Criminal Trespass
17-A M.R.S. § 402 — entering a dwelling is a Class D crime, posted or fenced land a Class E
- Knowingly entering a dwelling place without license or privilege is a Class D crime.
- Entering a locked or barred structure, or a place that is posted or fenced to keep people out, is a Class E crime.
- So is staying after the owner or another authorized person personally ordered the person to leave, or entering after being personally told not to.
- So is being in a cemetery from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, outside permitted hours.
Who handles this in Maine: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maine directory.
Paint on the trees. Land may be posted with signs, or with paint marks: a conspicuous vertical line at least one inch wide and 8 inches long. A paint mark means access is prohibited without the landowner's permission.
Sources for this section (1)
- 17-A M.R.S. § 402 — Criminal trespass
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maine attorney.