Maine Security Deposit Return: The 21 or 30-Day Deadline (2026)

How long a landlord has to return your deposit, and what you can claim if they miss it

At a glance

Return deadline: 21 or 30 days after vacating
Measured from: Termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs later (tenancy at will)
Penalty for late or wrongful withholding: 2x (only after a court finds bad faith)
Deposit cap: Two months' rent (a lease or tenancy-at-will agreement may not require a deposit exceeding 2 months' rent) — § 6032.
Small claims cap: $6,000

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers residential security deposits in Maine, where a landlord has kept some or all of a deposit after a tenancy ends.

It does not cover:

Commercial leases
Deposits held in an escrow account or with a third party
Disputes about damage charges in an ongoing (not ended) tenancy
Any state other than Maine

Lease terms and local ordinances can change what applies. Where a city has its own deposit rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

21days

Measured from Termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs later (tenancy at will).

For a tenancy at will (no written lease), the landlord must return the deposit or provide an itemized written statement within 21 days after the later of termination or surrender and acceptance of the premises.

14 M.R.S. § 6033(2)(B) ↗

30days

Measured from As stated in a written rental agreement (not to exceed 30 days).

For a written rental agreement, the landlord must return the deposit or provide an itemized statement within the time stated in the agreement, which may not exceed 30 days.

14 M.R.S. § 6033(2)(A) ↗

Penalties

A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 2x the portion wrongfully withheld.

If the landlord fails to return the deposit or provide an itemized statement within the deadline, they forfeit the right to withhold any portion (§6033(3)). Further, under §6034, if the landlord fails to return the full deposit within 7 days after notice of impending legal action, wrongful retention is PRESUMED, and the landlord bears the burden of proving the withholding was not wrongful. A wrongfully retaining landlord is liable for DOUBLE the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs.
14 M.R.S. § 6034 ↗
The tenant may recover the landlord's attorney fees.

Reasonable attorney fees and court costs are recoverable on a finding of wrongful retention under §6034(2). Per 2025 ME 95, attorney fees may be awarded in addition to (not within) the small-claims $6,000 damages cap.
14 M.R.S. § 6034(2) ↗

Working out your own deadline

The clock does not start on the day you decided to leave. In Maine it starts Termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs later (tenancy at will) — for most leases that is the date you hand back the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Find the date you vacated and returned the keys. Write it down; everything else depends on it.
Add 21 or 30 calendar days. Count calendar days, not business days.
If the landlord has provided a forwarding address, check the statute for whether the deadline is shortened — in some states it is.
Note the date the deadline falls on. If the deposit has not arrived by then, the clock for the penalty starts running.

Common landlord defences and how to answer them

““I'm deducting for normal wear.””

Normal wear and tear may never be retained. Only actual cause (unpaid rent, unpaid utilities, unclaimed-property costs) may be withheld, and only with a written itemized statement.

14 M.R.S. § 6033(1), (2)

““You can't prove I acted wrongly.””

Under §6034, once I give notice of legal action and 7 days pass without full return, wrongful retention is presumed — and the burden shifts to you to prove it was not wrongful.

14 M.R.S. § 6034(1), (3)

““I'll keep the deposit and you can sue me.””

Wrongful retention makes you liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus my reasonable attorney fees and court costs.

14 M.R.S. § 6034(2)

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.

Statute	Last verified	Source
14 M.R.S. § 6033(2)(B)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
14 M.R.S. § 6033(2)(A)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
14 M.R.S. § 6034	2026-10-15	official text ↗
14 M.R.S. § 6034(2)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
14 M.R.S. § 6034(3)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
14 M.R.S. § 6034(1), (3)	2026-10-15	official text ↗

Primary reference: 14 M.R.S. §§ 6032 to 6034 (Security Deposits on Residential Rental Units). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:

You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
The amount in dispute exceeds $6,000
Your landlord has filed anything in court already

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Maine guides

Maine Security Deposit Rules

→ All Maine tenant rights topics

Common questions

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

21 or 30 days, counted from Termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs later (tenancy at will). 14 M.R.S. § 6033(2)(B).

Can I claim more than my deposit back in Maine?

A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 2x the portion wrongfully withheld. 14 M.R.S. § 6034

Does the 21 or 30-day deadline in Maine start when I give notice or when I move out?

It runs from Termination of the tenancy or surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs later (tenancy at will) — the date you vacated and returned the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Do I need a lawyer to file a deposit claim in Maine?

No — Maine small claims (District Court) handle claims up to $6,000. Per 2025 ME 95, attorney fees may be awarded in addition to the $6,000 damages cap.