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Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4582-B

Standards and certification

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026MaineFHA Design & Construction

Operative Text

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, §§ 4551–4640 (housing subchs.) § 4582-B
1.
Definition.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.



A.
"Builder" means the applicant for a building permit in a municipality that requires these permits or the owner of the property in a municipality that does not require building permits.



B.
"Design professional" means an architect or professional engineer registered to practice under Title 32 .



C.
"Standards of construction" means the 1986 standards set forth by the American National Standards Institute in the publication "Specifications for Making Buildings and Facilities Accessible to and Usable by Physically Handicapped People," ANSI A 117.1-1986.



D.
"Multifamily housing accommodation" means "covered multifamily dwelling" as defined in 42 United States Code, Section 3604.






2.
Applicability.
This section applies to multifamily housing accommodations constructed for first occupancy after March 13, 1991.






3.
Standards.
Facilities subject to this section must meet the following standards.



A.
Doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises within those accommodations must be sufficiently wide to allow passage by a person in a wheelchair.



B.
A route accessible to a person in a wheelchair into and through the dwelling unit must exist.



C.
Light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls must be in locations accessible to a person in a wheelchair.



D.
Bathroom walls must have reinforcements to accommodate the installation of grab bars.



E.
Kitchens and bathrooms must be accessible to and usable by a person in a wheelchair.






4.
Compliance with standards.
Compliance with the standards of construction satisfies the requirements of this section.






5.
Certification; inspection.
The builder of a facility to which this section applies shall obtain a certification from a design professional that the plans of the facility meet the standards of construction required by this section. Prior to commencing construction of the facility, the builder shall submit the certification to:



A.
The municipal authority that reviews plans in the municipality where the facility is to be constructed; or



B.
If the municipality where the facility is to be constructed has no authority who reviews plans, the municipal officers of the municipality.


If municipal officials of the municipality where the facility is to be constructed inspect buildings for compliance with construction standards, that inspection must include an inspection for compliance with the standards required by this section. The municipal officials shall require the facility inspected to meet the construction standards of this section before the municipal officials permit the facility to be occupied.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Maine law under 5 M.R.S. § 4582-B requires that multifamily housing built for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 meet specific accessibility standards designed to accommodate people who use wheelchairs. These standards cover elements such as doorway widths, accessible routes through dwelling units, placement of switches and controls, bathroom grab-bar reinforcements, and usable kitchens and bathrooms. Before construction begins, a certified design professional must confirm that the building plans meet these standards, and municipal officials must verify compliance before allowing the building to be occupied.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under 5 M.R.S. § 4582-B, builders of covered multifamily housing generally obtain a written certification from a licensed architect or professional engineer confirming that their plans satisfy the ANSI A 117.1-1986 accessibility standards before breaking ground. That certification is then submitted to the appropriate municipal plan-review authority — or, where none exists, to the municipal officers — as a prerequisite to construction. Compliant operators also ensure that any municipal building inspection includes a review of accessibility features, and that all required standards are met before the facility receives an occupancy permit.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 4582-B of Maine's civil-rights statutes establishes that residents of covered multifamily dwellings built after March 13, 1991 are entitled to units that meet baseline wheelchair-accessibility standards, including accessible doorways, routes, controls, and bathroom reinforcements. If a tenant believes a building was constructed without the required design-professional certification or without meeting these standards, they may raise this as a potential fair-housing concern with the relevant municipal authority or explore options through Maine's Human Rights Act framework. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services familiar with Maine housing law can help individuals understand what documentation to request and what avenues may be available.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Expression #1
Oct 21, 2026
Current
Oct 21, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Me. Rev. Stat. § 3604
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4630
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4581-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4632
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4622
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4613
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4551
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, ch. 337
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4630
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4553-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4581-A
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4632
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4622
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4613
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4612
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4611
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4614
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4551

Related Rules

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§ 100.201a Incorporation by reference.
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§ 200.948 Building product standards and certification program for carpet cushion.
§ 200.955
§ 200.955 Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standard and certification program for fenestration products (windows and doors).

Source Information

Source:https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec4582-B.html
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