Maine HOA Laws 2026: Maine Condominium Act (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 33, § 1601)

Maine's primary HOA statute is the Maine Condominium Act (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 33, §§ 1601 through 1613), which governs all condominiums in the state. Planned community HOAs in Maine operate primarily under their recorded CC&Rs and Maine nonprofit corporation law. Maine does not have a separate Planned Community Act, placing it in a similar position to Iowa and Kentucky.

Maine Condominium Act: Key Provisions

The Maine Condominium Act establishes requirements for: the condominium declaration and plat, the unit owners' association and its powers, annual budget adoption and reserve funding, assessment and lien rights, meeting notice requirements, and owner rights to inspect records. The Act is modeled after the Uniform Condominium Act with Maine-specific modifications.

Budget and Reserve Requirements

Maine condominiums must adopt an annual budget and distribute it to unit owners. The budget must include a reserve contribution for major repairs and replacements. Maine does not mandate a specific reserve study format or frequency, but reserve planning is considered a fiduciary duty of the board. FHA-approved Maine condominiums must also meet FHA's 10% reserve budget requirement.

Assessment Liens in Maine

Under the Maine Condominium Act, the association has a statutory lien for unpaid assessments that is prior to all other liens except first mortgages and real estate tax liens. The lien is perfected by recording in the Registry of Deeds for the county where the condominium is located. Foreclosure of condo liens in Maine is judicial.

Meeting Notice Requirements

Maine condominium associations must provide at least 10 days advance notice for regular board meetings and 21 days for annual meetings. The notice must include the agenda. For planned community HOAs, notice requirements are set by the bylaws — check your governing documents for applicable timelines.

Planned Community HOAs: CC&Rs Govern

For Maine planned community HOAs (single-family subdivisions, townhomes), there is no dedicated statute analogous to California's Davis-Stirling or Florida's Chapter 720. These associations operate under their CC&Rs as contracts and Maine nonprofit corporation law (Title 13-B M.R.S.A.). This means courts treat HOA disputes as contract disputes — and the governing documents are the primary source of authority.