Debt relief in Maine: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Maine at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Maine | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards and most consumer debts | 6 years |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | Up to 25% of take-home pay; weekly pay up to 40 times the minimum wage is protected |
| State debt collection law | Maine Fair Debt Collection Practices Act |
| Who licenses debt collectors | Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection |
| Where to complain | Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Maine
Maine has its own Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (32 M.R.S. chapter 109-A), and every debt collector working in Maine needs a license from the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection. You can check a collector's license on NMLS Consumer Access, and collectors that break the law can face civil penalties.
Maine's rules track the federal law. A collector can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. without your agreement, threaten you, or misstate what you owe. It must send you a validation notice within five days of first contacting you, and if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, it has to stop until it verifies the debt.
Maine also sets extra requirements for collection lawsuits over credit card and student loan debts (32 M.R.S. § 11020), so read the papers carefully if you're sued.
How long creditors have to sue
Maine gives creditors 6 years for most debts, including credit cards, personal loans and medical bills (14 M.R.S. § 752). Witnessed promissory notes can have a much longer limit, but that's rare for consumer debts. The clock usually starts when you default.
Once 6 years have passed, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to. Get advice before making a payment on a very old debt. If you're sued in Maine District Court, you must file a written answer within 20 days of being served, or you'll likely lose by default.
What can be garnished in Maine
For consumer debts, a creditor with a judgment can take the lesser of 25% of your take-home pay or the amount you earn above 40 times the minimum wage each week, using Maine's minimum wage when it's higher than the federal one, as it is now. Because Maine's minimum wage is far above the federal $7.25, more of a low or moderate paycheck is protected than in most states.
Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in Maine
- Nonprofit credit counseling can roll your cards into one debt management plan, usually at lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- Pick an order: our snowball vs. avalanche calculator compares paying the smallest balance first with paying the highest rate first.
- Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Maine makes you use its own exemption list rather than the federal one, including a homestead exemption for the home you live in. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you what you would keep.
Where to get help or complain
- Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection licenses debt collectors and takes complaints about them.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Pine Tree Legal Assistance has free guides on debt collection in the Maine courts and gives free legal help.
General information about Maine law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.