Maine Demand Letter
This letter applies Maine's Unfair Trade Practices Act 30-day demand, its dishonored-check demand statute, and its small claims, interest, and limitations rules.
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What is this demand about?
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Introduction
Maine's Unfair Trade Practices Act requires a consumer suing for damages under the Act to mail or deliver a written demand for relief at least 30 days before filing suit, but the statute itself states no penalty barring the claim if you skip it: the only consequence it spells out is losing attorney's fees and costs incurred after you reject a more favorable settlement tender, under 5 M.R.S. Section 213(1-A). A demand letter states clearly what you are owed, why, and what you will do if the other side does not respond by your deadline, and it creates a paper trail a judge will want to see even when no statute requires one. If you are instead pursuing a claim for a dishonored check, Maine's bad-check statute layers its own statutory-form notice and demand deadlines on top of this letter, covered in the sections below. If your dispute involves a security deposit or a final paycheck, Maine applies separate rules to those claims, covered on their own demand letter pages rather than repeated here. DocDraft builds your Maine demand letter from your facts and your deadline, with attorney review available before you send it.
Key Things to Know
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Maine's Unfair Trade Practices Act requires a consumer suing for damages under the Act to mail or deliver a written demand for relief at least 30 days before filing suit, and 5 M.R.S. Section 213(1-A) itself states no penalty barring the claim if you skip it: the only consequence it spells out is losing attorney's fees and costs incurred after you reject a more favorable settlement tender.
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State your demand in specific numbers. Name the exact amount owed, the contract, invoice, or dishonored check it comes from, and a firm deadline to pay or act.
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If your claim involves a dishonored check, Maine law requires a separate statutory-form notice under 14 M.R.S. Section 6073 before you can recover added costs; this general demand letter does not substitute for that notice. After a 10-day cure period, Section 6071(1)-(2) lets you recover the check amount, court costs, processing charges, 12 percent annual interest from the date of dishonor, and a civil penalty of up to $150, with attorney's fees available to the prevailing party.
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If someone sends you a second dishonored check within one year, knowing it will not be honored, 14 M.R.S. Section 6071(5) adds liquidated damages, on a separate 30-day written demand, of twice the check's face amount or $750, whichever is less, if it was dishonored for no account, or twice the face amount or $400, whichever is less, if it was dishonored for insufficient funds.
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Maine's small claims division of the District Court hears claims up to $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, effective January 1, 2026, up from $6,000 before that date, under 14 M.R.S. Section 7482. Unlike some states, Maine allows an attorney to represent a party in small claims.
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Mind Maine's statute of limitations: 6 years to sue on a written contract, an oral contract, an open account, or property damage under 14 M.R.S. Section 752, but only 4 years if the claim is for the sale of goods under 11 M.R.S. Section 2-725(1).
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Keep the tone firm and factual, not threatening. Do not threaten arrest, jail, or criminal prosecution to collect a civil debt. Maine's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act generally exempts a first-party creditor collecting its own debt in its own name under 32 M.R.S. Section 11003(1), but a debt collector it does cover may not represent that nonpayment will result in an unlawful or unintended arrest or property seizure, under Section 11013.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Demand Letter in Maine, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Demand Letter guide walks through them.
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Maine Requirements for Demand Letter
UTPA 30-Day Pre-Suit Demand
Under 5 M.R.S. Section 213(1-A), a consumer suing for damages under the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act must mail or deliver a written demand for relief at least 30 days before filing suit, identifying the claimant and reasonably describing the unfair or deceptive act and the injuries suffered. The requirement does not apply if the claim is asserted as a counterclaim or cross claim, and the statute itself sets no delivery method beyond mailed or delivered.
UTPA Statute States No Penalty for Skipping Notice
Section 213(1-A) itself states no penalty that bars the underlying damages claim if you skip the 30-day demand. The only consequence it spells out is that if the recipient makes a written settlement tender or offer of judgment and your eventual judgment is not more favorable, you may not recover attorney's fees or costs incurred after that tender or offer.
Bad-Check Statutory Form Required
14 M.R.S. Section 6073 prescribes its own written notice form, warning the check writer of added attorney's fees, service costs, processing charges, interest, and a penalty of up to $150 unless paid within 10 days after the notice is postmarked. A general demand letter does not meet this form's requirements, and a separate Section 6073 notice must be sent to preserve the added recovery under Section 6071.
Base Bad-Check Recovery Package
After the Section 6073 notice and 10-day cure period, 14 M.R.S. Section 6071(1)-(2) lets the holder recover the check amount, court costs, processing charges, interest at 12 percent per year from the date of dishonor, and a civil penalty of up to $150, with the court able to award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party.
Second-Check Liquidated Damages
Under 14 M.R.S. Section 6071(5), if a person intentionally issues a second check to the same payee that is dishonored within one year of the first, knowing it will not be honored, and fails to pay the face amount within 30 days of a separate written demand, they are additionally liable for liquidated damages of twice the face amount or $750, whichever is less, if dishonored for no account, or twice the face amount or $400, whichever is less, if dishonored for insufficient funds.
Small Claims Limit Rose to $10,000
Maine's small claims division of the District Court hears claims up to $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, effective January 1, 2026, up from $6,000 before that date, under 14 M.R.S. Section 7482. Maine allows a party to be represented by an attorney in small claims under Rule 16(a) of the Maine Rules of Small Claims Procedure.
Statute of Limitations by Claim Type
Maine gives 6 years to sue on a written contract, an oral contract, an open account, or property damage under 14 M.R.S. Section 752's general catch-all, but only 4 years for a contract for the sale of goods under 11 M.R.S. Section 2-725(1).
Floating Prejudgment Interest Tied to a Sworn Notice
If the parties' contract states no rate, 14 M.R.S. Section 1602-B(3) sets prejudgment interest at the one-year United States Treasury bill rate plus 3 percent, a rate set annually rather than a fixed figure. That interest accrues from a sworn notice of claim served personally or by registered or certified mail; without one, it instead runs from the date the complaint is filed. In a small claims action, prejudgment interest is not recoverable unless the rate of interest is based on a contract or note, under Section 1602-B(1).
First-Party Creditors Outside Maine's Debt Collection Act
Maine's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 32 M.R.S. Section 11003(1) and (7)(B), generally excludes a creditor collecting its own debt in its own name, but Section 11002(6) pulls a first-party creditor back into coverage if it uses a name suggesting a third party is collecting the debt. A covered debt collector may not represent that nonpayment will result in an unlawful or unintended arrest or seizure of property or wages, under Section 11013(2)(D).