Maine rental application fee law: no fee, one actual-cost check and a copy of the report

What is prohibited?

Subsection 2 says that, except as the section provides, a landlord may not require an applicant to pay a fee to submit an application to rent a dwelling unit, or a fee for the landlord to review or approve the application. The word "dwelling unit" has the meaning given in section 6021, subsection 1. The rule came in with a 2023 law.

What is the exception?

Subsection 3 lets a landlord require an applicant to pay the actual cost of only one of three things: a background check, a credit check, or a screening process other than those two. The word "only" means you cannot stack a background check and a credit check as two charges to the same applicant under the exception.

• The charge is the actual cost, so keep the invoice from the screening company.
• You must give the applicant a complete copy of the information from the background check, credit check or other screening.
• You may not charge any fee under this exception unless you first told the applicant that the law requires you to provide that complete copy.
• You may not charge an applicant more than one fee for a background check, credit check or screening process in any 12-month period.

What does that look like in practice?

Example a made-up applicant applies for two units from the same landlord eight months apart. For the first, the landlord charges the actual $34.99 cost of one screening and tells the applicant beforehand they will get the full report. For the second, within the same 12 months, the landlord cannot charge another screening fee. If the applicant instead applied thirteen months later, a new actual-cost fee would be allowed.

The 12-month rule is about the applicant, so a landlord who owns several buildings should treat the clock as running across all their units, based on how the section is worded. Confirm the details with Maine counsel if you manage a large portfolio.

Common mistakes to avoid

Three mistakes come up most. The first is charging a flat application fee because it is the local habit; the section allows only the actual cost of one check. The second is running both a credit check and a background check and billing the applicant for each; the exception allows only one of the three listed items. The third is skipping the written notice about the complete copy of the report, which removes your right to charge anything. Keep the screening invoice, the dated notice and the copy you gave the applicant together, so each point can be shown. If you manage several buildings, apply the same routine in every one and keep one shared record of each applicant's last screening date, because the 12 month limit follows the applicant and not the building. A short template for the notice saves time and avoids missing the required sentence.

Using DoorKeeping in Maine

DoorKeeping shows the notice about the complete copy before it takes the screening step, records the date of each applicant's last screening so a second charge inside 12 months is flagged, and gives the applicant the full report once it is back. Tenants never pay a fee to DoorKeeping. Screening is passed through at cost. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current statute or ask a local attorney before you rely on it.

Sources

1. 14 M.R.S. 6030-H, Fees charged to applicants for lease of residential dwelling unit (Maine Legislature), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Can a Maine landlord charge an application fee?

No fee to submit or review an application. The exception is the actual cost of only one background check, credit check or other screening process.

How often can a Maine landlord charge a screening fee?

Not more than one fee for a background check, credit check or other screening in any 12-month period.

Does the Maine applicant get a copy of the report?

Yes, a complete copy, and the landlord must tell the applicant about that duty before charging any screening fee.