Maine Landlord-Tenant Law 2026: The Complete Handbook

Tenby is an AI-powered property management platform for independent landlords managing 1-50 rental units. Tenby's compliance engine is loaded with Maine-specific rules — security deposit deadlines, required disclosures, late fee limits, and eviction notice requirements — automatically enforced for every Maine property.

Maine's landlord-tenant relationship is governed primarily by Title 14 of the Maine Revised Statutes. Maine is a tenant-protective state with a statutory late fee cap, a long 15-day grace period, a deposit cap, and one of the longer lists of pre-lease disclosures. Here's everything you need to know.

Security deposits in Maine

Key details:

• The deposit is capped at 2 months' rent (14 M.R.S. § 6032)
• Deposits must be held in a bank account separate from the landlord's own funds and may not be commingled (14 M.R.S. § 6038)
• Return the deposit or an itemized statement of deductions within 30 days (14 M.R.S. § 6033)
• Document the unit's condition at move-in and move-out — itemized deductions need evidence behind them

> Check your deposit: Use our free Maine security deposit calculator to verify your deposit amount and return deadline are compliant.

Eviction process in Maine

Maine evictions follow a formal court process. Self-help evictions (changing locks, removing belongings, shutting off utilities) are illegal.

Step 1: Serve proper notice

Right to cure: Maine gives tenants a statutory right to cure nonpayment (14 M.R.S. § 6002) — if the tenant pays what's owed within the notice window, the tenancy continues and the eviction cannot proceed on that basis.

Step 2: File the eviction action

If the tenant neither cures nor vacates, file an eviction action in the court with jurisdiction over the property.

Step 3: Court hearing

Both parties present their case. Bring the lease, the served notice, and your payment ledger.

Step 4: Judgment and execution

If the court rules for the landlord, a judgment issues and law enforcement executes it if the tenant still refuses to leave.

Late fees in Maine

> Calculate your late fee: Use our free Maine late fee calculator to check if your proposed fee is compliant with Maine law. Also try our prorated rent calculator for move-in/move-out calculations and rent estimate tool to see if your rent is at market rate.

Maine has one of the strictest late fee regimes in the country. Rent is not late until it has gone unpaid for 15 days (14 M.R.S. § 6028) — no fee may be charged before then. The fee is capped at 4% of the amount due for one month, and the penalty must have been disclosed to the tenant in writing at the inception of the lease. On $1,500 rent, the maximum late fee is $60, and only on day 16 or later.

Landlord entry in Maine

Give tenants at least 24 hours' notice before non-emergency entry (14 M.R.S. § 6025). Put the entry procedure in your lease so expectations are clear on both sides.

Required disclosures in Maine

Maine landlords must disclose the following:

1. Radon disclosure — a radon test was required by March 1, 2014 and — unless a mitigation system is installed — every 10 years thereafter when a tenant requests it (new construction: within 12 months of occupancy). Written disclosure of results on the DHHS standard form goes to prospective tenants before the lease or tenancy-at-will, and to existing tenants within 30 days of results, with tenant acknowledgment. Buildings used exclusively for short-term rentals (100 days or fewer) are exempt (14 M.R.S. § 6030-D)
2. Bed bug disclosure — before renting, the landlord must affirmatively disclose to a prospective tenant if an adjacent unit is currently infested with or being treated for bed bugs; on request, must also disclose the last date the unit or adjacent units were inspected and found bed bug-free. A landlord may not rent a unit known or suspected to be infested (14 M.R.S. § 6021-A)
3. Energy efficiency disclosure — provide the state energy-efficiency disclosure form to prospective tenants who will pay energy costs (14 M.R.S. § 6030-C)
4. Smoking policy disclosure — the smoking policy for the premises must be disclosed in writing (14 M.R.S. § 6030-E)
5. Lead paint disclosure — for properties built before 1978, including the EPA "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home" pamphlet (federal requirement)

Rent increase rules in Maine

• No statewide rent control — Maine does not impose statewide rent control (check local ordinances in your municipality)
• For tenancies at will, the 30-day termination notice (14 M.R.S. § 6002) effectively sets the notice floor for changing terms, including rent
• Cannot raise rent during a fixed-term lease unless the lease includes a rent increase clause
• Source of income is a protected class in Maine (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5 § 4581-A) — you cannot refuse or treat applicants differently because they use vouchers or other lawful income sources

Maintenance obligations

Landlord must:

• Maintain the property in habitable condition
• Comply with applicable building and housing codes
• Keep essential systems (plumbing, heating, electrical) in working order
• Keep common areas safe and clean
• Make repairs within a reasonable time after notice — Tenby tracks a 14-day repair window for Maine properties

Tenant must:

• Keep the unit clean and sanitary
• Use fixtures, appliances, and systems reasonably
• Not damage or destroy the premises
• Notify the landlord of needed repairs promptly
• Allow reasonable access for necessary repairs (with proper notice)

Tenant rights in Maine

Tenants in Maine have the right to:

• Habitable housing — the landlord must maintain the premises fit for habitation
• Rent withholding — Maine permits rent withholding when the landlord fails to maintain the property (follow the statutory procedure carefully)
• Repair and deduct — Maine recognizes a repair-and-deduct remedy for necessary repairs the landlord won't make
• Right to cure nonpayment — paying in full within the 7-day notice window defeats an eviction for nonpayment (14 M.R.S. § 6002)
• 24-hour entry notice — before non-emergency landlord entry (14 M.R.S. § 6025)
• Security deposit protections — 2-month cap, separate account, itemization, and the 30-day return deadline
• Source of income protection — discrimination based on lawful source of income is prohibited (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5 § 4581-A)
• Domestic violence protections — under federal VAWA, tenants in certain federally subsidized housing have additional protections

How Tenby helps Maine landlords

Tenby's compliance engine handles Maine-specific requirements automatically:

• 2-month deposit cap enforced at lease creation
• 30-day deposit return tracking with countdown alerts
• Separate-account (no commingling) documentation tracking (14 M.R.S. § 6038)
• 15-day grace period enforcement — no late fee can even be drafted before day 16
• 4% late fee cap automatically applied
• Required disclosure checklist at lease creation (radon, bed bugs, energy efficiency, smoking policy, lead paint)
• 7-day notice to quit timeline guidance with cure-period tracking
• 24-hour entry notice reminders for showings and maintenance

The bottom line

Maine is a tenant-protective state with clear, strict rules. The key requirements to remember: 2-month deposit cap held in a separate account, 30-day return deadline, no late fee until rent is 15 days overdue and never more than 4%, a 7-day notice to quit with a right to cure, 24-hour entry notice, and a disclosure stack that includes radon, bed bugs, energy efficiency, and smoking policy. Follow Title 14, document everything, and you'll avoid most legal issues.