Quick answer: In Maine a landlord ends a tenancy at will for unpaid rent on 7 days’ written notice once the tenant is 7 days or more in arrears, for other listed causes on 7 days’ notice and for no cause on at least 30 days’ notice. A tenant who pays the rent due before the 7 days expire voids the notice.
This Maine eviction notice calculator applies 14 M.R.S. 6002 and 6001. Choose the reason and enter the date the notice was served: it shows when the notice period ends and the earliest day the landlord can file. It does not say how long the court process takes: see the Maine eviction timeline calculator.
Maine eviction notice rules at a glance
| Rule | What Maine says |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | 7 days’ written notice when the tenant is 7 days or more in arrears (14 M.R.S. 6002(1)) |
| Other grounds | 7 days: damage, nuisance, violation of the law, violence, unauthorized occupant (6002(1)) |
| No cause | 30 days’ written notice for a tenancy at will, expiring on or after the rent-paid date (6002) |
| Lease ends | No notice if filed within 7 days of expiration or forfeiture (6001(1)) |
| Reinstatement | Pay arrears, rent due and fees before the writ issues (6002(1)) |
| Required wording | Specific ground, amount and reinstatement language for rent; right to contest (6002) |
| Form notice | The court’s form must be attached (6001(7)) |
| Federal notice | A covered dwelling may need 30 days (15 U.S.C. 9058(c)) |
How does the Maine eviction notice work?
- Unpaid rent. See the Maine 7-day notice for unpaid rent.
- Other grounds, no-cause notices and expired leases. See the Maine 7-day, 30-day and expired-lease notices.
- What a landlord may not do. See Maine illegal evictions.
What does this eviction notice calculator check?
It adds seven days, or thirty days for a no-cause notice, to the date the notice was served, and for a 30-day notice it checks the end against the date through which rent has been paid, because the notice must expire on or after it. The earliest filing day is the day after, moved to a day a court is open (4 M.R.S. 1051). The statute does not move a weekend or holiday inside the notice period. It does not check the wording of the notice or how it was served, and it also shows the 30-day federal date for a covered dwelling, which you should check with an attorney.
Related Maine landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Maine security deposit return deadline calculator for the date the landlord must refund or itemize the deposit, the Maine security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit and the Maine eviction timeline calculator for the earliest legal dates once an eviction case starts. Each one cites its own Maine statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a Maine landlord have to give for unpaid rent?
Seven days’ written notice once the tenant is 7 days or more in arrears.
Can the tenant stop the eviction by paying?
Paying the full rent due before the 7 days expire voids the notice, and paying all arrears, rent due and fees before the writ issues reinstates the tenancy.
How much notice does a no-cause eviction need?
At least 30 days’ written notice for a tenancy at will.
What must a rent notice say?
The specific ground, the amount of rent 7 days or more in arrears and the statutory reinstatement language.
Is notice needed when a written lease expires?
Not if the case is started within 7 days of the expiration or forfeiture.
Can a landlord change the locks after the notice period?
No. It must go through the court and obtain a writ of possession.