The Maine Department of Marine Resources encourages all current license holders planning to renew their license online to do so before July 16 when the DMR begins transitioning to a new, more efficient system.

After July 16, license holders will need to use paper applications or wait until September to purchase a license or permit with the new online system.

Known as LEEDS (Licensing, Enforcement and Environmental Data System) the new system will provide easy-to-use online tools for license application, renewal, and landings reporting. Available 24-hours-a-day, the system will allow new information to be automatically integrated so license holder data is always up to date. 

“This inconvenience to our customers will be temporary, lasting less than 60 days,” said Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “It was cost prohibitive to run two systems simultaneously, so we have timed the transition to occur during our slowest license sales period of the year.”

Starting July 16, DMR will begin the transition by temporarily disabling the current online license renewal system. To avoid any inconvenience, DMR is urging all current license holders who renew their license online to do so before July 16, 2015.

Customers and license holders should be aware that the DMR Licensing Division office at 32 Blossom Lane, Augusta will be closed on July 9, 10, and 20 as the agency transitions from the old system to the new Maine LEEDS system.

New license applications will continue to be available only on paper during the transition, from July 16 until the new system is launched. DMR will accept paper license renewals either in person at the Augusta office, or by mail. Applications can be found on line at www.maine.gov/dmr/license/index.htm.

License renewals and new applications will be available through the new LEEDS system after DMR has conducted internal testing in the coming months. DMR will communicate directly with license holders when the system launch date is confirmed, and will include links to the new online LEEDS system.