# Maintenance Requirement

> Maintenance Requirement means the value of collateral to be maintained in [Securities Account], determined by [Lender] periodically.

**Term:** Maintenance Requirement  
**Last updated:** 2026-07-29

## Definition

## What Maintenance Requirement Means in a Contract

A Maintenance Requirement is the minimum value of collateral, cash, or other qualifying assets that a party must continuously maintain in a specified account for the duration of a financing or margin arrangement. It functions as a floor. If the value held in the account drops below that floor, the agreement usually obligates the party to restore the shortfall promptly, often within a defined cure period, or face default consequences such as liquidation of collateral.

This concept is most common in secured lending, margin lending, and securities financing arrangements, where a lender wants ongoing assurance that its exposure remains adequately covered. Unlike a one-time collateral pledge made at closing, a Maintenance Requirement is dynamic. It is recalculated over time to reflect market movements, changes in the value of pledged assets, or adjustments to the lender's risk assessment.

Because the requirement can change, the contract must clearly state who determines it, how often it is reassessed, and what notice, if any, the counterparty receives before a new figure takes effect. Ambiguity here creates uncertainty about when a party is actually in breach.

## How Maintenance Requirement Is Defined or Measured

Typically, the Maintenance Requirement is expressed either as a fixed dollar or currency amount, a percentage of an outstanding loan or exposure, or a formula tied to the market value of specific collateral. Many agreements use a loan-to-value ratio, meaning the required collateral value rises and falls proportionally with the size of the underlying obligation.

The measurement mechanism usually specifies:

- The valuation method for collateral, such as market price, appraised value, or a haircut applied to certain asset classes
- The frequency of recalculation, whether daily, weekly, or upon a triggering event
- The party responsible for calculating and certifying compliance, often the lender or a custodian
- The consequences of a shortfall, including cure periods and default remedies

Because the lender is frequently given authority to determine the requirement.

## Context

### Relevant circumstances

- When a loan agreement is secured through collateral.
- When a lender is periodically reviewing the value of an asset to manage risk.

### Relevant sectors

- Banking and Finance
- Real Estate

## Relevant contract types

- [Mortgage Agreement](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/template-type/mortgage-agreement)
- [Loan Agreement](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/template-type/loan-agreement)
- [Real Estate Contract](https://www.genieai.co/en-us/template-type/real-estate-contract)

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