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Maine room rental agreement
Written for Maine law, checked October 1, 2026 General information, not legal advice
Rentari offers a general room-rental agreement form, but it is not tailored to Maine or every local rule. Review the room, shared spaces, occupancy requirements, and applicable Maine and city rules before using a form. The state table below covers selected deposit and entry rules, not every room-rental requirement.
Maine rules that apply
- Security deposit limit
- 2 months' rent
- deposit and any surety bond together
- 14 M.R.S. § 603214 M.R.S. § 6039(3)
- Entry notice
- 24 hours
- presumed reasonable, except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable
- 14 M.R.S. § 6025(2)
Security deposit limit
A lease or tenancy at will may not require a security deposit of more than two months' rent. A security deposit is any advance of money, whatever it is called, whose main purpose is to secure the tenant's performance of the rental agreement.
14 M.R.S. § 6032 14 M.R.S. § 6031(2)
More detail (4)
- When a tenancy starts you may not require more than the first full month's rent, the security deposit and any mandatory recurring fee properly disclosed on a signed total price disclosure. 14 M.R.S. § 6022-A(1) See Required disclosures on the Maine page
- You may offer a tenant the option of buying a surety bond in place of some or all of the deposit, but you may not require one. The bond and any deposit together may not exceed two months' rent. 14 M.R.S. § 6039(1) 14 M.R.S. § 6039(3)
- If the tenant pays any part of the deposit in cash, give a receipt at the time showing the date, amount, the party it is paid for, the period, that it is for the security deposit, and the signature and printed name of the person receiving it; a rent card with that information also works. 14 M.R.S. § 6022(1), (2)
- The deposit chapter does not apply to a unit in a building of five or fewer units where you live in one of them, and the cash receipt rule has the same exemption. 14 M.R.S. § 6037(2) 14 M.R.S. § 6022(3)
The Rentari Maine lease states the deposit amount, says it may not exceed two months' rent and repeats the limit on money due at the start of the tenancy.
Landlord entry
Partly readExcept in an emergency or where it is impracticable, give the tenant reasonable notice of your intent to enter and enter only at reasonable times. Twenty-four hours' notice is presumed reasonable unless there is evidence otherwise. The tenant may not unreasonably refuse consent for you to inspect, make necessary or agreed repairs or improvements, supply services, or show the unit to buyers, lenders, tenants, workers or contractors.
More detail (5)
- An emergency that puts the welfare of an animal in the unit at risk permits entry without 24 hours' notice. 14 M.R.S. § 6025(2) 14 M.R.S. § 6025-A
- For unlawful entry, unreasonable entry or repeated lawful demands that harass the tenant, the tenant may recover actual damages or $250, whichever is greater, and an injunction. Reasonable attorney's fees are available after a judgment from a contested hearing. 14 M.R.S. § 6025(3)
- A tenant may not change a lock without notifying you and giving you a duplicate key within 48 hours. A victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking may change the locks at their own expense and must give you a key within 72 hours. 14 M.R.S. § 6025(1) See Locks and security devices on the Maine page
- Any agreement by a tenant to waive these rights is void. 14 M.R.S. § 6025(4)
- The $250 entry remedy took effect July 29, 2026 under PL 2025, c. 767. The reasonable-notice rule and 24-hour presumption remain in subsection 2. 14 M.R.S. § 6025(2), (3) PL 2025, c. 767, § 2 Maine Legislature: effective dates