If you want new rent to start on January 1, 2027, and the increase is 10% or more, your written notice has to be in your tenant's hands by about October 18. That's three days from the date I'm writing this. Most owners I talk to think the number is 45 days, everywhere, for everything. In Bangor it isn't, and for bigger increases it isn't anywhere in Maine.
This post walks through the statewide rule, the Bangor overlay, the 12-month stacking trap, voucher units, and what happens when a notice goes out late. It's the same calendar we run at Bangor Home Rentals every renewal season.
This post is educational, not legal advice. Maine landlord-tenant law is particular, and the facts of your situation matter. For advice on a specific property or tenant situation, talk to a Maine-licensed attorney or contact Pine Tree Legal Assistance at ptla.org.
How much notice does a Maine landlord need to give for a rent increase?
Statewide, Maine requires at least 45 days' written notice for a rent increase under 10%, and at least 75 days' written notice for an increase of 10% or more, counting every increase in a 12-month window. Inside Bangor city limits, the minimum for any increase is 60 days. Oral notice never counts.
Here's the whole picture on one screen. If you only read one thing in this post, read this table.
| Situation | Minimum written notice | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Rent increase under 10%, outside Bangor | 45 days | 14 MRSA §6015(1) |
| Rent increase of 10% or more (alone or added up over 12 months), anywhere in Maine | 75 days | 14 MRSA §6015(2) |
| Rent increase under 10%, inside Bangor | 60 days | Bangor City Code §282-5 |
| Rent increase of 10% or more, inside Bangor | 75 days (state rule is longer) | 14 MRSA §6015(2) |
| Increase in a mandatory recurring fee | 45 days statewide; we use 60 in Bangor | 14 MRSA §6015(1) |
| Housing Choice Voucher unit | Tenant notice above, plus 60 days to the housing authority | 24 CFR §982.308(g)(4) |
| Mobile home park lot rent | 90 days | 10 MRSA §9093-B |
What does 14 MRSA §6015 actually say?
The statute, 14 MRSA §6015, has two subsections. Subsection 1 sets a 45-day written-notice floor for raising rent or mandatory recurring fees. Subsection 2 raises that to 75 days when rent goes up 10% or more. Neither can be waived, and a violation means refunding the money with interest plus the tenant's attorney's fees.
The 45-day floor, and why it now covers fees
The 45-day rule has been on the books for decades. What changed recently is scope. Public Law 2023, chapter 594 (the LD 1490 rental fee law) amended subsection 1 so it covers mandatory recurring fees as well as rent. Maine Public reported the fee provisions taking effect January 1, 2025.
In practice, that means a monthly parking charge, a pet rent line, or a required amenity fee can't jump on two weeks' notice anymore. If it's mandatory and recurring, it needs 45 days of written notice like rent does.
The 75-day tier for increases of 10% or more
The 75-day rule came from LD 701, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Kessler (D-South Portland), and became Public Law 2023, chapter 388. It took effect October 25, 2023. The bill started out as a 90-day requirement for every increase. The Judiciary Committee cut it back to the 10% trigger before it passed.
Kessler described the law as "a modest step toward providing some stability for tenants" when it became law in July 2023. I agree with the "modest" part. Seventy-five days doesn't stop you from raising rent. It just stops you from springing a big increase on someone who has no time to find another place.
Read the threshold carefully. The statute says 10% or more. A lot of summaries online, including some tenant-facing guides, say "more than 10%." Those aren't the same thing. If your tenant pays $1,400 and you raise it $140, that's exactly 10%, and you need 75 days.
Which units are exempt from the 75-day tier?
Subsection 2 doesn't apply to housing with recorded affordability restrictions, housing where the landlord gets a subsidy or participates in a government housing program, or housing where the tenant receives a subsidy. That exemption removes only the 75-day tier. The 45-day floor, and Bangor's 60 days, still apply to those units.
There is no small-landlord or owner-occupied exemption in the state statute. If you live on the first floor of your duplex and rent the second, §6015 applies to you the same way it applies to a 200-unit operator.
Why is the rent increase notice 60 days in Bangor?
Bangor's Tenant Housing Rights ordinance, City Code Chapter 282, took effect March 9, 2023. Section 282-5 requires 60 days' written notice of any rent increase, regardless of size, for every rental unit inside city limits. It overrides the state's 45 days for small increases. For increases of 10% or more, the state's 75 days still controls.
The text of Bangor City Code §282-5 is one sentence long, and it opens with "Notwithstanding 14 M.R.S.A. § 6015." The City Council meant to beat the state number, and it did. The ordinance has no owner-occupancy exemption and no subsidy exemption, so a voucher unit in Bangor still gets 60 days even though the state's 75-day tier doesn't apply to it.
Three other parts of Chapter 282 matter here. Section 282-8 makes any lease waiver of the ordinance void, and trying to get a tenant to waive it is itself a violation. Section 282-10 treats violations of §282-5 as civil infractions, handled by the City's Code Enforcement Department. And §282-9 says the chapter doesn't create a private lawsuit, so a Bangor tenant's money claim for a short notice runs through §6015, not the ordinance.
The 60-day rule stops at the city line. A unit in Brewer, Hampden, Orono, or Old Town is on the state's 45/75 schedule unless that town has adopted its own rule. We manage hundreds of units across central and eastern Maine, and the single most common mistake I see from owners who self-manage on both sides of the Kenduskeag is running one calendar for the whole portfolio. You need two, or you just use 60 days everywhere, which is what I'd recommend.
One open question: §282-5 says "rent increase." It doesn't mention fees. Whether Bangor's 60 days reaches a fee-only increase hasn't been tested that I know of. We treat it as covered.
How does the 12-month cumulative rule work?
Under §6015(2), increases within any 12-month period are added together. If two or more raises reach 10% or more combined, the increase that pushes the total to 10% needs 75 days' notice, even if each raise alone is small. Two 5% increases six months apart means the second one needs 75 days.
This is where well-meaning owners get caught. They split a big increase into two smaller ones to stay under the threshold. The statute was written to catch exactly that.
| Scenario (starting rent $1,400) | Increase | Running 12-month total | Notice outside Bangor | Notice inside Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single increase to $1,470 | 5% | 5% | 45 days | 60 days |
| Single increase to $1,540 | 10% | 10% | 75 days | 75 days |
| $1,470 in March, then $1,540 in September | 5%, then about 4.8% | 10% of original rent | 45, then 75 days | 60, then 75 days |
| $1,470 in March, then $1,515 in September | 5%, then about 3.1% | About 8.2% | 45 days each | 60 days each |
I keep a 12-month rent ledger per unit so this math is never a guess.
Can you raise rent during a fixed-term lease in Maine?
Generally no. If a tenant has an unexpired lease, the rent stated in that lease controls unless the lease itself spells out a mid-term increase. The Maine Attorney General's office says the same in its tenant guidance. Notice rules decide when a new rent can start. The lease decides whether it can start at all.
Tenants at will (month-to-month, no lease) can get an increase at any time with proper notice. For fixed-term tenants, the real moment is renewal.
Section 6015 doesn't say in so many words whether its notice periods apply to the new rent in a renewal lease. The text isn't limited to tenancies at will, and I'm not aware of a Law Court decision on point. We don't wait to find out. Every BHR renewal offer goes out 90 days before lease end, with the new rent, the dollar change, and the percentage written out. Ninety days clears every tier in this post and leaves time to plan a turnover if the tenant says no.
If the tenant doesn't renew and doesn't leave, you're into termination rules, which are a separate statute. Our post on the Maine 30-day no-cause notice covers that side.
What happens if your rent increase notice is late or defective?
The increase isn't collectible until proper notice has run. Under §6015, a landlord who collects early has to return the overpayment with interest, plus the tenant's reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Tenants can refuse to pay the increase or pay and sue, including in small claims. Lease clauses waiving notice are void.
The refund itself is usually small. The attorney's-fee exposure is what makes a $50 mistake cost real money. And the dollars aren't the worst part.
The retaliation presumption
Under 14 MRSA §6001(3), if a tenant asserts their rights under §6015 and you file an eviction within the next six months, the court presumes retaliation. Without rebuttal, no writ of possession issues. The presumption also kicks in after a good-faith code complaint or a written repair request. The statute carves out evictions for nonpayment and certain lease violations, but a no-cause termination right after a notice dispute is exactly the fact pattern the presumption was built for.
So the sequence to avoid is this: tenant files a repair request in June, you send a 12% increase in July, the tenant pushes back, you send a 30-day notice in August. Each step might be defensible on its own. Together they read like retaliation, and the burden shifts to you.
You can't raise rent on a unit with habitability problems
14 MRSA §6016 bars any rent increase while the unit violates the warranty of habitability, unless the tenant or their household or guests caused the problem. Close out open work orders before the notice goes out, and keep the paperwork showing they're closed.
How do rent increases work on Section 8 voucher units?
Voucher units run on two tracks. The tenant still gets written notice under Maine law: 45 days statewide, 60 in Bangor, though the 75-day tier doesn't apply to subsidized tenancies. Separately, HUD rules require the owner to notify the housing authority at least 60 days before the new rent takes effect, and the authority must find the new rent reasonable.
The federal rule is 24 CFR §982.308(g)(4). The housing authority runs a rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units before approving any increase, and the HAP contract restricts increases during the initial lease term. In Bangor, the clean way to do it is to send the tenant notice and the housing authority's rent increase request on the same day, at least 60 days out. If the authority doesn't approve the full amount, you haven't collected anything you have to give back.
For context on where voucher rents sit right now, HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in the Bangor HUD Metro area is $1,722, effective October 1, 2026. Our breakdown of Section 8 payment standards and vacancy math in Bangor covers how those numbers flow into what you can charge.
How should you time and write a rent increase notice?
Count back from the date the new rent starts, not from today. Pick the longest notice period that could apply, add a week for mail and weekends, and set the effective date on the first day of a rental period. Put the old rent, new rent, dollar change, and percentage in writing, and keep proof of delivery.
Here's the sequence we run at BHR for every increase:
- Pull the unit's 12-month rent history and calculate the cumulative percentage, including the increase you're planning.
- Confirm there are no open habitability work orders and no tenant complaint or repair request in the last six months that would make timing look retaliatory.
- Pick the notice period: 75 days if the cumulative total is 10% or more, 60 days if the unit is in Bangor, 45 days otherwise. For voucher units, add the housing authority's 60-day notice.
- Set the effective date on the first of a month and count back, then add five to seven days of buffer.
- Write the notice and deliver it in hand with a signed acknowledgment, or by first-class mail plus email or portal message.
- Log the delivery date, method, and copy in the unit file, along with a note on the business reason for the increase.
Worked example: a January 1, 2027 increase
Counting calendar days and not counting the delivery day, here's when notice has to land for rent that changes on January 1, 2027.
| Increase type | Minimum notice | Latest delivery date | What we actually target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10%, outside Bangor | 45 days | November 17, 2026 | November 10, 2026 |
| Under 10%, inside Bangor | 60 days | November 2, 2026 | October 26, 2026 |
| 10% or more, anywhere in Maine | 75 days | October 18, 2026 | Already past our target; push the start date to February 1 |
If you're reading this in mid-October and planning a 10% January increase, my honest advice is to move the effective date to February 1 and deliver notice now. A one-month delay costs you one month of the difference. A defective notice costs you that plus interest plus somebody's lawyer.
What goes in the notice
The statute only requires that the notice be written. Everything else here is practice, but it's practice that wins disputes.
- Tenant names and the unit address.
- Current rent, new rent, the dollar change, and the percentage change.
- Any change to mandatory recurring fees, listed separately from rent.
- The effective date, set on the first day of a rental period.
- Your signature (or your manager's) and the date, plus how and when it was delivered.
Skip the text message. Whether a text counts as "written notice" under §6015 hasn't been settled by any Maine source I've found, and you don't want to be the test case.
If you own on both sides of the Bangor city line, this is the step that breaks. Brewer, Hampden, Orono, and Old Town units run on 45/75; Bangor units run on 60/75. Only units inside Bangor proper get the 60-day floor, which matters for every town on our list of service areas outside the city.
Is there a cap on rent increases in Maine in 2026?
No. Maine has no statewide limit on how much you can raise rent, and Bangor regulates notice, not amount. LD 1534, a 2025 bill that would have let towns cap annual increases, died in the Legislature. Portland is the exception: its voter-approved rent control caps increases on covered units at 2.2% for 2026.
Portland's rules are a different world. Covered units there face an annual cap set from regional CPI, a 90-day notice requirement, a Rent Board, and a one-increase-per-year limit. If you own in Portland, don't use anything in this post as your Portland compliance guide. Mobile home park lot rents are also separate: since 2025, 10 MRSA §9093-B requires 90 days' notice for lot rent and fee increases.
No cap doesn't mean no ceiling. Maine's rental vacancy rate was 2.2% in 2025, down from 4.0% in 2022, according to Census Bureau data published by the St. Louis Fed. Tight vacancy tempts owners to push hard at renewal. I think a 10%-plus increase on a tenant who pays on time and takes care of the unit is usually a bad trade in Bangor. Price to the market, but price the turnover in too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice does a landlord need to give to raise rent in Maine?
At least 45 days' written notice for increases under 10%, and at least 75 days for increases of 10% or more, including smaller increases that add up to 10% within 12 months. That's under 14 MRSA §6015. Inside Bangor city limits, the minimum is 60 days for any increase under City Code §282-5, and the state's 75 days still governs bigger increases.
Can a landlord raise rent during a lease in Maine?
Not unless the lease itself allows a mid-term increase. The rent written into an unexpired lease controls until the term ends. Month-to-month tenants can get an increase at any time with proper written notice. For fixed-term tenants, the practical moment for a change is the renewal offer, and we send ours 90 days before the lease ends.
Does a rent increase notice have to be in writing in Maine?
Yes. Both subsections of 14 MRSA §6015 require written notice, and Bangor's ordinance does too. A phone call or a verbal heads-up at the door doesn't start the clock. Any lease clause that waives the notice requirement is void. Deliver in hand with a signed acknowledgment, or mail it and send a copy electronically, and keep proof.
Is there a limit on how much a landlord can raise rent in Maine?
There's no statewide cap in 2026, and Bangor doesn't cap increases either. It only requires longer notice. Portland is the exception, with voter-approved rent control capping covered units at 2.2% for 2026. You also can't raise rent at all on a unit that violates the warranty of habitability under 14 MRSA §6016, unless the tenant caused the problem.
What happens if a landlord doesn't give proper notice of a rent increase?
The increase can't be collected until proper notice has run. A tenant can refuse to pay it, or pay and then sue to recover the overpayment with interest plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs under 14 MRSA §6015. A tenant who asserts these rights also gets a six-month presumption against retaliatory eviction under 14 MRSA §6001(3).
Want someone else to run the renewal calendar?
If you own rentals in Bangor or central Maine and want a manager who tracks every unit's 12-month rent history, sends compliant 60- and 75-day notices on time, and coordinates voucher increases with the housing authority, consider us at Bangor Home Rentals. We're a second-generation family business managing hundreds of units across Bangor, Brewer, Orono, Old Town, Ellsworth, and more. We'd love to earn your business. You can call us any time at (207) 262-0199 or click here to schedule a free property management consultation.