Rent increases in Maine
Source: 14 M.R.S. §§ 6015, 6016, 6001(3), 6002 · Checked against the statute
- Notice
- 45–75 days
- Statewide cap
- No statewide cap
- During a lease
- No state statute
- Local rent control
- No state law on it
When can a rent increase start in Maine?
Choose the state and the date the notice is given.
How much notice is required
A landlord must give at least 45 days' written notice before raising rent or a mandatory recurring fee. The notice must be at least 75 days if the increase is 10% or more, counting all increases within 12 months together. A tenant cannot waive these rules, written or oral. (14 M.R.S. § 6015)
| Applies to | When | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Any tenancy | — | 45 days |
| Any tenancy | increase of 10% or more | 75 days |
- The notice must be in writing.
Example: a notice handed over on November 2, 2026 in Maine
Earliest date the new rent can start, with rent due on the 1st, worked out from the Maine rule above:
- For a month-to-month tenant of 1 year raising rent 5% or a week-to-week tenant raising rent 5%: Thursday, December 17, 2026
- For a month-to-month tenant of 3 years raising rent 12%: Saturday, January 16, 2027
Raising rent during a lease
No statute says whether rent can rise during a fixed-term lease. The notice rules in § 6015 apply to every residential rent increase. (14 M.R.S. § 6015)
City and county rent control
No state statute bars or authorizes local rent control. Portland has its own rent-control ordinance. (Portland Code Secs. 6-231 to 6-236)
- Portland: Rent on covered units may rise only once every 12 months, by the city's Allowable Increase Percentage (2026: 2.2%; 2027: 2.6%, set Sept. 1 each year at 70% of the Greater Boston CPI-U change), plus banked rent or a Rent Board–approved increase. An increase may never be more than 10%. Landlords must give 90 days' written notice that includes the reasons. Exemptions include owner-occupied 2–4 unit buildings, subsidized units and ADUs.
Retaliatory rent increases
Maine's retaliation rule applies to evictions. A rebuttable presumption of retaliation arises if the eviction is filed within 6 months after the tenant asserted rights under §§ 6015, 6016 or 6021 or made a good-faith code or repair complaint. No separate statute covers retaliatory rent increases. (14 M.R.S. § 6001(3))
Also good to know
- Rent may not be increased while the unit violates the warranty of habitability, unless the tenant or the tenant's household or guests caused the violation. The tenant cannot waive this rule. A landlord who breaks it must repay the sums with interest, plus attorney fees (14 M.R.S. § 6016).
- The notice rule covers mandatory recurring fees as well as rent.
- The 75-day rule does not apply to housing with recorded affordability restrictions or to housing where the landlord or tenant receives a government housing subsidy (§ 6015(2)).
- A landlord who violates § 6015 must return the sums unlawfully obtained, with interest, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.
- A tenancy at will is ended by at least 30 days' written notice (14 M.R.S. § 6002).
Other Maine renting rules in numbers
- Security deposit
- No more than 2 months' rent (§ 6032). A surety bond plus any cash deposit also cannot exceed 2 months' rent (§ 6039). Return deadline: 30 days after the tenancy terminates.
- Tenant's notice to move out
- 30 days
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 7 days (pay or move out)
- How a written notice is delivered (eviction-notice rules)
- In-hand delivery. If the landlord or agent made at least 3 good-faith efforts to serve in hand, service can be made by BOTH first-class mail to the last known address AND leaving the notice at the tenant's last and usual place of abode (14 M.R.S. § 6002).
- Notice for other lease violations
- 7 days (notice to vacate, no right to fix)
- Small claims court limit
- $10,000 — where most deposit and rent disputes are filed.
- Repairs
- Time to repair: 14 days. Repair and deduct: allowed with limits; withholding rent: not addressed by state law.
- Deposit kept wrongly
- Wrongful retention: double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs (§ 6034). Failing to hold the deposit as § 6038 requires: actual damages or $500 or one month's rent, whichever is greatest, plus costs (§ 6038).
- Lawful reasons to end a lease early
- Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; Landlord harassment or illegal entry; Other
Sources
- 14 M.R.S. § 6015 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 14 M.R.S. § 6016 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 14 M.R.S. § 6001 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- 14 M.R.S. § 6002 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- City of Portland Rent Control Ordinance FAQ (v. 2025.10.24) Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- City of Portland – Rent Control & Rental Housing Rights (Allowable Increase Percentage) Retrieved October 15, 2026.
Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 15, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; for a dispute, contact your state's legal aid. See our methodology.