Portland, ME Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Article VI's stated purpose is to counter 'real estate proprietorships, partnerships, and trusts having undisclosed, anonymous or otherwise unidentifiable principals, owning large numbers of residential long term rental properties,' by forcing disclosure of ownership and making owners accountable and accessible. Section 6-151 requires registration by January 1 each year, renewed annually with any changes updated; a unit entering the rental market for the first time must register within 14 days, and a unit rented as both short- and long-term must be separately registered for each type.

Any new owner, manager or responsible entity must apply to register within 30 days of purchase or a transfer of management. Registration must include the building's street address and tax-map chart/block/lot, the owner's full contact information (with entity owners required to name every partner, officer, trustee, member or director individually), the property manager's contact information, and an agent designated for service of notices and process. Owners must also allow onsite inspections as a condition of registering at all. The annual fee is $55 for a long-term rental, of which $30 is appropriated specifically to the Housing Safety Office to cover the Rent Board's administrative expenses, including hiring additional staff.

Short-term rentals pay a cumulative, tiered fee that rises with the number of units the same owner registers. Discounts of up to $20 per unit are available for sprinklered buildings, centrally-monitored fire alarms, a passed HUD inspection, or a no-smoking lease.