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Early Lease Termination Laws in Maine

In Maine, a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking can end a lease early with 7 days' notice (lease under one year) or 30 days' notice (one year or more) and documentation, and a landlord's recovery is reduced by rent obtainable through reasonable efforts to re-rent.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Maine at a glance

Domestic violence victims
Yes, 7 or 30 days' notice
7 days' written notice for leases under one year, 30 days for leases of one year or more, plus documentation. The victim is not liable for unpaid rent under the lease.
Landlord must re-rent
Yes, reasonable efforts to re-rent
Recovery is reduced by net rent obtainable through reasonable efforts to re-rent, and the landlord must allege and prove its efforts.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Maine

Can domestic violence or sexual assault victims end a lease early in Maine?

Yes, 7 or 30 days' notice. Domestic violence victims in Maine: yes, 7 or 30 days' notice. 7 days' written notice for leases under one year, 30 days for leases of one year or more, plus documentation. The victim is not liable for unpaid rent under the lease.

Does a landlord in Maine have to try to re-rent the unit after a tenant leaves early?

Yes, reasonable efforts to re-rent. Landlord must re-rent in Maine: yes, reasonable efforts to re-rent. Recovery is reduced by net rent obtainable through reasonable efforts to re-rent, and the landlord must allege and prove its efforts.

Where do the Maine early lease termination laws come from?

The rules above come from 14 M.R.S. 6001(6) and 14 M.R.S. 6010-A. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The same early termination right applies to a tenant sexually harassed by the landlord (added 2019).

The documentation rules for victims were amended by PL 2025, c. 139.

What this means in practice

Read the lease first. Many leases contain an early termination clause, a buyout fee or a sublease option that may be easier to use than a statutory right. A statutory right usually applies even if the lease says nothing about it, and a lease generally cannot waive it.

Statutory early termination rights usually come with conditions. Common ones are written notice to the landlord, a minimum notice period, and proof such as a protective order, police report, military orders or a doctor's statement. Keep copies of everything you send and note the date and method of delivery.

If you leave without a statutory right, you may still owe rent until the unit is re-rented or the lease ends. Where a landlord has a duty to mitigate, it must make reasonable efforts to find a new tenant, and the amount you owe is reduced by rent the landlord collects or reasonably could have collected. Returning keys and documenting the condition of the unit can help limit disputes.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.