Maine notice periods
A Maine landlord must give 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the tenant must give the same. A rent increase needs 45 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 7-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The Maine rules in detail
Tenancy at will (month-to-month) terminated by either party with at least 30 days' written notice; 7-day notice allowed for nonpayment (7+ days in arrears), substantial damage, nuisance, etc. Rent paid in full before the 7-day notice expires voids it.
45 days' written notice for any rent or mandatory recurring fee increase; 75 days if the increase (alone or cumulatively within 12 months) is 10% or more. Waivers void. Amended by PL 2023, c. 388 and c. 594.
7 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Source: 14 M.R.S. § 6002; § 6015.
Related Maine rules
- Late fees: Maximum 4% of one month's rent; rent is not 'late' until 15 days after the due date; landlord must give written notice at lease signing that a penalty up to 4% may be charged. Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: 2 months' rent; returned Within the time stated in a written lease, not to exceed 30 days after termination; 21 days for a tenancy at will (measured from termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever is later).. Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: Maine landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Maine?
30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Tenancy at will (month-to-month) terminated by either party with at least 30 days' written notice; 7-day notice allowed for nonpayment (7+ days in arrears), substantial damage, nuisance, etc. Rent paid in full before the 7-day notice expires voids it.
How much notice does a tenant have to give in Maine?
30 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Maine?
45 days. 45 days' written notice for any rent or mandatory recurring fee increase; 75 days if the increase (alone or cumulatively within 12 months) is 10% or more. Waivers void. Amended by PL 2023, c. 388 and c. 594.
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in Maine?
7 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.