A method and apparatus for User Equipment (UE) power class adaptation for coverage extension in Long Term Evolution (LTE) includes setting a maximum transmit power to a predefined level that is below a maximum capability of a high power UE (HPUE); responsive to determining, based on detected operating conditions local to the HPUE, that an increase in transmit range is required, raising the maximum transmit power towards or to the maximum capability of the HPUE; and subsequently transmitting at an operating transmit power at or below the maximum transmit power as a function of the detected operating conditions local to the HPUE. The method and apparatus allow the HPUE to infer how to configure its maximum power to mitigate interference to the same class of cells, without assistance from an Evolved Node B (eNB) and within the existing 3GPP LTE framework.