Dealing With Debt Collectors in Maine (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Maine · Last updated August 13, 2026
This page covers your rights when a debt collector contacts you in Maine. On top of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Maine has its own Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (32 M.R.S. 11001 et seq.), enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, which also licenses debt collectors operating in the state. The general statute of limitations to sue on a debt in Maine is six years under 14 M.R.S. 752, and Maine limits wage garnishment to post-judgment disclosure proceedings. This guide explains the Maine limitations period by debt type, the state exemptions a collector cannot reach, and how to complain to the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection or the Maine Attorney General.
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Maine?
Under 14 M.R.S. 752, most Maine debts, including credit card balances, open accounts, and oral and written contracts, must be sued on within six years after the cause of action accrues. Once that period passes, the debt is time-barred and a collector cannot win a lawsuit, though it may still ask you to pay.
Can a debt collector garnish my wages in Maine for a consumer debt?
Only after a court judgment, and only through a post-judgment disclosure proceeding under 14 M.R.S. 3126-A. A collector cannot garnish wages before it sues and wins. Even then, at least 75 percent of your disposable earnings, or 40 times the federal minimum wage per week, is protected.
How do I stop a debt collector from contacting me in Maine?
Send a written cease-communication letter. Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c) and the Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (32 M.R.S. 11001 et seq.), once a collector receives it, it must stop contacting you except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy such as a lawsuit.
What can a debt collector not do to me in Maine?
A collector in Maine cannot harass, threaten, or deceive you, or misstate the amount or legal status of a debt. It also must be licensed by the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection (32 M.R.S. 11031). Collecting without a Maine license is itself a violation you can report.
Maine's own debt collection law and its licensing regime
Maine goes beyond the federal FDCPA with the Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (32 M.R.S. 11001 et seq.), administered by the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. The Maine Act mirrors many federal prohibitions on harassment, false representations, and unfair practices, but it also imposes a licensing regime: under 32 M.R.S. 11031, no person may conduct the business of a debt collector without an annual license from the Bureau, and this covers out-of-state collectors chasing debts owed by Maine residents to Maine businesses. Collecting without that license can trigger penalties, so verifying a collector's Maine license is a real tool for consumers. Maine also restrains wage garnishment: a creditor cannot garnish wages until it has a judgment and the debtor has failed to appear at, or comply with, a post-judgment disclosure proceeding under 14 M.R.S. 3126-A. The Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection and the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division are the state channels for complaints against collectors.
Relevant Laws
Maine Statute of Limitations, 14 M.R.S. 752
Sets the general six-year limitations period for civil actions in Maine, covering most contract and debt claims including credit card and open-account debts. Suit must be commenced within six years after the cause of action accrues, after which the debt is time-barred.
Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 32 M.R.S. 11001 et seq.
Maine's own debt collection statute, enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection. It restricts harassment, false representations, and unfair practices, and under 32 M.R.S. 11031 requires debt collectors operating in Maine to hold an annual state license.
Maine Wage Garnishment and Exemptions, 14 M.R.S. 3126-A and 4422
Section 3126-A limits wage garnishment to post-judgment disclosure proceedings and protects at least 75 percent of disposable earnings. Section 4422 exempts a homestead of $80,000 (up to $160,000 for qualifying owners) and up to $3,000 in a deposit account.
Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. 1692
The federal baseline for third-party debt collectors, barring harassment (1692d), false or misleading representations (1692e), and unfair practices (1692f), and creating the 30-day debt validation right (1692g) and cease-communication right (1692c). It applies alongside Maine's own Act.
Regional Variances
Maine statute of limitations by debt type (14 M.R.S. 752)
Written contract
Six years. Maine applies the general limitations period of 14 M.R.S. 752 to written contract actions, so a creditor must sue within six years after the cause of action accrues.
Oral contract
Six years. Oral contracts fall under the same general six-year limitations period in 14 M.R.S. 752 as written contracts, measured from when the cause of action accrues.
Open account / credit card
Six years. Maine treats credit card and open-account debts as contract claims governed by the six-year period in 14 M.R.S. 752, running from the accrual of the cause of action, which is typically the last activity or default.
Promissory note
Six years under the general rule of 14 M.R.S. 752, unless a specific instrument or negotiable-instrument rule sets a different period.: confirm whether a distinct limitations period applies to a promissory note under the Maine UCC (11 M.R.S. 3-1118) before relying on this value.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Diary the 30-day validation deadline after first contact
Within 5 days of first contact days after startingConfirm the collector sent a validation notice and calendar the 30-day window to dispute in writing under 15 U.S.C. 1692g and the Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Note the date you received the notice.
Confirm the age of the debt against Maine's six-year SOL
Before making any payment or promise days after startingCheck when the debt last had activity and compare it to the six-year limitations period in 14 M.R.S. 752. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock in Maine, so verify whether the debt is already time-barred before you respond.
Send a written debt validation letter
Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice days after startingIf you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt.
Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop
As soon as you decide to stop contact days after startingUnder 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c) and the Maine Act, a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing.
File a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection or Maine AG
Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation days after startingReport the collector to the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection at maine.gov/pfr/consumercredit or (207) 624-8527, and to the Maine Attorney General. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult an attorney promptly about your options.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diary the 30-day validation deadline after first contact | Confirm the collector sent a validation notice and calendar the 30-day window to dispute in writing under 15 U.S.C. 1692g and the Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Note the date you received the notice. | - | Within 5 days of first contact |
| Confirm the age of the debt against Maine's six-year SOL | Check when the debt last had activity and compare it to the six-year limitations period in 14 M.R.S. 752. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock in Maine, so verify whether the debt is already time-barred before you respond. | - | Before making any payment or promise |
| Send a written debt validation letter | If you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt. | debt-validation-letter | Within 30 days of receiving the validation notice |
| Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop | Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c) and the Maine Act, a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing. | cease-and-desist-letter | As soon as you decide to stop contact |
| File a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection or Maine AG | Report the collector to the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection at maine.gov/pfr/consumercredit or (207) 624-8527, and to the Maine Attorney General. Because 15 U.S.C. 1692k generally requires suit within one year, consult an attorney promptly about your options. | - | Within 1 year of any FDCPA violation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Six years. Maine treats credit card and open-account debts as contract actions under 14 M.R.S. 752, which requires suit within six years after the cause of action accrues. After six years the debt is time-barred, meaning a collector cannot win a lawsuit to force payment, though it may still contact you to ask you to pay voluntarily.
Yes. The Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (32 M.R.S. 11001 et seq.), enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, adds state-level protections and, importantly, requires debt collectors operating in Maine to hold an annual state license under 32 M.R.S. 11031. This licensing requirement, backed by state enforcement, is a distinctive feature of Maine law.
Not without first suing you and winning a judgment, and even then Maine exemptions apply. Under 14 M.R.S. 4422, up to $3,000 in a deposit account is exempt from collection. Wage garnishment in Maine is separately limited to post-judgment disclosure proceedings under 14 M.R.S. 3126-A. A collector cannot seize funds simply by demanding payment.
It can. In Maine, a payment on an old debt or a written acknowledgment of it can restart the six-year limitations period under 14 M.R.S. 752, giving a collector a fresh window to sue. Before you pay or promise to pay a debt that may be time-barred, confirm how old it is and consider getting advice.
Complain to the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, which licenses and regulates collectors, at maine.gov/pfr/consumercredit or (207) 624-8527, and to the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. You can also file with the federal CFPB. Keep your call log and letters, because that evidence supports a state complaint or an FDCPA lawsuit.
Other Maine guides
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