Maine security deposit law

What your landlord is legally required to do after you move out, how long they have, and what it costs them if they get it wrong.

The deadline

Under 14 M.R.S. § 6033, a landlord in Maine must return your security deposit — together with any required written itemization of deductions — within 30 days. Once that window closes without payment or a proper itemization, the landlord is in violation of the statute.

21 days for a tenancy at will. The landlord bears the burden of proving the retention was not wrongful.

What it costs your landlord

Under 14 M.R.S. § 6034, a landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit in Maine may be liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs. That exposure is the reason a formal demand letter works: it is usually cheaper for a landlord to pay you than to argue about it.

What your landlord may deduct in Maine

Unpaid rent, damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, and other amounts the tenant owes under the rental agreement.

14 M.R.S. § 6033

Ordinary wear and tear

Maine forbids retaining anything for reasonable wear and tear, and requires the itemised statement to arrive with the payment rather than separately.

“reasonable wear and tear”

What a compliant itemization has to contain

A written statement itemizing the reasons for retention, delivered together with the payment of the difference within the statutory period.

Read it yourself: 14 M.R.S. § 6033

How to get your deposit back in Maine

1. 1. Confirm the deadline has passed. Count from the day you moved out and returned possession. In Maine that's 30 days.
2. 2. Put your forwarding address in writing. In several states a landlord has no obligation until they have it, and having sent it protects your claim.
3. 3. Gather your evidence. The lease, proof you paid the deposit, move-in and move-out photos, and any itemization they sent.
4. 4. Send a written demand by certified mail. Cite 14 M.R.S. § 6033, state the amount owed, and give a deadline to pay. Certified mail creates the delivery record a judge will want to see.
5. 5. File in small claims if they ignore you. You don't need a lawyer. File in the county where the property is located.

Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Maine?

Under 14 M.R.S. § 6033, a Maine landlord has 30 days to return the deposit and provide any required written itemization of deductions.

What is the penalty if my landlord keeps my deposit in Maine?

Under 14 M.R.S. § 6034, a landlord who wrongfully withholds may be liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.

Do I have to sue to get my security deposit back?

Often not. A formal written demand sent by certified mail puts your landlord on notice of the statute, the deadline they missed and the penalty attached to it — and gives you a dated record that they received it. Small claims court is the fallback if they ignore it.