What Maine Requires for CO Detectors: Transfer, Placement, Penalties

Last verified: February 17, 2026

Maine carbon monoxide detector laws are centered on 25 M.R.S. section 2468 and apply broadly to covered homes, rentals, and many lodging occupancies through occupancy and transaction triggers. The statute requires bedroom-area detector coverage in listed properties and includes obligations tied to new construction, specified renovations or conversions, rental occupancy, and transfer events.

Maine also provides civil penalty exposure up to $500 per violation, with court waiver language when correction is completed promptly after complaint. Because requirements cross owner, landlord, tenant, and lodging contexts, compliance should be managed as an ongoing workflow rather than a one-time installation task.

Maine operators should keep section-cited placement records, transfer certifications, and dated correction logs in each property compliance file. Annual file audits help verify ongoing compliance.

Key Takeaways

CO detector requirements for Maine
Applies to homes?	Yes
Applies to rentals?	Yes
Applies to hotels/STRs?	Yes

When Are CO Alarms Required?

New construction
Home sales or property transfers
Coverage is driven by occupancy and transaction categories listed in 25 M.R.S. section 2468.
Transfer and occupancy certification steps create additional compliance checkpoints.

Where to Install CO Alarms

At least one approved detector in each area within or giving access to bedrooms in covered units.
Covered multifamily, dormitory, and licensed lodging units require detector placement in bedroom-area locations defined by statute.

For detailed placement guidance beyond legal requirements, see where to place carbon monoxide detectors.

Device Requirements

Approved detectors listed by a nationally recognized independent testing laboratory under statutory definition language.
Installation and maintenance must follow applicable statute and manufacturer requirements.

Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities

Landlord: Landlords must provide required working detectors at occupancy and repair or replace deficiencies after written tenant notice in covered rentals.

Tenant: Tenants must maintain detectors in working condition, including battery upkeep and no disabling behavior.

Purchaser transfer obligations and certifications are part of the Maine compliance framework for covered transfers.

Enforcement

Enforced by: Maine code and court enforcement pathways under 25 M.R.S. section 2468 with local and state safety administration support.

Enforcement typically occurs:

During transfer, rental occupancy, and complaint-driven compliance review in covered properties.
During enforcement actions where statutory placement or operational duties are not met.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Maine law allows civil penalties up to $500 per violation, with waiver discretion when violation correction is proven within statutory timeline after complaint.

25 M.R.S. section 2468 penalty language.

Additional Notes

Maine trigger logic is occupancy and transaction based, not a fuel-source-only model.
Teams should preserve transfer certifications and correction proof in closing or turnover files.

Official Sources & References

Maine Legislature 25 M.R.S. section 2468 carbon monoxide detectors — 2468 subsections 2 through 8 (state code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Primary statewide statute for covered occupancy triggers, placement, transfer duties, and penalties.
Maine Public Law 2015 chapter 375 — Amendments to 25 M.R.S. section 2468 (state code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Session law expanding covered occupancy categories and statutory scope.
Maine Public Law 2009 chapter 551 — Session-law amendments related to Maine carbon monoxide detector framework (state code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Legislative history source used for statutory change tracking and implementation context.
Maine Public Law 2017 chapter 322 — Session-law updates tied to section 2468 compliance scope (state code, accessed 2026-02-17)
Additional amendment history for occupancy and compliance interpretation.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general guidance and is not legal advice. Requirements may vary by city, county, and building type. Always verify current rules with local authorities and official sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

For Maine audits, which section should be cited first as CO detector authority?

Maine section 25 M.R.S. 2468 is the core legal source and should be treated as the primary compliance anchor for covered occupancy and transfer scenarios. The statute defines where detectors are required, when transfer duties apply, and how landlord-tenant operational duties are handled in covered rentals. Teams should cite subsection language directly in checklists instead of relying on summary notes. Maine files with section-level references and dated correction records are easier to defend during inspections and disputes.

What triggers detector duties at sale or transfer in Maine?

Maine transfer pathways in section 2468 include purchaser certification and post-transfer compliance timing requirements in covered scenarios. This means detector obligations can become a closing-stage issue if ownership change documentation is incomplete. Operators should verify detector status early, not only at final contract execution. Maine closing packets should preserve certification language, subsection references, and proof of any corrective work done before or immediately after transfer. Include this packet in transaction files for later audit review.

Under Maine section 2468, which landlord and tenant duties must be documented at turnover?

Maine assigns owners and landlords core installation and provision duties in covered rentals, while tenants must maintain devices and avoid disabling required alarms. After written notice of nonfunctional devices, owners must complete repair or replacement duties under the statute. Property managers should maintain one notice-to-correction timeline per unit with verification signoff. Maine lease compliance files should include these records alongside section-cited duty language. Review each timeline during periodic compliance audits.

How does Maine section 2468 penalty and waiver timing affect correction strategy?

Maine section 2468 includes civil penalty language up to $500 per violation and also allows court waiver in certain correction-timeline scenarios after complaint. This creates both enforcement and remediation incentives, so delayed response can increase risk while prompt correction can reduce exposure. Teams should treat all deficiency notices as time-sensitive. Maine compliance notices should cite the penalty subsection and document completion date. Keep complaint intake and closure notices together in the same file.

For an all-electric Maine property, what section 2468 checks are still required?

Not automatically. Maine scope is largely occupancy and transaction based, so exemption decisions should be grounded in the categories and triggers listed in section 2468 rather than utility type alone. Owners should verify whether the property class or event falls inside statutory coverage before recording an exemption. Maine records should include written rationale, section citation, and review date for every exemption determination. Update exemption files when occupancy or use classification changes.

How does Maine compare with New Hampshire compliance approaches?

Maine in this dataset relies on section 2468 occupancy and transaction triggers with explicit civil penalty language, while New Hampshire operators may follow a different statutory and local code implementation mix. Regional teams should keep separate Northern New England matrices rather than a single shared checklist. For side-by-side planning, review New Hampshire CO detector laws and compare trigger timing, role allocation, and enforcement workflow. Use separate escalation paths for transfer events versus rental deficiency notices.

Practical CO Detector Guides

Beyond legal requirements, these guides help you choose, install, and maintain CO alarms:

Where to place carbon monoxide detectors — room-by-room placement recommendations
CO detector beeping patterns — what different alarms mean
What to do if your detector goes off — emergency response checklist
CO resources and links — official agencies and safety information