 at 9:30, when the Board will vote on adopting the draft decision in the matter of Betterway Ford vs Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit Company.  Please contact the Board at 624-9131 or FanchiseBoard.BMV@maine.gov for the access code.

The Board has developed rules of procedures effective January 2005 to govern hearings held before it.
The Board approved a policy for Remote access to Board Meetings and Hearings effective June 21, 2021.

MOTOR VEHICLE FRANCHISE BOARD CONTACT INFORMATION

Mailing Address:
Maine Motor Vehicle Franchise Board
29 State House Station
Augusta , Maine 04333-0029

Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Physical Address
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
101 Hospital Street (Route 9)
On the east side of Augusta
(across from Riverview Mental Health Facility)

Contact Information:
John McCurry, Esq.
Phone: (207) 624-9131
Fax: (207) 624-9113

e-mail:FranchiseBoard.BMV@maine.gov



Motor Vehicle Franchise Board Meeting Minutes & Hearing Results

Other web sites of interest:

Maine statutes: http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statutes/
Maine Rules of Civil Procedure: https://www.courts.maine.gov/rules/rules-civil.html
National Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers: http://www.autoalliance.org
National Automobile Dealers Association: http://www.nada.org
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/autos.shtm