Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-09-11
16 of Maine's 16 counties — 100% — let an owner build their own home without a licensed contractor. That is the 24th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Knox County (95/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 1516 counties nationwide → Maine: no zoning → Maine: tiny homes → Full Maine profile →
16 of 16 Maine counties · sorted by Index score
Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Statewide rule. Parties to a Maine home construction contract seeking exemption from the requirements of Title 10, chapter 219-A. The contractor must specifically inform the hom…
Title 10, §1489: Exemption ↗Maine has no statewide residential contractor license; a homeowner may apply for permits and build their own home, subject to municipal code enforcement.
City of Portland (ME) Building Permits ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Maine state page for all 16 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
