Maine Rent Increase Laws for Landlords (2026)
What Maine law requires
Maine is one of the 19 US jurisdictions with a statute that speaks directly to raising rent. It requires 45 days' notice before an increase takes effect, in writing.
Citation: 14 M.R.S. § 6015 · read the source
How much can you raise it in Maine?
There is no statutory ceiling. No cap, but the notice lengthens with the size of the increase, and the requirement cannot be waived by agreement.
Only four US jurisdictions cap the size of an increase - California, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia. Maine is not one of them, so the amount is a business decision, not a legal one. The usual constraint is practical: a tenant who leaves over an increase costs you a turnover, and a turnover costs more than the increase was worth.
Can you raise rent mid-lease in Maine?
No. A fixed-term lease fixes the rent for the term. An increase takes effect at renewal, or on a month-to-month tenancy after proper notice. The exception is a lease that contains its own escalation clause agreed at signing.
Serving the notice so it holds up
Most rent increases that fall apart fall apart on the date, not the amount: the notice went out too late, or nobody can prove when it went out. Count the days from delivery, not from the day you wrote it, and keep the proof.
LandlordPro generates the notice against the state's rule, dates it, records when it was sent, and carries the new rent onto the rent roll on the right day so the ledger and the notice agree.
Generate the notice, keep the proof
Free for 2 properties and up to 4 units. No credit card.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give to raise rent in Maine?
45 days in writing, under 14 M.R.S. § 6015.
Is there a limit on how much rent can be raised in Maine?
No. Maine sets no cap on the size of an increase. Only California, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia cap the amount.
Can rent be raised during a lease in Maine?
No, unless the lease itself provides for it. A fixed-term lease fixes the rent for the term; an increase belongs at renewal or on a month-to-month tenancy after notice.
Does a Maine rent increase notice have to be in writing?
Yes.
Do city rules change this in Maine?
We found no local rent regulation in Maine, but ordinances change faster than statutes. Check with the municipality before serving notice on a large increase.