Residential Heating Oil Tanks

The typical home heating oil storage facility consists of a single 275 gallon aboveground tank located either in the basement or outside the home. Aboveground home heating oil tanks are primarily regulated by the State of Maine Oil and Solid Fuel Board. For more information regarding specific rules pertaining to residential heating oil tanks, please contact the Oil and Solid Fuel Board at (207) 624-8608. Depending on the oil storage facility size and set up, additional rules and authorities may apply. Please see the regulatory decision tree below.

    • ME OSFB
      Heating oil tanks connected directly to an oil burning appliance are regulated by the Maine Oil and Solid Fuel Board
    • Federal EPA
      Oil tanks greater than 1,320 gallons (single or aggregate) are subject to the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule
    • ME DEP
      Underground product piping associated with an aboveground oil storage tank >660 gallons must be installed, inspected, maintained, and removed in accordance with ME DEP Chapter 691
Note that any or all of these requirements may apply

If the home heating oil tank is larger than 1,320 gallons or the homeowner has multiple tanks exceeding 1,320 gallons on their property, then they are required to implement a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan in accordance with federal law. (EPA-Off Site)

If a residential tank is larger than 660 gallons and has underground product piping, then the underground piping must be installed and maintained in accordance with Maine DEP's Underground Oil Storage Tank Rules (Chapter 691).

The DEP has also established the Home Heating Oil Storage Tank Replacement Program to replace unsafe heating oil tanks for qualified home owners.

Report oil spills immediately!

Call 1-800-482-0777 from within Maine 24 hours a day.
Additional Emergency & Spill Response Reporting Telephone Numbers.