Does a home seller have to disclose the property’s condition in Maine?
In Maine, a seller of residential property with 1 to 4 dwelling units must give the buyer a property disclosure statement no later than when the buyer makes an offer, and if it arrives after the offer the buyer may terminate the contract or withdraw the offer within 72 hours of receiving it, with the deposit returned. The statement must cover the water supply, the heating system, the waste disposal system, hazardous materials, known defects, access to the property, flood hazard and the shoreland zoning ordinance. The right to terminate is waived if it is not used before closing or the buyer moves in, whichever is earlier. Transfers under a court order and transfers to a spouse or a lineal relative are among those exempt. Federal law separately requires a lead-based paint disclosure when selling most homes built before 1978. This is 33 M.R.S. §§ 171, 172, 173, 174.
| What | Maine |
|---|---|
| Seller disclosure | Required by the offer; buyer has 72 hours if late |
| Kind of rule | A written property condition statement is required |
What the statute says
“If the property disclosure statement is delivered to the purchaser after the purchaser makes an offer, the purchaser may terminate any resulting real estate contract or withdraw the offer no later than 72 hours after receipt of the property disclosure statement.”
Quoted word for word from the section’s text.
Source
33 M.R.S. §§ 171, 172, 173, 174
Read the statute in the Maine Revised Statutes (Maine Legislature): legislature.maine.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 15, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states the state’s rule so the costs and paperwork of a sale can be checked against it before a contract is signed. An owner on Seayora keeps each property’s owners of record and its documents in one place.
Guides on this rule
- Seller Disclosure Requirements by State — Whether a home seller must give a written property condition disclosure, with the rule in each of the 48 jurisdictions with a statute.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana