10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: Security deposit may not exceed the equivalent of 2 months' rent for a dwelling intended for human habitation (lease or tenancy at will). (14 M.R.S. § 6032, confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Written rental agreement: return within the time stated in the agreement, not to exceed 30 days after termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever is later. Tenancy at will: within 21 days. If any portion is retained, provide a written statement itemizing the reasons, with payment of the balance. Failure to return or itemize on time forfeits the right to withhold any portion (§ 6033(3)); wrongful retention makes the landlord liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs (§ 6034(2)). (14 M.R.S. § 6033; 14 M.R.S. § 6034, confirmed 2026-10).
Late fees: Rent is not 'late' until 15 days after it is due (mandatory 15-day grace period), and a late-payment penalty may not exceed 4% of the amount due for one month. The penalty must be disclosed in writing at the start of the tenancy. (14 M.R.S. § 6028, confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: A landlord may not require an applicant to pay a fee to submit an application. The landlord may require the applicant to pay the actual cost of only one of: a background check, a credit check, or another screening process, and may not charge more than one such fee in any 12-month period; a complete copy of the screening results must be provided to the applicant. (14 M.R.S. § 6030-H, confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: If the tenant is 7 days or more in arrears, the tenancy (at will) may be terminated on 7 days' written notice. The notice must state the amount of rent 7 or more days in arrears and must include the statutory statement that paying the amount due before the notice expires voids the notice. Payment of the full rent due before the 7-day notice expires makes the notice void. (14 M.R.S. § 6002(1)-(2), confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: Rent (or a mandatory recurring fee) may be increased only after at least 45 days' written notice. For an increase of 10% or more (including cumulative increases within a 12-month period totaling 10% or more), at least 75 days' written notice is required. Waivers are void; a violating landlord must return sums unlawfully obtained with interest plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs. No statewide rent cap (§ 6016 bars increases only while the unit violates the warranty of habitability). (14 M.R.S. § 6015; 14 M.R.S. § 6016, confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: A tenancy at will must be terminated by either party by at least 30 days' written notice; the landlord's notice must advise the tenant of the right to contest the termination in court. (14 M.R.S. § 6002, confirmed 2026-10). Entry: Landlord must give reasonable notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency or when impracticable. 24 hours is presumed reasonable notice absent evidence to the contrary. (14 M.R.S. § 6025(2), confirmed 2026-10).
Maine has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: card surcharges banned (9-A ME Rev Stat §8-509 outright ban.). Managing property for others for compensation has no statewide license requirement on file: Maine has no statewide property-manager licensing requirement.
Security deposits
What Maine allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Security deposit may not exceed the equivalent of 2 months' rent for a dwelling intended for human habitation (lease or tenancy at will).
“A lease or tenancy at will agreement for a dwelling intended for human habitation may not require a security deposit equivalent to more than the rent for 2 months.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “2× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Written rental agreement: return within the time stated in the agreement, not to exceed 30 days after termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever is later. Tenancy at will: within 21 days. If any portion is retained, provide a written statement itemizing the reasons, with payment of the balance. Failure to return or itemize on time forfeits the right to withhold any portion (§ 6033(3)); wrongful retention makes the landlord liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs (§ 6034(2)).
“within 21 days after the termination of the tenancy or the surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs later.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Written-lease deadline quote from the same page: 'within the time, not to exceed 30 days, stated in the agreement'. § 6034 read at https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6034.html.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statute authorizes or prohibits a separate pet deposit, but 'security deposit' is defined as any advance or deposit 'regardless of its denomination' whose primary function is to secure the lease (14 M.R.S. § 6031(2)), so a refundable pet deposit counts toward the cap: total deposits may not exceed two months' rent (§ 6032).
“A lease or tenancy at will agreement for a dwelling intended for human habitation may not require a security deposit equivalent to more than the rent for 2 months.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Maine lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Rent is not 'late' until 15 days after it is due (mandatory 15-day grace period), and a late-payment penalty may not exceed 4% of the amount due for one month. The penalty must be disclosed in writing at the start of the tenancy.
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Grace-period text on same page: payment is late only if 'not made within 15 days from the time the payment is due' (§ 6028(1)).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Capped at 4% of monthly rent; 15 days grace”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
A landlord may not require an applicant to pay a fee to submit an application. The landlord may require the applicant to pay the actual cost of only one of: a background check, a credit check, or another screening process, and may not charge more than one such fee in any 12-month period; a complete copy of the screening results must be provided to the applicant.
“a landlord may not require an applicant to pay a fee to submit an application”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Exception text on the same page: 'may require an applicant to pay the actual cost of only one of the following' and 'may not charge an applicant more than one fee for a background check, credit check or other screening process ... in any 12-month period.'
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Posture (d): no statewide rent cap and no statewide statute preempting or authorizing local rent control in Title 14 ch. 709. Maine regulates increases by notice only: at least 45 days' written notice for any rent or mandatory recurring fee increase, and at least 75 days' written notice when an increase (or cumulative increases within 12 months) reaches 10% or more (§ 6015); rent may not be increased while the unit violates the warranty of habitability (§ 6016). Violators must return sums unlawfully obtained plus interest, attorney's fees and costs.
“If rent charged for a residential estate is increased by the landlord by 10% or more, the landlord must provide at least 75 days' written notice to the tenant.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
§ 6015(1): 'rent or mandatory recurring fees charged for residential estates may be increased by the landlord only after providing at least 45 days' written notice to the tenant.' § 6016 (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6016.html): 'Rent charged for residential estates may not be increased if the dwelling unit is in violation of the warranty of habitability.' The 75-day rule does not apply to deed-restricted or subsidized housing (§ 6015(2)(A)-(C)).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Maine requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Rent (or a mandatory recurring fee) may be increased only after at least 45 days' written notice. For an increase of 10% or more (including cumulative increases within a 12-month period totaling 10% or more), at least 75 days' written notice is required. Waivers are void; a violating landlord must return sums unlawfully obtained with interest plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs. No statewide rent cap (§ 6016 bars increases only while the unit violates the warranty of habitability).
“may be increased by the landlord only after providing at least 45 days' written notice to the tenant.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
75-day text on the same page: 'the landlord must provide at least 75 days' written notice to the tenant.' Note the live URL for § 6015 is .../title14sec6015-2.html (the plain sec6015.html path 404s). § 6016 read at https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/14/title14sec6016.html.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “45 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
A tenancy at will must be terminated by either party by at least 30 days' written notice; the landlord's notice must advise the tenant of the right to contest the termination in court.
“Tenancies at will must be terminated by either party by a minimum of 30 days' notice”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
If the tenant is 7 days or more in arrears, the tenancy (at will) may be terminated on 7 days' written notice. The notice must state the amount of rent 7 or more days in arrears and must include the statutory statement that paying the amount due before the notice expires voids the notice. Payment of the full rent due before the 7-day notice expires makes the notice void.
“The tenant is 7 days or more in arrears in the payment of rent”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Statutory cure language on the same page: 'If you pay the amount of rent due as of the date of this notice before this notice expires...'. For a tenant under a written lease, the lease's nonpayment/termination terms also apply.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “7 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Maine landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Landlord must give reasonable notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency or when impracticable. 24 hours is presumed reasonable notice absent evidence to the contrary.
“Twenty-four hours is presumed to be a reasonable notice in the absence of evidence to the contrary.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “24 hours”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Card surcharges banned
9-A ME Rev Stat §8-509 outright ban.
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
No statewide license requirement
Maine has no statewide property-manager licensing requirement.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Maine next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Maine. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
• Energy efficiency disclosure
• Bedbug history
• Smoking policy
Official sources
Primary sources a Maine landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Maine?
Security deposit may not exceed the equivalent of 2 months' rent for a dwelling intended for human habitation (lease or tenancy at will). (14 M.R.S. § 6032, confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Maine landlord have to return the security deposit?
Written rental agreement: return within the time stated in the agreement, not to exceed 30 days after termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever is later. Tenancy at will: within 21 days. If any portion is retained, provide a written statement itemizing the reasons, with payment of the balance. Failure to return or itemize on time forfeits the right to withhold any portion (§ 6033(3)); wrongful retention makes the landlord liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs (§ 6034(2)). (14 M.R.S. § 6033; 14 M.R.S. § 6034, confirmed 2026-10).
What is the maximum late fee in Maine?
Rent is not 'late' until 15 days after it is due (mandatory 15-day grace period), and a late-payment penalty may not exceed 4% of the amount due for one month. The penalty must be disclosed in writing at the start of the tenancy. (14 M.R.S. § 6028, confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Maine pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
If the tenant is 7 days or more in arrears, the tenancy (at will) may be terminated on 7 days' written notice. The notice must state the amount of rent 7 or more days in arrears and must include the statutory statement that paying the amount due before the notice expires voids the notice. Payment of the full rent due before the 7-day notice expires makes the notice void. (14 M.R.S. § 6002(1)-(2), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Maine landlord give before entering?
Landlord must give reasonable notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency or when impracticable. 24 hours is presumed reasonable notice absent evidence to the contrary. (14 M.R.S. § 6025(2), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Maine?
Rent (or a mandatory recurring fee) may be increased only after at least 45 days' written notice. For an increase of 10% or more (including cumulative increases within a 12-month period totaling 10% or more), at least 75 days' written notice is required. Waivers are void; a violating landlord must return sums unlawfully obtained with interest plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs. No statewide rent cap (§ 6016 bars increases only while the unit violates the warranty of habitability). (14 M.R.S. § 6015; 14 M.R.S. § 6016, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Maine?
A tenancy at will must be terminated by either party by at least 30 days' written notice; the landlord's notice must advise the tenant of the right to contest the termination in court. (14 M.R.S. § 6002, confirmed 2026-10).
Does Maine have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Maine. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Maine?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Maine, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Maine landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Card surcharges banned. 9-A ME Rev Stat §8-509 outright ban. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 5 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.