Maine timeline
Maine probate timeline: the 30-day wait and creditor deadlines
The simplified route starts 30 days after death.
Maine creditor deadlines are set out below against the event each one runs from.
Sources reviewed August 9, 2026. Latest primary-source re-fetch October 3, 2026.
The one date this page can source
The collection of personal property by affidavit route requires 30 days to elapse from the date of death. This is a precondition: the affidavit or petition cannot be presented before it runs, regardless of how straightforward the estate is.
1. Affidavit; duty to deliver property. Thirty days after the death of a decedent, any person indebted to the decedent or having possession of personal property or an instrument evidencing a debt, obligation, stock or chose in action belonging to the decedent shall make payment of the indebtedness or deliver the personal property or an instrument evidencing a debt, obligation, stock or chose in action to a person claiming to be the successor of the decedent upon being presented an affidavit made by or on behalf of the successor stating that: A. The value of the entire estate, wherever located, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000, adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 1‑108 ; [PL 2025, c. 76, §1 (AMD).] B. Thirty days have elapsed since the death of the decedent; [PL 2017, c. 402, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 417, Pt. B, §14 (AFF).] C.18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201 — Maine Legislature; Data for this page extracted on 10/20/2025 14:32:56..
Creditor deadlines
- From publication of notice to creditors
- Four months after first publication; notice is published once weekly for two successive weeks.
- From actual notice to a known creditor
- Later of four months after published notice or 60 days after mailing or other delivery.
- From appointment of the representative
- Appointment triggers the duty to publish, but no separate appointment-based bar is stated in these sections.
- Outer limit, running from death
- Nine months after death for predeath claims, if not barred earlier.
How these combine. Maine combines a four-month publication bar, the later of four months after publication or 60 days after actual notice, and a nine-month-from-death outer limit for predeath claims. These independent triggers cannot be reduced to one honest days value.
1. Notice by publication. Unless notice has already been given under this section, a personal representative upon appointment shall publish a notice to creditors announcing the appointment and the personal representative's address and notifying creditors of the estate to present their claims within 4 months after the date of the first publication of the notice or be forever barred. The notice to creditors must be published once a week for 2 successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the decedent was domiciled at the time of death. [PL 2019, c. 598, §4 (AMD).] 2. Notice by mail.18-C M.R.S. § 3-801 — Maine Legislature; Data for this page extracted on 10/20/2025 14:32:56..
General sequence: first week, how long probate takes.
Maine record: 6/6 verified, 18 matched checks, latest source re-fetch October 3, 2026. Source record · method · report a correction