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Maine landlord-tenant law.

Updated August 2026. No statewide rent control. Maine is one of a small number of states that permit municipal rent control, and Portland has a voter-approved local rent stabilization ordinance (in effect since 2020, amended since); it does not apply outside Portland.

Deposit limit

Flat cap of 2 months' rent for any residential lease or tenancy at will, with no distinction by lease length (14 M.R.S. Section 6032). A landlord may not demand more at signing than the security deposit plus the first full month's rent plus any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee (14 M.R.S. Section 6022-A, added 2023).

Deposit return

Tenancy at will: within 21 days after termination or surrender and acceptance of the unit, whichever is later. Fixed-term lease: within the time stated in the lease, capped at 30 days. Landlord must send a written itemized statement for any amount withheld along with the remaining balance; missing the deadline or the itemization forfeits the landlord's right to withhold anything (14 M.R.S. Section 6033).

Notice to pay

7 days' written notice once the tenant is 7 or more days in arrears. The notice is voided if the tenant pays the full amount due before the 7 days expire, and the tenancy can still be reinstated by paying all arrears, current rent, and filing and service fees before a writ of possession issues (14 M.R.S. Section 6002).

Landlord entry

Landlord must give reasonable advance notice before non-emergency entry; 24 hours is presumed reasonable absent evidence otherwise. This right cannot be waived, and violation, including entry-related harassment, allows the tenant to recover actual damages or $100, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees (14 M.R.S. Section 6025).

Security deposits

Deposit limit. Flat cap of 2 months' rent for any residential lease or tenancy at will, with no distinction by lease length (14 M.R.S. Section 6032). A landlord may not demand more at signing than the security deposit plus the first full month's rent plus any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee (14 M.R.S. Section 6022-A, added 2023).

Getting it back. Tenancy at will: within 21 days after termination or surrender and acceptance of the unit, whichever is later. Fixed-term lease: within the time stated in the lease, capped at 30 days. Landlord must send a written itemized statement for any amount withheld along with the remaining balance; missing the deadline or the itemization forfeits the landlord's right to withhold anything (14 M.R.S. Section 6033).

Late fees and rent

Rent is not considered late until 15 days after the due date. The late fee itself is capped at 4% of one month's rent, and the fee must be disclosed in writing in the rental agreement at signing (14 M.R.S. Section 6028).

Ending a tenancy

Nonpayment of rent. 7 days' written notice once the tenant is 7 or more days in arrears. The notice is voided if the tenant pays the full amount due before the 7 days expire, and the tenancy can still be reinstated by paying all arrears, current rent, and filing and service fees before a writ of possession issues (14 M.R.S. Section 6002).

Month-to-month termination. Minimum 30 days' written notice to terminate a tenancy at will; no longer period applies regardless of how long the tenancy has run (14 M.R.S. Section 6002).

Landlord entry

Landlord must give reasonable advance notice before non-emergency entry; 24 hours is presumed reasonable absent evidence otherwise. This right cannot be waived, and violation, including entry-related harassment, allows the tenant to recover actual damages or $100, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees (14 M.R.S. Section 6025).

Required disclosures

  • Federal lead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. Section 4852d)
  • 30-day advance notice, with signage and certified mail, before repair work in pre-1978 buildings that could disturb lead paint, waivable in writing by the tenant (14 M.R.S. Section 6030-B(3))
  • Residential energy efficiency disclosure statement (14 M.R.S. Section 6030-C)
  • Radon testing disclosure (14 M.R.S. Section 6030-D)
  • Total price disclosure statement itemizing rent, mandatory and optional recurring fees, and utility costs before signing, added 2023 (14 M.R.S. Section 6030-J)

Lease clauses that do not hold up

  • Clauses absolving the landlord of liability for its own negligence (14 M.R.S. Section 6030)
  • Clauses letting a landlord seize or place a lien on a tenant's possessions for unpaid rent (14 M.R.S. Section 6030)
  • Requiring the tenant to acknowledge the lease terms are fair and reasonable, or making the tenant pay the landlord's attorney's fees outside a contested hearing (14 M.R.S. Section 6030)
  • Requiring payment at signing beyond the deposit, first month's rent, and disclosed mandatory recurring fees (14 M.R.S. Section 6022-A)

Notes for landlords

Maine tightened up-front charges and fee transparency rules in 2023 (Section 6022-A and Section 6030-J), so leases written to older templates may now overcharge at signing. The 4% late fee cap and 15-day grace period are mandatory and cannot be waived. Portland's local rent stabilization ordinance only binds landlords with property inside Portland city limits.

Sources

This guide is general legal information for landlords, not legal advice. Statutes change and local ordinances can add stricter rules on top of state law. Confirm any requirement with the current statute or a licensed attorney in your state before acting on it.

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