Maine Landlord Entry Notice Law
Maine landlords must give at least 24 hours' notice before entering a rented home.
Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed
Maine landlord entry notice rules at a glance
| Notice before entry | 24 hours' notice14 M.R.S. § 6025 |
|---|---|
| Conditions | Reasonable notice of intent to enter, with 24 hours presumed reasonable absent contrary evidence; entry only at reasonable times; no notice in an emergency (including an animal-welfare emergency) or where impracticable14 M.R.S. § 6025 |
What Maine law says
How much notice must a Maine landlord give before entering a rental?
Maine landlords must give reasonable notice before entering, with 24 hours presumed reasonable, and may enter only at reasonable times unless there is an emergency or notice is impracticable (14 M.R.S. § 6025(2)).
How Maine compares
17 other verified jurisdictions use 24 hours; 9 require more.
None of Maine's 1 neighbors follows the same rule.
| Notice before entry | States |
|---|---|
| 24 hours | Maine |
| No fixed number of hours | New Hampshire |
Local rules in Maine
Mobile home park tenancies follow separate deposit rules in 10 M.R.S. § 9098 (up to 3 months' rent, interest owed).
Other Maine rules
| Security deposit limit | 2 months' rent14 M.R.S. § 6032, 14 M.R.S. § 6037(2) (owner-occupied ≤5-unit exemption) |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 21 days after move-out14 M.R.S. § 6033(2) |
| Late-fee cap | Up to 4% of one month's rent; must be disclosed in writing at the start of the tenancy14 M.R.S. § 6028(2)-(3) |
| Rent-increase notice | 45 days (75 days' written notice when an increase, alone or combined with other increases in a 12-month period, totals 10% or more (not applicable to deed-restricted affordable or subsidized housing). The 45-day rule also covers increases in mandatory recurring fees)14 M.R.S. § 6015 |
| Notice for unpaid rent | 7 days (7-day notice to quit for nonpayment (tenancy at will))14 M.R.S. § 6002(1)-(2) |
| Month-to-month termination | 30 days (either side)14 M.R.S. § 6002 |