Maine: Landlord Entry Notice Requirements

Requirements one by one

Governing law

Maine's entry rule is 14 M.R.S. § 6025 ("Access to premises"), part of Title 14's
rental-property statutes. A distinctive feature sits at the end: subsection 4 makes the
whole section non-waivable — "any agreement by a tenant to waive any of the rights or
benefits provided by this section is against public policy and is void." The section was
enacted in 1981 and last amended in 2023.

Advance notice required

Except in the exceptions below, "the landlord shall give the tenant reasonable notice of the
landlord's intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times," and "twenty-four hours
is presumed to be a reasonable notice in the absence of evidence to the contrary"
(§ 6025(2)). So Maine's legal test is reasonable notice, with 24 hours as a rebuttable
benchmark — a landlord can argue less was reasonable in a given situation, and a tenant can
argue 24 hours was not enough. The same rule covers showings.

Reasons a landlord may enter

Section 6025(1) frames the purposes as the tenant's duty not to unreasonably withhold consent
to the landlord entering to inspect the premises; make necessary or agreed repairs,
decorations, alterations or improvements; supply necessary or agreed services; or exhibit the
unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers or contractors. Maine
does not add a "no other right of access" exclusivity clause.

Permitted hours

The landlord "shall enter only at reasonable times" (§ 6025(2)). Maine uses a reasonableness
standard rather than a fixed clock or a "business hours" cap.

When no notice is needed

The notice-and-reasonable-times duty does not apply "in the case of emergency or if it is
impracticable to do so" (§ 6025(2)). Maine adds an unusual animal-welfare exception: an
emergency "when the welfare of an animal is at risk as described in section 6025-A is grounds
for permitting entry without 24 hours' notice" (§ 6025(2)), added by a 2023 amendment.

Form and delivery of the notice

Section 6025(2) requires "reasonable notice" (24 hours presumed) but does not say the notice
must be written, list required contents, or fix a delivery method — a dated written notice
stating the time and purpose is the safe practice. Section 6025(1) separately governs locks: a
tenant may not change the lock without giving the landlord notice and a duplicate key within 48
hours (a domestic-abuse victim may change the locks at the victim's expense and has 72 hours to
provide a key).

Tenant's remedies for unlawful entry

Maine gives the tenant a concrete money remedy. If a landlord "makes an entry in violation of
this section, makes a lawful entry in an unreasonable manner or makes repeated demands for
entry otherwise lawful that have the effect of harassing the tenant," the tenant "may recover
actual damages or $100, whichever is greater, and obtain injunctive relief to prevent
recurrence of the conduct, and if the tenant obtains a judgment after a contested hearing,
reasonable attorney's fees" (§ 6025(3)). And because the rights are non-waivable (§ 6025(4)), a
lease clause purporting to sign them away has no effect. The duty runs both ways: if a tenant
changes the lock and refuses to give the landlord a duplicate key, the landlord may terminate
the tenancy on 7 days' notice (§ 6025(3)).

What trips people up

24 hours is a presumption, not an absolute rule. Section 6025(2) says the notice must be
"reasonable" and that 24 hours "is presumed to be a reasonable notice in the absence of
evidence to the contrary." That means either side can rebut it — a landlord might justify
shorter notice in some circumstances, and a tenant might show 24 hours was not reasonable in
others.

The rights can't be waived. A lease clause that purports to let the landlord enter without
notice, or to waive your $100/actual-damages remedy, is "against public policy and is void"
(§ 6025(4)). This is one of the stronger tenant protections in the topic.

There is an animal-welfare emergency exception. Besides ordinary emergencies and
impracticability, Maine lets a landlord enter without 24 hours' notice when "the welfare of an
animal is at risk" as described in § 6025-A (§ 6025(2)).

Common questions

How much notice does my Maine landlord have to give before entering? Reasonable notice,
with 24 hours presumed reasonable, and entry only at reasonable times (§ 6025(2)) — unless it
is an emergency or giving notice is impracticable.

Can my landlord enter without notice in an emergency? Yes. The notice requirement does not
apply "in the case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so," and there is a separate
animal-welfare emergency exception (§ 6025(2), § 6025-A).

What can I do if my landlord enters without proper notice? You "may recover actual damages
or $100, whichever is greater," get an injunction to stop it, and — if you win after a
contested hearing — reasonable attorney's fees (§ 6025(3)).

Can my lease waive these entry rules? No. Any agreement by a tenant to waive the rights or
benefits of § 6025 "is against public policy and is void" (§ 6025(4)).

Statutes and sources

• 14 M.R.S. § 6025 — Maine's "Access to premises" statute: the tenant's duty not to unreasonably withhold consent (and the lock-change/duplicate-key rules) (1); the landlord's duty to give reasonable notice, 24 hours presumed reasonable, and enter only at reasonable times, excused for emergency, impracticability, or an animal-welfare emergency (2); the tenant's remedy of actual damages or $100 whichever is greater, injunctive relief, and attorney's fees after a contested hearing (3); and the non-waiver rule (4).
  https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6025.html (accessed 2026-07-11)