Maine renter rights: the basics for first-time renters

Last reviewed: October 2026 · First Apartment Kit

Maine's renter protections are in Title 14 of the Maine Revised Statutes, mainly chapters 709 (eviction), 710 (rental property), and 710-A (security deposits). Here are the rules first-time renters use most, summarized from the statutes and the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Law Guide chapter on tenant rights.

Quick facts

Security deposit max	2 months' rent
Deposit returned within	Written lease: the time in the lease, up to 30 days. Tenancy at will: 21 days after the tenancy ends or you hand back the unit, whichever is later
Late fee cap	4% of one month's rent, only after rent is 15 days late, and only if you were told in writing at signing
Rent increases	No cap, but 45 days' written notice (75 days for increases of 10% or more); no increase during a lease term or while the unit violates the warranty of habitability
Month-to-month: notice to end	30 days' written notice (tenancy at will, either side)
Landlord entry	Reasonable notice, at reasonable times; 24 hours is presumed reasonable (emergencies excepted)
Unpaid rent notice	7 days' written notice once rent is 7+ days late; paying in full before it expires voids it
Repairs	For a dangerous condition costing under $500 or half a month's rent: certified-mail notice, then repair and deduct if not fixed in 14 days

Quick facts are simplified. Read the sections below for exceptions, and check your city or county too.

Security deposits

Cap: no more than two months' rent. At move-in, a landlord also can't demand more upfront than the first month's rent, the deposit, and any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee. During the tenancy, the deposit must be kept separate from the landlord's own money.
Application fees: landlords generally can't charge an application fee. They may charge the actual cost of one background, credit, or other screening check, and must give you a copy of the results.
Return: with a written lease, within the time the lease states but no more than 30 days. With a tenancy at will, within 21 days after the tenancy ends or you surrender the unit, whichever is later. Anything kept must be explained in an itemized written statement sent with the balance. Normal wear and tear can't be deducted.
If it's late: a landlord who misses the deadline loses the right to keep any of it. Before suing, give the landlord 7 days' notice that you intend to sue. Wrongful retention can cost the landlord double the amount withheld plus attorney's fees, and the landlord has to prove the withholding wasn't wrongful.

Rent increases and late fees

Maine has no statewide rent cap, but it does regulate notice. Rent or mandatory recurring fees can go up only after 45 days' written notice. If the increase is 10% or more (alone or added up over 12 months), the notice must be at least 75 days, with exceptions for some subsidized or income-restricted housing. Rent can't be raised while the unit violates the warranty of habitability (unless you caused the problem), and the Attorney General notes it can't rise above what an unexpired lease says.

A late fee can be charged only if rent is more than 15 days late, can't exceed 4% of one month's rent, and requires written notice of the fee when you signed.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

A month-to-month arrangement is usually a tenancy at will in Maine. Either side can end it with at least 30 days' written notice. If you've already paid rent past the 30 days, the notice can't expire before the paid-through date. A landlord's termination notice must tell you that you have the right to contest it in court. A shorter 7-day notice is allowed for specific reasons, such as rent being 7 or more days late, substantial damage, or a nuisance.

When the landlord can come in

Except in an emergency, the landlord must give reasonable notice and come at reasonable times. 24 hours' notice is presumed reasonable. You can't unreasonably refuse entry for repairs, inspections, or showings. If you change your lock, you must give the landlord a key within 48 hours. If a landlord enters illegally or harasses you with repeated entry demands, you can recover actual damages or $250, whichever is greater. You can't waive these rights in a lease.

Repairs and living conditions

Maine has an implied warranty of habitability, and a landlord may not allow conditions that endanger or seriously impair your health or safety. Your options:

Minor dangerous conditions (repair and deduct): if fixing it costs less than $500 or half a month's rent, whichever is more, notify the landlord in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested, that you intend to fix it at their expense. If it isn't fixed within 14 days (sooner in an emergency), you can have the work done professionally (electrical, oil burner, and plumbing work by a licensed pro), give the landlord an itemized statement, and deduct the cost from rent.
Serious habitability problems: you can ask a court to order repairs, reduce rent, or let you temporarily move out during repairs.
Your city or town's code enforcement officer can inspect for code violations.

Write it all down from day one. The 12-page First Apartment Move-In Kit has a first-week timeline, lease and building facts, a utilities board, room-by-room unpacking, and a first-month money sheet — so your lease facts, notice dates, and move-in notes live in one place. $9.99 on Etsy. Undated.

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Eviction basics

If rent is 7 or more days late, the landlord can give a written 7-day notice stating how much is owed. Paying the full amount due before the notice expires voids it. Even after that, in a tenancy at will, paying all arrears, current rent, and the landlord's filing and service fees before a writ of possession issues reinstates the tenancy. Otherwise, the landlord must file a forcible entry and detainer case in court. Only the court can order you out.

Lockouts, utility shutoffs, and holding your belongings without a court order are illegal evictions. You can recover actual damages or $250, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees. If you get court papers, go to the hearing and get legal help.

Retaliation and discrimination

If a landlord files an eviction within 6 months after you asserted your rights (for example, about rent-increase notice or habitability), complained in good faith to a code agency, asked in writing for required repairs, filed a fair housing complaint, or reported harassment, the law presumes the eviction is retaliation. Discrimination is illegal under federal law and the Maine Human Rights Act. Contact the Maine Human Rights Commission.

City and county rules

Some Maine cities, such as Portland, have their own rental housing rules. Check with your city or town.

Move-in checklist for Maine renters

☐ Get a written lease and read all of it before signing
☐ Get a receipt for the deposit and any move-in money
☐ Photograph every room, dated, before you unpack
☐ Fill out (or write your own) move-in condition list and keep a copy
☐ Note the rent due date, grace period, and late fee
☐ Write down how to request repairs, and do it in writing
☐ Save the landlord's legal name and address for notices
☐ Put your notice deadline for moving out in your calendar

Still apartment hunting? Our list of questions to ask a landlord before signing a lease covers deposits, fees, repairs, and move-out rules you will want answered in writing.

Where to get help in Maine

Maine Attorney General — Tenant Rights (Consumer Law Guide ch. 14) — state guide to deposits, fees, rent increases, entry, and eviction.
Maine Judicial Branch — Eviction help — court process, forms, and the right to contest an eviction.
Maine Human Rights Commission — housing discrimination complaints.
Find free legal aid near you — the federal Legal Services Corporation's directory of local legal aid offices.
File a housing discrimination complaint with HUD — the federal fair housing agency.

More help

Nonprofit and legal aid resources (not government sources):

Pine Tree Legal Assistance — free civil legal aid for Maine renters.

Official sources

These are the official state law and government pages we checked for every fact on this page. The law itself controls if anything here differs.

Not legal advice; laws change and cities may add rules. Check the official sources below or a local legal aid office. This page is a plain-language summary written by First Apartment Kit, not the law itself. Last reviewed: October 2026.

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