Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 14
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6025 (2026)

Access to premises

✓ current as of May 2026
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1.  Tenant obligations.  A tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers or contractors.  
A tenant may not change the lock to the dwelling unit without giving notice to the landlord and giving the landlord a duplicate key within 48 hours of the change. A victim may change the locks to the unit at the victim's expense. If the victim changes the locks to the unit, the victim shall provide the landlord with a duplicate key within 72 hours of changing the locks. For the purposes of this subsection, "victim" has the same meaning as in section 6000, subsection 4.  
[PL 2015, c. 293, §11 (AMD).]
2.  Landlord obligations.  Except in the case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant reasonable notice of the landlord's intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times. Twenty-four hours is presumed to be a reasonable notice in the absence of evidence to the contrary. 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.  
[PL 2023, c. 336, §2 (AMD).]
3.  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.  
If a tenant changes the lock and does not provide the landlord with a duplicate key, in the case of emergency the landlord may gain admission through whatever reasonable means necessary and charge the tenant reasonable costs for any resulting damage. If a tenant changes the lock and refuses to provide the landlord with a duplicate key, the landlord may terminate the tenancy with a 7-day notice.  
[PL 1999, c. 204, §1 (AMD).]
4.  Waiver.  Any agreement by a tenant to waive any of the rights or benefits provided by this section is against public policy and is void.  
[PL 1981, c. 428, §10 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1981, c. 428, §10 (NEW). PL 1999, c. 204, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 293, §11 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 336, §2 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases, 1993–2019 · leading case: Francis v. Dana-Cummings, 2007 ME 16 (Me. 2007).
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Francis v. Dana-Cummings, 2007 ME 16 (Me. 2007). · cites it 2× “P 24(a) and for further proceedings consistent with this opinion and our opinion in Francis II.”
State v. Dube, 655 A.2d 338 (Me. 1995). “The custodian's entry is authorized by a statute which provides in pertinent part: "Except in the case of an emergency or if it is impractical to do so, the landlord shaE give the tenant reasonable notice of his intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times.”
Clark v. Goodridge, 632 A.2d 125 (Me. 1993). · cites it 2× “1992), and unlawfully entered her apartment contrary to the provisions of 14 M.R.S.A. § 6025 (Supp.1992). Defendants contend that the District Court erred in declining to hear evidence that had been presented at an earlier unrecorded hearing on a motion to dissolve a temporary…”
Olson v. State, 56 A.3d 576 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2012). “1993), provided that, “[ejxcept in the *351 case of an emergency or if it is impractical to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant reasonable notice of his intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times. Twenty-four hours is presumed to be reasonable notice in the…”
Casco N. Bank, N.A. v. Green Corp. (In Re Green Corp.), 154 B.R. 819 (Bankr. D. Me. 1993). “§ 6014 (statutory remedies for illegal eviction); 14 M.R.S.A. § 6025 (regulating access to leased premises and requiring landlord to give advance notice of intent to enter).”
Clukey v. South Portland Hous. Auth. (Me. Super. Ct 2019). · cites it 6× “Her complaint also alleges violations of the Maine Unfair Trade Practice Act, breach of contract, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6025(2) — 3 cases
State v. Dube, 655 A.2d 338 (Me. 1995). “The custodian's entry is authorized by a statute which provides in pertinent part: "Except in the case of an emergency or if it is impractical to do so, the landlord shaE give the tenant reasonable notice of his intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times.”
Olson v. State, 56 A.3d 576 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2012). “1993), provided that, “[ejxcept in the *351 case of an emergency or if it is impractical to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant reasonable notice of his intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times. Twenty-four hours is presumed to be reasonable notice in the…”
Clukey v. South Portland Hous. Auth. (Me. Super. Ct 2019). “Her complaint also alleges violations of the Maine Unfair Trade Practice Act, breach of contract, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6025(3) — 1 case
Francis v. Dana-Cummings, 2007 ME 16 (Me. 2007). “P 24(a) and for further proceedings consistent with this opinion and our opinion in Francis II.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.