Maine Ordinances (2026)

ADU construction in Maine requires a local building permit issued by the municipal code-enforcement officer under the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (10 MRS § 9722). The local permit process must…

Per 30-A MRS § 4364-A, enacted by LD 2003 (PL 2021 ch. 672), every Maine municipality SHALL allow at least one accessory dwelling unit as an accessory use to a single-family dwelling in any zone where…

Garage conversion in Maine is treated as either an ADU conversion under 30-A MRS § 4364-A (LD 2003) — preempting local restrictions on at least one ADU per single-family lot — OR a change-of-use building-code…

Maine has no statewide accessory-shed permit, size limit, or setback rule. Under the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (10 MRS § 9722) and the incorporated IRC § R105.2, one-story detached accessory…

Maine adopted Appendix Q of the International Residential Code through MUBEC, providing statewide construction standards for tiny houses 400 square feet and under. The standards apply uniformly in all…

Maine does not define 'animal hoarding' as a standalone offense, but the conduct is prosecuted under cruelty-to-animals (17 MRS § 1031) and proper-shelter (7 MRS § 4015) statutes. Aggravated cruelty is a Class…

Maine regulates honey-bee colonies through statewide inspection and disease control administered by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; residential beekeeping zoning is left to…

Maine state law expressly preempts all breed-specific dog ordinances — no Maine city or town may ban pit bulls, Rottweilers, or any other breed. Dangerous-dog rules must be based on individual behavior.

Maine state law sets no uniform rule on backyard chickens or small livestock. Each city or town establishes hen counts, coop setbacks, and rooster bans under home-rule authority.

Maine state law prohibits owners from allowing dogs to run at large (except when used for hunting); municipalities may adopt stricter leash rules but cannot weaken the state baseline.

Maine prohibits keeping wildlife (including most exotic mammals, large reptiles, and birds of prey) without a permit issued by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Deer, bear, moose, and wild…

Maine prohibits intentionally baiting bear outside the regulated hunting season and restricts deer feeding that creates nuisance or public-safety conditions. IF&W administers wildlife-feeding rules statewide.

In Maine's shoreland zone, no more than 20 percent of a lot may be covered by structures and other non-vegetated surfaces. This statewide cap applies to every municipality through DEP shoreland guidelines.

Maine's Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act sets minimum building setbacks from great ponds, rivers, streams, and coastal waters. Every municipality must adopt these standards, and DEP enforces if local rules fall…

Within Maine's mandatory shoreland zone, principal and accessory structures may not exceed 35 feet in height. The cap applies in every municipality and overrides any local ordinance permitting taller buildings…

Maine state law uniformly requires municipal opt-in before any adult-use cannabis establishment can operate, while medical dispensaries and caregivers operate under statewide licensing with limited local…

Maine state law universally allows adults 21 and over to grow up to three mature cannabis plants for personal use and qualifying medical patients to grow more, with municipalities barred from prohibiting…

Maine has no statewide juvenile curfew statute. Juvenile-curfew authority is delegated to municipalities under 30-A MRS § 3001 (Home rule). A handful of Maine cities (notably Bangor) have enacted juvenile…

Maine has no statewide commercial-drone permit, registration, or operating statute. Commercial unmanned aircraft operations are governed by FAA 14 CFR Part 107 (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems), which requires…

Maine's Bureau of Parks and Lands restricts the use of unmanned aircraft in Maine state parks and historic sites under 12 MRS § 1803 (general rulemaking authority) and the Bureau's posted rules. Drone takeoff…

Maine has no statewide statute regulating recreational (hobbyist) drone flight by private citizens. Recreational operation is governed primarily by FAA rules (49 U.S.C. § 44809 and 14 CFR Part 107)…

Maine's minimum wage statute at 26 MRS section 664 sets a state floor while expressly permitting municipalities to enact higher local minimum wages above the state level.

Maine's Earned Paid Leave law at 26 MRS section 637 grants employees one hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked, capped at 40 hours per year for covered employers.

Maine has no statewide predictive scheduling mandate, leaving wage payment timing under 26 MRS section 621-A and allowing municipalities to enact local fair scheduling.

Maine coastal development is governed by 38 MRS § 1801 (Coastal Management Policies declared under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972), the mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act at 38 MRS § 435 et seq…

Per 38 MRS § 420-C, any person filling, displacing or exposing soil in Maine must prevent unreasonable erosion of soil or sediment beyond the project site or into a protected natural resource. Erosion control…

Maine has no single statewide floodplain code; instead, 30-A MRS authorizes municipalities to adopt FEMA-compliant floodplain management ordinances as a condition of NFIP participation. The state Floodplain…

Maine has no single statewide grading code. Site grading and drainage on private property are governed by the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (10 MRS § 9722 / IRC § R401 site grading) for residential…

Maine 38 MRS § 420-D requires Maine DEP approval before constructing any project with one acre or more of disturbed area. The DEP Chapter 500 Stormwater Management Rules set quantity and quality standards…

Maine does not set a uniform statewide residential fence-height limit. Height caps are delegated to municipalities under home-rule authority, with a mandatory Shoreland Zoning overlay near protected waters.

Maine state law does not prescribe or restrict residential fence materials. Material rules — barbed wire, electric fencing, chain link, finished-side-out — are set entirely at the municipal level.

Maine has no statutory partition-fence or shared-cost rule. Neighbor disputes proceed under common-law nuisance, trespass, and boundary-line actions in Title 14 and Title 33.

Maine adopts the IRC Appendix G and ISPSC pool barrier rules through the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (10 MRS § 9722) — 48-inch barrier, self-closing self-latching gate, isolation from dwelling or…

Maine has no separately codified retaining wall statute. Construction is governed by the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) under 10 MRS § 9722, which adopts the IRC and IBC by reference and…

Maine has no statewide defensible-space brush-clearance distance requirement comparable to California PRC § 4291; clearance is voluntary under the FireWise program except WITHIN the mandatory Shoreland Zone…

Maine Forest Service rules under 12 MRS Chapter 805 exempt small recreational campfires under 3 feet in diameter on a non-combustible base from the burn-permit requirement, but the exemption is voided on Class…

Per 8 MRS § 221-A, consumer fireworks meeting the federal 27 CFR 555.11 definition are lawful statewide for persons 21+, but missile-type rockets, helicopters, sky rockets, and bottle rockets are excluded and…

Per 12 MRS Chapter 805, the Maine Forest Service requires a permit for nearly all open burning of brush, debris, and grass — issued by the local town fire warden or through the Maine Forest Service online…

Under 32 MRS Chapter 139 (Maine Fuel Board), persons who install, service, or set propane tanks and outside piping must hold a Maine Fuel Board license; per 32 MRS § 18135 plant operations at a propane…

Maine has no statewide statutory wildland-urban interface (WUI) overlay or fire-hazard severity zone classification comparable to California PRC § 4201; the Maine Forest Service operates the National Fire…

Maine is a permitless carry state for residents 21 and older, while still issuing concealed handgun permits recognized for reciprocity and certain restricted areas.

Maine preempts local firearms regulation under 25 MRS section 2011, with limited municipal authority allowed for discharge ordinances and certain public buildings.

Maine generally permits open carry of firearms by lawful possessors, governed primarily by state law with municipalities preempted from imposing additional carry restrictions.

Maine permits handgun carry in motor vehicles by lawful possessors under 25 MRS section 2001-A, with permitless concealed carry available to qualifying residents 21 and older.

Maine requires food trucks to hold state-issued mobile vendor licenses through DACF or DHHS depending on operations. The statewide licensing framework applies in every municipality, with local permits layered…

Maine condominium associations get an automatic statutory assessment lien on each unit under 33 M.R.S. § 1603-116. Non-condo HOAs have no general statute and rely on their recorded declaration plus Title 13-B…

Maine condo associations must hold annual meetings and keep records open to owners under 33 M.R.S. §§ 1603-108 and 1603-118. Non-condo HOAs follow the meeting, voting, and records-inspection rules of the Maine…

Maine condo associations enforce the declaration, bylaws, and rules through fines and liens under the Condominium Act. Non-condo HOAs enforce covenants and architectural rules through the recorded declaration…

The Maine Condominium Act expressly lets associations levy fines, but only after due process. Under 33 M.R.S. § 1603-102(a)(11) a condo association may impose late charges and, after notice and a hearing, levy…

Maine's Solar Rights law (33 M.R.S. Ch. 28-A) overrides HOA and condo rules: a covenant, bylaw, or rule adopted after September 30, 2009 "may not prohibit" an owner from installing solar energy devices, though…

Maine licenses 'home food processors' under 22 MRS § 2167, administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Home food processors may produce non-potentially-hazardous…

Maine licenses family child care providers under 22 MRS § 8301-A et seq. and 10-148 CMR Chapter 32. A family child care provider cares for 2-12 children (including the provider's own children under age 6) in…

Maine has no statewide home-business permit, license, or zoning standard. Home-occupation rules — permitted activities, signage, customer traffic, employee caps, parking, prohibition on noxious uses — are…

Maine has no statewide E-Verify mandate for private employers, leaving participation in the federal employment verification system voluntary except for federal contractors.

Maine has no statewide sanctuary preemption; LD 1259 attempted to bar local sanctuary policies but was not enacted, leaving immigration cooperation decisions to municipalities.

Maine encourages residential backyard composting and exempts small-scale home composting from solid waste licensing. The Department of Environmental Protection rules apply statewide and supersede any local ban…

Maine has no statewide maximum lawn or weed height. Tall-grass nuisance enforcement is delegated to municipalities under 30-A MRS § 3001 home rule; municipal ordinances typically cap residential growth at 8-10…

Maine has no statute restricting residential rainwater harvesting — rain barrels and cisterns are unregulated by the state. Maine DEP encourages capture as a Low-Impact-Development practice. Stormwater permits…

Maine's Forest Practices Act regulates timber harvesting on all forestland statewide and requires harvest notifications to the Bureau of Forestry. Shoreland tree removal rules also apply universally near…

Maine has no statewide residential tree-trimming permit. Common law allows a property owner to trim overhanging branches and intruding roots to the property line without damaging the tree. Utility vegetation…

Maine has no statewide mandatory outdoor watering schedule or drought-stage rule. Public water utilities and municipalities may impose use restrictions during declared shortages under 35-A MRS Title 35-A and…

Maine prohibits the import, sale, propagation, or distribution of designated invasive plant species under 7 MRS § 605-A and DACF Rule 01-001 CMR Chapter 273 (effective January 2018). General tall-grass and…

Aircraft noise is preempted by federal law (FAA / 49 U.S.C. Section 40103), and Maine has limited drone regulation under 25 MRS Section 4501 governing law-enforcement drone use. Maine has no statewide aircraft…

Maine's only statewide rule on amplified music is the criminal disorderly-conduct prohibition in 17-A MRS Section 501-A(1)(A)(1), which makes 'loud and unreasonable noise... from a personal audio system or…

Per 7 MRS Section 3950, Maine municipalities may adopt or retain more stringent barking-dog ordinances than state law; less restrictive local rules are invalid. State law also expressly exempts dogs herding…

Maine has no statewide construction-hour statute. Construction noise is regulated through 17-A MRS Section 501-A (disorderly conduct, Class E) and through municipal ordinances adopted under 30-A MRS Section…

Maine has no statewide residential decibel cap. The only quantitative state-level noise limits apply to large industrial projects under Maine DEP Site Location of Development Act review (38 MRS Section 481 et…

Maine regulates industrial and commercial noise primarily through Maine Department of Environmental Protection site-location and air-emissions licensing (38 MRS Section 481 et seq. and Chapter 375) and through…

Maine has no statewide leaf-blower statute (no decibel cap, no gas-powered ban, no time-of-day rule). Leaf blower noise is regulated under 17-A MRS Section 501-A disorderly conduct and through municipal…

Outdoor music in Maine is regulated by 17-A MRS Section 501-A (Class E disorderly conduct for 'loud and unreasonable noise from a personal audio system or from operating a sound-reproducing system'). Large…

Maine sets no statewide quiet-hours window or decibel limit; the statewide criminal floor is 17-A MRS Section 501-A (Disorderly conduct, Class E), and quiet-hours windows are set by each municipality under…

Per 29-A MRS Section 1912 (Mufflers), every motor vehicle operated on a Maine public way must be equipped with a muffler in good working order and no exhaust device producing 'excessive or unusual noise.'…

Per 29-A MRS § 1854, a property owner or auto-repair/storage facility holding an abandoned vehicle must notify the Maine Secretary of State within 14 days, identify lienholders, and publish newspaper notice if…

Maine vehicle code (Title 29-A) sets statewide weight/length/height/load standards for commercial motor vehicles but does NOT impose a uniform statewide rule on where commercial vehicles, semi-trucks, work…

Maine statute 29-A MRS § 2068 prohibits parking in front of any public or private driveway. State driveway permits on state highways are issued by Maine DOT under 23 MRS § 704. Residential driveway dimensions…

Maine has no statewide statute mandating residential or commercial EV charging installation. State EV policy is incentive-based, administered by Efficiency Maine under 35-A MRS § 10126. Building-code…

Maine has no statewide overnight on-street parking ban. Winter parking bans (a near-universal Maine practice to allow plowing) and overnight residential parking limits are set by municipal ordinance under 30-A…

Maine has no statewide rule restricting where residents may park personal RVs, travel trailers, boats on trailers, or utility trailers on private property or adjacent public street. RVs and trailers must be…

Maine statute 29-A MRS § 2068 sets the statewide on-street parking baseline (10-foot clear passage, 300-foot sight line, no parking in restricted zones). Time limits, residential permit zones, and winter…

Before evicting, a Maine landlord must serve the proper written notice: 7 days for nonpayment of rent, 7 days for cause such as serious property damage, nuisance, or violence, and 30 days to end a tenancy at…

Every residential lease in Maine carries an implied warranty that the unit is fit for human habitation. If a defect endangers health or safety and the landlord unreasonably fails to repair after written…

Maine landlords must give tenants reasonable notice before entering and may enter only at reasonable times, except in emergencies. Twenty-four hours is presumed reasonable. Tenants may not unreasonably…

Maine caps residential late-rent penalties at 4% of one month's rent. A landlord may not charge a late fee until rent is at least 15 days overdue, and may only charge it if the lease gave written notice of the…

Either party may end a Maine tenancy at will (month-to-month) with at least 30 days' written notice given for that purpose, regardless of cause. Shorter 7-day notices apply for nonpayment of rent and for…

Maine has no statewide rent control and no statewide cap on rent increases, but it also has no statute preempting local rent control. Under their home-rule authority, municipalities may adopt their own…

Maine landlords must give at least 45 days' written notice before raising rent or a mandatory recurring fee on a residential tenancy. If the increase is 10% or more, the notice period jumps to at least 75…

Maine caps a residential security deposit at two months' rent. A landlord must return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions within 30 days under a written lease, or 21 days for a tenancy at…

Maine requires 20 years of possession before a squatter can claim land by adverse possession. Under tit. 14 § 801 a real action to recover land must be brought within 20 years, and § 810-A confirms that a…

Maine's Right to Farm and farmland-protection statutes in the Maine Agriculture Protection Act (7 MRS Chapter 6) limit local zoning that would impede agricultural operations meeting state standards.

Maine's Right to Farm framework in the Maine Agriculture Protection Act (7 MRS Chapter 6) shields established farm operations from nuisance suits and restrictive local ordinances when generally accepted…

Maine has no statewide requirement that an STR host be physically present during guest stays. Host-presence rules are set by municipal ordinance under 30-A MRS § 3001.

Maine has no statewide STR insurance mandate. STR insurance requirements are set by municipal ordinance under 30-A MRS § 3001 and by private platform terms.

Maine has no statewide cap on the number of nights a property may be rented short-term per year. Night caps are set by municipal ordinance under 30-A MRS § 3001.

Maine sets no STR-specific noise standard. STR-guest noise is enforced under the statewide disorderly-conduct statute 17-A MRS § 501-A and through municipal quiet-hours and noise ordinances under home rule.

Maine sets no statewide STR guest cap. Occupancy derives from the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (10 MRS § 9722) - typically 2 persons per bedroom plus 2, or 200 sq ft for the first occupant plus 100…

Maine has no statewide STR off-street parking mandate. Parking standards are set entirely by municipal ordinance under 30-A MRS § 3001.

Maine has no statewide STR permit or license. STR permitting is delegated to each municipality under the broad home-rule grant in 30-A MRS § 3001.

Maine has no statewide primary-residence-only rule for STRs. The LD 2003 ADU statute (30-A MRS § 4364-A) expressly forbids municipalities from imposing owner-occupancy on ADUs.

Maine has no statewide STR registration scheme. The only state-level registration is with Maine Revenue Service as a lodging-tax seller under 36 MRS § 1754-B.

Maine imposes a 9% state lodging tax on the rental of living quarters under 28 days, collected and remitted by Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar marketplace facilitators under 36 MRS § 1754-B.

Maine regulates political sign placement primarily through 23 MRS § 1913-A (signs within public ways) and 23 MRS § 1914-B (political signs at the polling place). Political signs are generally allowed within…

Maine's LD 1532 enacted a statewide ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, codified in 38 MRS section 1611, with retailer fee requirements for paper alternatives.

Maine prohibits the sale and distribution of disposable polystyrene foam food service containers under 38 MRS § 1572 (Title 38, Chapter 15-A), the first such statewide ban in the United States.

Maine has no statewide plastic straw law. A 2021 bill to require straws only on request (LD 602) was rejected. Straw rules are set locally — Portland requires single-use plastics only on request under its own…

Title 33 Chapter 28-A protects Maine homeowners' right to install solar energy devices. HOAs and condo associations cannot prohibit solar systems and may impose only narrow, reasonable restrictions tied to…

Maine has no statewide solicitor or peddler permit. Door-to-door commercial solicitation is regulated at the municipal level under 30-A MRS § 3001 home-rule authority and 30-A MRS § 3681 (Solicitor licenses)…

Through MUBEC (10 MRS § 9722), Maine adopts IRC Appendix G and ISPSC pool fencing standards: 48-inch barrier, self-closing self-latching gate with 54-inch latch height, isolation from dwelling or door alarms.

Residential hot tubs are governed by MUBEC (10 MRS § 9722) — IRC/ISPSC barrier rules apply if the spa holds 24+ inches of water (or an ASTM F1346 cover may substitute). Plumbing under 22 MRS § 2491; NEC…

Maine does not issue residential pool permits at the state level. Construction permits are issued by the local code-enforcement officer under MUBEC (10 MRS § 9722), with state plumbing inspection under 22 MRS…

Per 22 MRS § 1623 et seq. and 10-144 CMR Chapter 202, Maine DHHS licenses and inspects public and semi-public pools — water chemistry, anti-entrapment drain covers (VGB Act), lifeguard staffing, and signage…

Maine prohibits the sale of tobacco and electronic smoking devices to anyone under age 21 under 22 MRS section 1551-A and related Tobacco 21 statutes.

Maine has no statewide flavor ban, but several municipalities have adopted local restrictions on flavored tobacco and vape sales using their public health authority.

Maine regulates electronic smoking device retailers under 22 MRS section 1551-A and Title 22 chapter 263, requiring licensure, ID checks, and compliance with sale restrictions.

Maine criminalizes illegal dumping primarily through 17 MRS § 2264-A (Littering — Class E crime for large-scale dumping) and 38 MRS § 1319-T (Open dumping prohibition under the solid-waste statutes). DEP may…

Maine has no statewide statute prescribing residential trash set-out times, container types, or collection schedules. Curbside collection schedules and rules are set entirely by each municipality under 30-A…

Maine sets a statewide 50% solid-waste recycling and reuse goal under 38 MRS § 2132 and operates a nationally pioneering Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for packaging under 38 MRS § 2146 (LD 1541…

Maine has no statewide heritage-tree designation or specimen-tree protection program. The only state recognition is the Maine Forest Service Big Tree Registry, which is informational only. Heritage-tree…

Maine has no statewide rule on planting in the parkway strip (between sidewalk and curb) on local streets. Street-tree planting and species selection are governed by municipal Tree Wardens under 30-A MRS §…

Maine has no statewide tree-removal permit for trees on private non-shoreland property. The only statewide constraint is the Shoreland Zone (38 MRS § 439-A): within the 75-ft buffer from protected waters…