Maine
Maine Debt Collection Laws: Wage Garnishment, Statute of Limitations, and Repossession
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 12, 2026). · 12 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
If you are being pursued by a debt collector in Maine, start with the process. A private creditor cannot take money from your paycheck or bank account until it sues you, wins a judgment, and obtains a writ of execution or trustee process order. The two beliefs that cause the most trouble, that garnishment can happen overnight, and that an unanswered lawsuit simply disappears, are both wrong. Most garnishments trace back to a default judgment entered because the person being sued never filed an answer, so responding to a summons is the single most valuable thing you can do.
Maine also happens to be one of the more protective states in the country for wage garnishment, because its formula is tied to Maine's own minimum wage rather than the much lower federal one. That single difference makes a real dollar difference for anyone living paycheck to paycheck.
Wage Garnishment in Maine
Maine calls the process trustee process, and the formula is unusually protective. Under 14 M.R.S. Section 3126-A(3) and the parallel consumer-credit provision at 9-A M.R.S. Section 5-105(2), a creditor can take the lesser of 25 percent of your disposable earnings and exempt income for the week, or the amount by which that sum exceeds 40 times the higher of the federal minimum hourly wage or the Maine state minimum hourly wage.
That second number is where Maine stands out. Most states that use a 30 or 40 times multiplier tie it to the $7.25 federal minimum wage. Maine ties it to whichever of the federal or state wage is higher, and Maine's own minimum wage rose to $15.10 an hour effective January 1, 2026. Forty times that figure is $604 a week. A worker whose disposable earnings and exempt income fall at or below $604 a week cannot be garnished for an ordinary consumer debt at all, and above that line, a creditor can still never take more than 25 percent.
Maine does not have a separate head-of-household or family-size wage exemption; the 25 percent and 40x formula applies the same way regardless of dependents.
Maine Revenue Services levies work differently, and less favorably. Under 36 M.R.S. Section 176-A(5)(D), wages are exempt from a state tax levy only up to the lesser of 75 percent of disposable earnings for the pay period, or 30 times the federal minimum wage multiplied by the number of weeks in the pay period. That is the ordinary federal 30x-and-$7.25 floor, not Maine's more protective 40x-and-state-wage formula used for private-creditor garnishment. In practice, a Maine tax levy can reach deeper into a paycheck than an ordinary civil judgment can.
Maine also recently moved on medical debt. A bill signed by the Governor on April 6, 2026 and enacted as Public Law 2025, Chapter 649, is intended to prohibit medical-debt collectors from placing liens on a person's primary residence and from garnishing wages to collect medical debt. The full statutory text was not available to confirm the exact scope and effective date at the time this page was written, so treat the general protection as real but confirm the details before relying on a specific figure or date.
Bank Account Protections
Maine's property exemptions, set out in 14 M.R.S. Section 4422, are CPI-indexed and cover more than most states' bare wildcard figures. Current amounts include a $500 general wildcard, a separate $3,000 exemption specifically for cash and funds in deposit accounts, a $80,000 homestead exemption ($160,000 if a minor dependent lives there or the debtor or a dependent is 60 or older or disabled), $10,000 of motor vehicle equity, $500 per item of household goods, $9,500 in tools of the trade, $1,000 in jewelry ($4,000 for wedding and engagement rings), and $20,000 for a personal-injury award. These figures adjust every three years for inflation, with the last adjustment effective April 1, 2024, so they are due for another increase around April 2027.
Federal law provides a separate, automatic shield for federal benefits. Under 31 CFR Part 212, a bank that receives a garnishment order must review the account and protect an amount equal to the last two months of directly deposited Social Security, VA, and certain other federal benefit payments, without the account holder needing to claim an exemption first. That automatic protection covers direct deposit only; benefits received by paper check and later deposited must be claimed as exempt through the court.
Statute of Limitations on Debt in Maine
Maine keeps its statute of limitations simple. Under 14 M.R.S. Section 752, essentially all civil actions not otherwise specially provided for, including written contracts, oral contracts, open accounts, and credit card debt, must be brought within 6 years of accrual. Maine does not split debt types into separate shorter or longer tracks the way many states do, so the classification fights that matter elsewhere are largely moot here.
Promissory notes generally follow the same 6-year period, now under 11 M.R.S. Section 3-1118(1), which gives a note payable at a definite time 6 years from the due date, or from an accelerated due date. A demand note gets 6 years from the date of demand, or is barred after 10 years if no demand is ever made and no principal or interest is paid. A separate, older statute, 14 M.R.S. Section 751, sets a 20-year period for contracts under seal and promissory notes signed in the presence of an attesting witness, but a 2017 amendment clarified that the 6-year note statute controls ordinary negotiable instruments, leaving the 20-year period as a narrow residual category.
Maine also runs a second, separate clock against debt collectors, and it answers the revival question directly. Under 32 M.R.S. Section 11013(8), a debt collector may not commence a collection action more than 6 years after the date of the consumer's last activity on the debt, and that period applies notwithstanding any other applicable statute of limitations unless a shorter Maine period applies. The same subsection then closes the revival door: notwithstanding any other provision of law, when the applicable limitations period expires, any subsequent payment toward, written or oral affirmation of, or other activity on the debt does not revive or extend the limitations period. Making a payment on a debt that has already run out does not hand a collector a fresh 6 years.
Two features of that rule matter in practice. It runs from your last activity on the debt, which is a different starting point than the accrual date used by Section 752, so the two clocks can expire on different dates. And it applies to a debt collector as chapter 109-A defines that term, which covers collection agencies, debt buyers, repossession companies, and collection attorneys, but not an original creditor collecting its own account in its own name. If the party pursuing you is the original creditor rather than a collector, the ordinary 6-year period under Section 752 is the one that governs, so it is still worth getting advice before making a payment on a very old account.
Two further points apply either way. First, an expired statute of limitations does not erase the debt itself; a collector may still ask you to pay, and the debt can remain on your credit report for up to 7 years under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, an entirely separate clock. Second, suing or threatening to sue on a debt after the limitations period has run is a flat violation of federal Regulation F (12 CFR 1006.26), regardless of what the collector believed about the deadline, and Maine adds its own prohibition at 32 M.R.S. Section 11013(7), which bars a debt collector from initiating a collection action when it knows or reasonably should know the action is barred by the Section 11013(8) period.
What Debt Collectors Can and Cannot Do
Third-party collectors working Maine accounts answer to the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Regulation F. They may not call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time, harass you, misrepresent the amount or legal status of a debt, or threaten action they cannot legally take, such as suing on a time-barred debt. Within five days of first contacting you, a collector must send validation information stating the debt amount and your right to dispute it, and once you dispute a debt in writing, the collector must stop reporting it as valid until it provides verification. You may also tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you altogether, subject to narrow exceptions.
Maine layers its own statute on top of the federal rules. The Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 32 M.R.S. chapter 109-A, applies to debt collectors conducting business in the state, and 32 M.R.S. Section 11002(5-A) provides that a debt buyer is considered a debt collector for all purposes under the chapter. Several of its rules have no federal counterpart. Section 11013(7) bars a collector from initiating a collection action it knows or reasonably should know is time-barred, and Section 11013(8) supplies the 6-year and no-revival rule described above. Section 11013(3)(G) prohibits communicating with a consumer about a debt by postcard.
The debt-buyer documentation rules are the sharpest tool for most consumers. Under Section 11013(9), a debt buyer may not collect or attempt to collect at all unless it actually possesses a specific list of items, including the name of the current owner of the debt, the original creditor's name and account number at the time of charge-off, the amount due at charge-off, an itemization of any post-charge-off interest and fees and who imposed them, the date and amount of the last payment, an unbroken chain of ownership documenting every assignment from the original creditor forward, and a copy of the contract or application, or for a revolving account the most recent monthly statement showing the extension of credit. Section 11013(10) then bars a debt buyer from selling or transferring a debt without that documentation, and from selling a resolved debt, meaning one already paid, settled, or discharged in bankruptcy.
Medical debt gets separate treatment after a 2023 amendment. Section 11013(2), paragraphs Q, R, and S, make it a prohibited misrepresentation for a collector to represent that interest will accumulate on the debt, that a fee will be charged, or that it will pursue litigation to compel payment, when the collector knows the debt is medical debt. Section 11013(11) goes further. Once a collector is notified orally or in writing, by the creditor or by you, of your actual or potential qualification for hospital charity care, it must suspend collection efforts until the creditor confirms you do not qualify, and it may not collect from a consumer who was determined to qualify or who would have qualified but did not apply for good cause.
Car Repossession in Maine
Maine adopted the standard Uniform Commercial Code self-help repossession rule, but with the state's characteristic extra-digit citation: it appears at 11 M.R.S. Section 9-1609, not the Section 9-609 you will find in most other states. After default, a secured party may take possession of collateral through judicial process, or without judicial process if it can do so without a breach of the peace.
Maine's UCC article does not define breach of the peace, but the Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act supplies a rule the UCC does not. Under 32 M.R.S. Section 11017(1), a debt collector acting on behalf of a creditor may take possession of collateral only if possession can be taken without entry into a dwelling, unless that entry has been authorized after default, and without the use of force or other breach of the peace. Chapter 109-A defines a debt collector to include a repossession company, so this reaches the third-party agents who carry out most repossessions. It does not reach someone who simply retrieves collateral a consumer has voluntarily surrendered, because that person is excluded from the definition.
Section 11017 adds two rights that come up constantly after a vehicle is taken. Under subsection 2, the collector must inventory any unsecured property taken along with the repossessed collateral and immediately notify you that the property will be made available in a manner convenient to you. Under subsection 3, if the property left in a repossessed vehicle includes a medical device or equipment necessary for your health or welfare and you have no practicable means to retrieve it, you can notify the collector and make a reasonable request for its return, and the collector must arrange to have it promptly returned. The collector's reasonable expenses in actually returning the device may be added to what you owe.
Where Maine goes further than plain UCC self-help is its statutory right to cure. Under 9-A M.R.S. Sections 5-110 and 5-111, once a consumer has been in default for 10 or more days for a missed payment, and has not voluntarily surrendered the collateral, the creditor must send a notice stating the exact amount due and the date by which paying it lets the consumer continue as though the payment had never been late. The creditor cannot accelerate the debt or repossess the collateral until 14 days after that notice, or 10 days for an insurance-premium loan. Motor-vehicle notices must also warn the consumer that repossession could leave them owing a deficiency. A consumer who already received one cure notice does not get a second one for a default on the same obligation within the following 12 months, and a consumer who voluntarily surrenders collateral loses the cure right entirely, since the creditor may accelerate and enforce immediately.
Maine also caps deficiency liability on small transactions. Under 9-A M.R.S. Section 5-103, if a creditor repossesses or accepts voluntary surrender of goods securing a consumer credit sale or supervised loan with an amount financed of $2,800 or less, neither the consumer nor any surety owes any deficiency at all. That $2,800 figure traces to a 1997 amendment, and the mechanism that used to adjust it for inflation was repealed the same year, so it may be a fixed, non-indexed number rather than one that has kept pace with prices; confirm the current figure before relying on it in a specific case.
Servicemembers get one further layer of protection: for a vehicle financed before military service, the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 3952) requires a court order before repossession, regardless of state law.
If You Are Being Garnished or Sued in Maine
Move in this order. First, if you are served with a lawsuit, file an answer before the deadline, even a simple general denial, because a default judgment forfeits every defense you had, including the statute of limitations. Second, if a garnishment or trustee process order is already in effect, check the math against the 25 percent and 40x-minimum-wage formula, and check whether any of the funds being taken come from an exempt source like Social Security or retirement income. Third, if the debt is old, raise the statute of limitations yourself, since the court will not raise it for you. Finally, if you are behind on a secured loan, use the 14-day cure window before the creditor can accelerate or repossess, and if the overall debt picture is unmanageable, bankruptcy's automatic stay stops most garnishments and collection lawsuits while the case is pending.
Check which court the case was filed in, too. Under 32 M.R.S. Section 11021, a debt collector may not commence a collection action against a consumer to collect a debt in small claims court under Title 14, chapter 738. That means a collection agency or debt buyer suing you on a consumer debt in Maine small claims court has filed somewhere the statute does not allow, which is a point to raise with the court rather than a reason to skip the hearing.
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Information last verified on 2026-08-12. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Related Resources
- Debt Collection Laws by State
- Statute of Limitations on Debt
- How to Stop Wage Garnishment
- Car Repossession Laws
- Can Social Security Be Garnished?
- Maine Statute of Limitations
- Maine Bankruptcy
Last updated: 2026-08-12.
More Maine Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Maine?
A creditor can take the lesser of 25 percent of your disposable earnings or the amount above 40 times the higher of the federal or Maine state minimum wage. With Maine's minimum wage at $15.10 an hour, that floor is $604 a week, so nothing can be garnished if your disposable earnings and exempt income fall at or below that amount.
Does Maine have a head-of-household wage exemption?
No. Maine's 25 percent and 40-times-minimum-wage formula under 14 M.R.S. Section 3126-A applies the same way regardless of whether you support dependents.
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in Maine?
Six years under 14 M.R.S. Section 752. Maine does not split written, oral, open-account, or credit card debt into separate SOL tracks, so the same 6-year period applies to all of them. Separately, 32 M.R.S. Section 11013(8) bars a debt collector from suing more than 6 years after your last activity on the debt.
Does making a payment restart the clock on old debt in Maine?
Not against a debt collector once the period has expired. Under 32 M.R.S. Section 11013(8), when the applicable limitations period expires, any subsequent payment toward, written or oral affirmation of, or other activity on the debt does not revive or extend it. That rule applies to debt collectors as Maine defines them, including debt buyers and collection agencies. If the party pursuing you is the original creditor collecting in its own name, the general 6-year period under 14 M.R.S. Section 752 governs instead, so get advice before paying on a very old account.
Can a debt collector sue me in small claims court in Maine?
No. 32 M.R.S. Section 11021 provides that a debt collector may not commence a collection action against a consumer to collect a debt in small claims court under Title 14, chapter 738. If a collection agency or debt buyer has filed against you there, raise the statute with the court.
Can a lender repossess my car in Maine without warning?
Not for a payment default. Once you are 10 or more days late, the lender must send a notice giving you 14 days to cure the default before it can accelerate the loan or repossess the collateral, under 9-A M.R.S. Sections 5-110 and 5-111. Voluntarily surrendering the collateral removes that right. A repossession agent also may not enter your dwelling to take the collateral unless you authorized that entry after default, under 32 M.R.S. Section 11017(1).
Can I owe money after my car is repossessed in Maine?
Usually, but not always. If the amount financed was $2,800 or less, Maine law bars any deficiency judgment entirely. Above that amount, the lender can generally pursue you for the difference between what you owed and what the sale brought, subject to standard commercial-reasonableness rules.
What happens to the personal items left in my repossessed car in Maine?
Under 32 M.R.S. Section 11017(2), the debt collector must inventory any unsecured property taken with the collateral and immediately notify you that it will be made available in a manner convenient to you. If the property includes a medical device or equipment necessary for your health or welfare and you cannot practicably retrieve it, subsection 3 lets you request its return and requires the collector to arrange prompt return.
Updates
Corrected the statute of limitations section: Maine law does answer whether a payment revives an old debt, and 32 M.R.S. Section 11013(8) bars revival once the period has run, and added Maine's own debt collection statute, including the repossession conduct rules and the ban on collectors suing in small claims court.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32: PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS, Chapter 109-A: MAINE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT
§ 11013Prohibited practicesIn force
1. Harassment or abuse. A debt collector may not engage in any conduct, the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of this subsection, the following conduct is a violation of this section: A. The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation or property of any person; [PL 1985, c. 702, §2 (NEW).] B. The use of obscene or profane language, or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader; [PL 1985, c. 702, §2 (NEW).] C. The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of Title 10, chapter 209‑B; [PL 2013, c. 588, Pt. C, §16 (AMD).] D. The advertisement for sale of any debt to coerce payment of the debt; [PL 1985, c. 702, §2 (NEW).] E. Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse or harass any person at the called number; [PL 1985, c. 702, §2 (NEW).] F.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 9-A: MAINE CONSUMER CREDIT CODE, Part 1: LIMITATIONS ON CREDITORS' REMEDIES
§ 5-105Limitation on garnishmentIn force
1. For the purposes of this Part: A. "Disposable earnings" means that part of the earnings of an individual remaining after the deduction from those earnings of amounts required by law to be withheld; and [PL 1973, c. 762, §1 (NEW).] B. "Garnishment" means an installment payment order under Title 14, chapter 502. [PL 1973, c. 762, §1 (NEW).] 2. The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek that is subjected to garnishment to enforce payment of a judgment arising from a consumer credit transaction may not exceed the lesser of: A. Twenty-five percent of the individual's disposable earnings for that week; and [PL 2007, c. 7, §1 (RPR).] B. The amount by which the individual's disposable earnings for that week exceed 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage prescribed by Section 6(a)(I) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, 29 United States Code, Section 206(a)(I), or the state minimum wage prescribed by Title 26, section 664, whichever is higher, in effect at the time the earnings are payable.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
§ 5-110Notice of consumer's right to cureIn force
1. With respect to a consumer credit transaction, after a consumer has been in default for 10 days for failure to make a required payment and has not voluntarily surrendered possession of goods that are collateral, a creditor may give the consumer the notice described in this section. For purposes of this section, goods that are collateral shall include any right of setoff that the creditor may have. A creditor gives notice to the consumer under this section by mailing the notice to the consumer's last known address: A. By certified mail, return receipt requested. For purposes of this paragraph, the time when notice is given shall be the date the consumer signs the receipt or, if the notice is undeliverable, the date the post office last attempts to deliver it; or [PL 1979, c. 417, §2 (NEW).] B. By ordinary mail. For purposes of this paragraph, the time when notice is given shall be the date the consumer receives it. A post office department certificate of mailing to the consumer shall be conclusive proof of receipt on the 3rd calendar day after mailing. [PL 1979, c. 417, §2 (NEW).] 2.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
§ 5-111Cure of defaultIn force
1. With respect to a consumer credit transaction, except as provided in subsection 2, after a default consisting only of the consumer's failure to make a required payment, a creditor, because of that default, may neither accelerate maturity of the unpaid balance of the obligation, nor take possession of or otherwise enforce a security interest in goods that are collateral until 14 days after a notice of the consumer's right to cure, as provided in section 5‑110, is given, nor with respect to an insurance premium loan, give notice of cancellation as provided in subsection 4 until 10 days after a notice of the consumer's right to cure, as provided in section 5‑110, is given. For purposes of this section, goods that are collateral include any right of set-off that the creditor may have. Until expiration of the minimum applicable period after the notice is given, the consumer may cure all defaults consisting of a failure to make the required payment by tendering the amount of all unpaid sums due at the time of the tender, without acceleration, plus any unpaid delinquency or deferral charges.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
§ 5-103Restrictions on deficiency judgmentsIn force
1. This section applies to any consumer credit sale of goods or services and to any supervised loan. 2. If a creditor takes possession of or voluntarily accepts surrender of goods in which that creditor has a security interest to secure a debt and the amount financed is $2,800 or less, the consumer and any sureties are not personally liable to the creditor for the unpaid balance of the debt. 3. For the purpose of determining the unpaid balance of consolidated debts or debts pursuant to open end credit, the allocation of payments to a debt shall be determined in the same manner as provided for determining the amount of debt secured by various security interests, section 3‑303. 4. The consumer may be liable in damages to the creditor if the consumer has willfully or intentionally damaged the collateral or if, after default and demand, the consumer has concealed the collateral from the creditor. 5.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14: COURT PROCEDURE -- CIVIL, Part 5: PROVISIONAL REMEDIES; SECURITY, Chapter 502: ENFORCEMENT OF MONEY JUDGMENTS
§ 3126-AInstallment paymentsIn force
Following a disclosure hearing, the court shall determine the amount, if any, of the installment payments that the judgment debtor must make to the judgment creditor. [PL 1999, c. 587, §3 (NEW).] 1. Definition. For purposes of this section, "exempt income" means the debtor's right to receive: A. A social security benefit, unemployment compensation or a local public assistance benefit; [PL 1999, c. 587, §3 (NEW).] B. A veteran's benefit; [PL 1999, c. 587, §3 (NEW).] C. A disability, illness or unemployment benefit; [PL 1999, c. 587, §3 (NEW).] D. Alimony, support or separate maintenance, to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and any dependents of the debtor; and [PL 1999, c. 587, §3 (NEW).] E. A payment or account under a stock bonus, pension, profit sharing, annuity, individual retirement account or similar plan to the extent described in section 4422, subsection 13, paragraph E. [PL 1999, c. 587, §3 (NEW).] 2. Installment payment order not permitted.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Cited in 3 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2023
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Cloutier v. Turner (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2012, 34 A.3d 1146)“…its decree ordering installment payments as provided under [14 M.R.S. §§ 3126-A to 3136 (2011) (concerning enforcement…”
- Doe v. Manson (District Court, D. Maine 2011, 773 F. Supp. 2d 183)“…at the judgment debtor must make to the judgment creditor.” 14 M.R.S.A. § 3126-A. The Debtor’s pension benefit payments,…”
- LOBSTER 207 LLC v. PETTEGROW (District Court, D. Maine 2023)“…ord, given the earnings-based limits on installment orders, 14 M.R.S.A. § 3126-A, the record does not support such an or…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14: COURT PROCEDURE -- CIVIL, Part 2: PROCEEDINGS BEFORE TRIAL, Chapter 205: LIMITATION OF ACTIONS
§ 752Six yearsIn forcecited in 8 of our articles
All civil actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues and not afterwards, except actions on a judgment or decree of any court of record of the United States, or of any state, or of a justice of the peace in this State, and except as otherwise specially provided.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-08 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Cited in 286 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- McAfee v. Cole (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 1994, 637 A.2d 463)“…general six-year limitations period for all civil actions, 14 M.R.S.A. § 752 (1980). After the order of dismissal, M…”
- Myrick v. James (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 1982, 444 A.2d 987)“…om the purview of the general six year limitations statute, 14 M.R.S.A. § 752, and situated them in a position simila…”
- Fortin v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2005, 871 A.2d 1208)“…tends that the six-year statute of limitations set forth in 14 M.R.S.A. § 752 (2003) applies to this case. The Dioces…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Maine Car Accident Laws: Fault, Insurance, and Your Claim, Maine Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability, Maine Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 11: UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE, Part 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS
§ 3-1118Statute of limitationsIn force
(1). Except as provided in subsection (5), an action to enforce the obligation of a party to pay a note payable at a definite time must be commenced within 6 years after the due date or dates stated in the note or, if a due date is accelerated, within 6 years after the accelerated due date. (2). Except as provided in subsection (4) or (5), if demand for payment is made to the maker of a note payable on demand, an action to enforce the obligation of a party to pay the note must be commenced within 6 years after the demand. If no demand for payment is made to the maker, an action to enforce the note is barred if neither principal nor interest on the note has been paid for a continuous period of 10 years. (3). Except as provided in subsection (4), an action to enforce the obligation of a party to an unaccepted draft to pay the draft must be commenced within 3 years after dishonor of the draft or 10 years after the date of the draft, whichever period expires first. (4).
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14: COURT PROCEDURE -- CIVIL, Part 5: PROVISIONAL REMEDIES; SECURITY, Chapter 507: ATTACHMENTS
§ 4422Exempt propertyIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
The following property is exempt from attachment and execution, except to the extent that it has been fraudulently conveyed by the debtor: [PL 2021, c. 382, §2 (AMD).] 1. Residence. A debtor's residence. The exemption of a debtor's residence is subject to this subsection. A. Except as provided in paragraph B, the debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed $80,000 in value, in real or personal property that the debtor or a dependent of the debtor uses as a residence, in a cooperative that owns property that the debtor or a dependent of the debtor uses as a residence, or in a burial plot for the debtor or a dependent of the debtor, except that if minor dependents of the debtor have their principal place of residence with the debtor, the debtor's aggregate interest may not exceed $160,000 and except that if the debtor's interest is held jointly with any other person or persons, the exemption may not exceed in value the lesser of $80,000 or the product of the debtor's fractional share times $160,000. [PL 2021, c. 382, §2 (AMD).] B.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-06 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Cited in 61 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Estate of Whittier (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 1996, 681 A.2d 1)“…14 M.R.S.A. § 4421 within section 2-405, meant to reference 14 M.R.S.A. § 4422. It is section 4422 that lists all prop…”
- Sanders v. Sanders (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 1998, 1998 Me. 100)“…nder his disability insurance policy are exempt pursuant to 14 M.R.S.A. § 4422 (Supp.1997). The statute distinguishes…”
- Erik Wuori v. Travis Otis (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2020, 226 A.3d 771)“…erefore, was not exempt from attachment and execution. See 14 M.R.S. § 4422(9) (2018). We vacate the judgment.…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Bankruptcy in Maine (2026): Exemptions & Means Test
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36: TAXATION, Part 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS, Chapter 7: UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
§ 176-ALevy upon propertyIn force
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Delinquent," when used to refer to a tax imposed by this Title, means a tax liability reported by a taxpayer or a tax assessed by the assessor that is not paid by its due date and to which no further administrative or judicial review is available pursuant to section 151. "Delinquent" may also refer to any other obligation owed to the State and authorized to be collected by the bureau or to a taxpayer liable for delinquent taxes. [PL 1997, c. 526, §11 (AMD).] B. "Levy" means an administrative power to collect delinquent taxes through the means prescribed by this section, or the exercise of that power. The power to levy includes the power of distraint by any lawful means, the power to sell the property and the power to release the levy when it is no longer necessary or appropriate to further the process of collecting delinquent taxes. Exercise of the levy power creates a lien and makes the assessor a judgment creditor.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Cited in 3 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2003
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- City of Saco v. Pulsifer (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2000, 749 A.2d 153)“…tection under the federal bankruptcy code. See 36 M.R.S.A. § 176-A(16) (Supp.1999). Section 176-A(16) prov…”
- Dirigo Housing Assocs., Inc v. Crowley (Superior Court of Maine 2003)“…Maine Revenue Service in 2002 on Dirigo in accordance with 36 M.R.S.A. § 176-A. This was ultimately rescinded by the M…”
- Ehnstrom v. Maine, State Tax Assessor Maine, State Tax Assessor (Superior Court of Maine 2001)“…termination is final and the notice of levy was proper. See 36 M.RS.A. § 176-A (1990 & Supp. 2000). ORDER Accordingly…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 11: UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE, Part 6: DEFAULT
§ 9-1609Secured party's right to take possession after defaultIn force
(1). After default, a secured party: (a). May take possession of the collateral; and [PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §4 (AFF).] (b). Without removal, may render equipment unusable and dispose of collateral on a debtor's premises under section 9‑1610. [PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §4 (AFF).] (2). A secured party may proceed under subsection (1): (a). Pursuant to judicial process; or [PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §4 (AFF).] (b). Without judicial process if it proceeds without breach of the peace. [PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1999, c. 699, Pt. A, §4 (AFF).] (3). If so agreed, and in any event after default, a secured party may require the debtor to assemble the collateral and make it available to the secured party at a place to be designated by the secured party that is reasonably convenient to both parties.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Code of Federal Regulations Title 12
§ 1006.26Collection of time-barred debts.In forcecited in 37 of our articles
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section: (1) Statute of limitations means the period prescribed by applicable law for bringing a legal action against the consumer to collect a debt. (2) Time-barred debt means a debt for which the applicable statute of limitations has expired. (b) Legal actions and threats of legal actions prohibited. A debt collector must not bring or threaten to bring a legal action against a consumer to collect a time-barred debt. This paragraph (b) does not apply to proofs of claim filed in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ecfr.gov
Cited in 3 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Hanover v. Real Time Resolutions, Inc. (2024) dismissed FDCPA claims built on 12 CFR 1006.26(b), reasoning it bars only collection of time-barred debts and the loans at issue were not time barred. Raja v. Specialized Loan Servicing, LLC (2025) dismissed a Regulation F claim because nonjudicial foreclosure is not covered by the FDCPA.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Hanover v. Real Time Resolutions, Inc. (District Court, S.D. Ohio 2024)✓A borrower claimed a servicer's letter and billing statement lacked language required by 12 CFR 1006.26(b); the court granted the servicer summary judgment, since the rule only bars collecting time-barred debts and it had already found her HELOC and mortgage enforceable.
- Raja v. Specialized Loan Servicing, LLC (District Court, E.D. Virginia 2025)✓Pro se homeowners alleged a servicer and foreclosure attorneys pursued a time-barred, discharged second mortgage in violation of 12 CFR 1006.26(b); the court dismissed that claim, holding parties carrying out a nonjudicial foreclosure are not FDCPA debt collectors.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Idaho Debt Collection Laws: Garnishment Limits, Debt Deadlines, and Repossession, Michigan Debt Collection Laws: Wage Garnishment, Statute of Limitations, and Repossession, Alaska Debt Collection Laws: Wage Garnishment, Statute of Limitations, and Repossession
United States Code Title 50
§ 3952Protection under installment contracts for purchase or leaseIn forcecited in 17 of our articles
After a servicemember enters military service, a contract by the servicemember for— the purchase of real or personal property (including a motor vehicle); or the lease or bailment of such property, may not be rescinded or terminated for a breach of terms of the contract occurring before or during that person’s military service, nor may the property be repossessed for such breach without a court order. This section applies only to a contract for which a deposit or installment has been paid by the servicemember before the servicemember enters military service. A person who knowingly resumes possession of property in violation of subsection (a), or in violation of section 3918 of this title, or who knowingly attempts to do so, shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Ditech Holding Corporation (United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York 2025)“…d on, or sold during or within a year after active service. 50 U.S.C. §§ 3952, 3953. Claimant states that he re…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Alabama Debt Collection Laws: Wage Garnishment, Statute of Limitations, and Repossession, Louisiana Debt Collection Laws: Prescription, Garnishment, and Repossession, Maryland Debt Collection Laws: Wage Garnishment, Statute of Limitations, and Repossession
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND SERVICES, Part 1: STATE DEPARTMENTS, Chapter 6-A: MODEL REGISTERED AGENTS ACT
§ 103FeesIn force
1. Filing fees. The Secretary of State shall collect the following fees when a filing is made under this chapter: A. Commercial clerk or commercial registered agent listing statement as required by section 106, $150; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] B. Commercial clerk or commercial registered agent termination as required by section 107, $150; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] C. Statement of appointment or change of clerk or registered agent by entity as required by section 105, subsection 1 or section 108, $35; except a statement filed for nonprofit corporations formed under Title 13‑B, $15; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] D. Statement of change of name or address by noncommercial clerk or noncommercial registered agent as required by section 109, $35; except a statement filed for nonprofit corporations formed under Title 13‑B, $15; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] E. Statement of change of name, address or type of organization by commercial clerk or commercial registered agent as required by section 110, $50; [PL 2007, c.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
§ 105Appointment of clerk or registered agentIn force
1. Contents of filing. A clerk or registered agent filing must state: A. The name of the represented entity's commercial clerk or commercial registered agent; or [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] B. If the entity does not have a commercial clerk or commercial registered agent: (1) The name and address of the entity's noncommercial clerk or noncommercial registered agent; or (2) The title of an office or other position with the entity if service of process is to be sent to the person holding that office or position, and the address of the business office of that person. [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] 2. Consent to serve as agent. The appointment of a clerk or a registered agent pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph A or subsection 1, paragraph B, subparagraph (1) is an affirmation by the represented entity that the agent has consented to serve as such. 3. Daily list of filings. The Secretary of State shall make available in a record as soon as practicable a daily list of filings that contain the name of a clerk or a registered agent. The list must: A.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
§ 110Change of name, address or type of organization by commercial clerk or commercial registered agentIn force
1. Contents of statement. If a commercial clerk or commercial registered agent changes its name, its address as currently listed under section 106, subsection 1 or its type or jurisdiction of organization, the agent shall file with the Secretary of State a statement of change signed by or on behalf of the agent that states: A. The name of the agent as currently listed under section 106, subsection 1; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] B. If the name of the agent has changed, its new name; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] C. If the address of the agent has changed, the new address; and [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] D. If the type or jurisdiction of organization of the agent has changed, the new type or jurisdiction of organization. [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] 2. Effect of filing. The filing of a statement of change under subsection 1 is effective to change the information regarding the commercial clerk or commercial registered agent with respect to each entity represented by the agent. 3. Effective on filing.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
§ 111Resignation of clerk or registered agentIn force
1. Statement of resignation. A clerk or registered agent may resign at any time with respect to a represented entity by filing with the Secretary of State a statement of resignation signed by or on behalf of the agent that states: A. The name of the entity; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] B. The name of the agent; [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] C. That the agent resigns from serving as agent for service of process for the entity; and [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] D. The name and address of the person to which the agent will send the notice required by subsection 3. [PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. A, §1 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 323, Pt. G, §4 (AFF).] 2. Effective date. A statement of resignation takes effect on the earlier of the 31st day after the day on which it is filed or the appointment of a new registered agent for the represented entity. 3. Notice. The clerk or registered agent shall promptly furnish the represented entity notice in a record of the date on which a statement of resignation was filed. 4. Effect of resignation.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
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Sources and References
- 14 M.R.S. Section 3126-A, Amounts Exempt from Trustee Process(legislature.maine.gov).gov
- 9-A M.R.S. Section 5-105, Limitation on Garnishment(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 14 M.R.S. Section 4422, Property Exempt from Attachment and Execution(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 14 M.R.S. Section 752, Actions Generally(legislature.maine.gov).gov
- 11 M.R.S. Section 3-1118, Statute of Limitations on Negotiable Instruments(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 9-A M.R.S. Section 5-110, Notice of Right to Cure(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 9-A M.R.S. Section 5-111, Cure of Default(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 9-A M.R.S. Section 5-103, Restrictions on Deficiency Judgments(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 36 M.R.S. Section 176-A, Levy and Distraint(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 11 M.R.S. Section 9-1609, Secured Party Right to Take Possession After Default(mainelegislature.org).gov
- 12 CFR 1006.26, Collection of Time-Barred Debt (Regulation F)(ecfr.gov).gov
- 15 U.S.C. 1673, Restriction on Garnishment (CCPA)(govinfo.gov).gov
- 32 M.R.S. Section 11013, Prohibited Practices (Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act)(legislature.maine.gov)
- 32 M.R.S. Section 11017, Repossession Activity(legislature.maine.gov)
- 32 M.R.S. Section 11021, Collection Actions Prohibited in Small Claims Court(legislature.maine.gov)
- 32 M.R.S. Section 11002, Definitions (Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act)(legislature.maine.gov)