Maine's framework (14 M.R.S. §§6031–6038) runs two clocks depending on how you rent, and its penalty activates through a tenant-served demand — a procedure worth knowing cold.
How much can a landlord charge?
Two months' rent, maximum. The deposit must be held separate from the landlord's own funds and can't be commingled.
The two clocks
Written lease: 30 days. Tenancy at will (month-to-month): 21 days — from termination and surrender, the landlord returns the deposit or a written statement itemizing the reasons and amounts withheld, limited to unpaid rent, utility charges, storage/disposal of abandoned property, and damage beyond normal wear and tear.
The demand and the doubling
If the deadline passes, the tenant sends a written demand; a landlord who doesn't comply promptly forfeits the right to withhold anything and, for wrongful retention, is liable for double the amount withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Small claims handles the rest.
Why Maine deposit disputes are documentation disputes
Maine's statute names the categories; the fight is always inside "beyond normal wear and tear," and Maine gives no inspection or checklist machinery to resolve it — only the parties' proof.
SealMove is proof, sealed. Every photo and video is cryptographically locked the instant it's captured, independently timestamped, and archived tamper-evident with Face ID. At move-out, the walkthrough lines up room-by-room against the sealed baseline — and either party can send the other a report to review and acknowledge, no app required.