Open Public Record Act:

Maine’s Freedom of Access Act is a statute that grants the public access to public records and public proceedings of state and local government bodies and agencies. This means that all public records must be available for inspection and copying. With public proceedings, the public must be notified of when the meeting will occur and allowed to attend. There are exceptions to this such as legislative papers and reports, medical records, and personnel records.

Birth Records:

The Vital Records office maintains records of births in the state as far back as January 1, 1892. Birth records that are less than 75 years old are considered private. Only certain individuals are permitted by law to inspect and/or obtain copies of these records. These are the person on the record, the spouse or registered domestic partner of the person on the record, the parent named on the record, descendants of the person named on the record, legal guardian / guardian / authorized representative of the person on the record, and genealogists. To obtain a certified copy of a birth certificate, you will need to provide the following:

  • name on the birth record
  • date of birth
  • name city/town where the birth occurred
  • the names of the parents
  • your relationship to the person named on the record
  • daytime telephone number
  • a check made payable to “Treasurer – State of Maine”

The cost of a certified copy is $15 and $6 for each additional copy. All requests must be mailed along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and your payment to the address below:

Vital Records
11 State House Station, 220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

Marriage Records:

Marriage records are available from the Vital Records office. All marriage records that are less than 50 years old are considered private and are only available to the following individuals:

  • person named on the record
  • person’s spouse or registered domestic partner
  • parents of the person named on the record
  • descendants of the person named on the record
  • legal custodian/guardian/authorized representative of the person on the record
  • genealogists

To order a marriage record, you will need to submit a completed application form, the appropriate fees, and a valid photo ID. In addition, you will be asked to provide the following information:

  • name of bride (maiden name)
  • name of groom
  • date of marriage
  • name of city/town the marriage occurred in
  • daytime telephone number

The cost of a certified copy is $15 and $6 for each additional copy. All requests must be mailed along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and your payment, a check payable to “Treasurer – State of Maine,” to the address below:

Vital Records
11 State House Station, 220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

Divorce Records:

Divorce records can be obtained from the office of Vital Statistics. To order a divorce record, you must provide the following information:

  • the names of the individuals on the record as they appeared at the time of the divorce
  • date of divorce
  • name of city/town the divorce occurred in
  • a daytime telephone number

The cost of a certified copy is $15 and $6 for each additional copy. All requests must be mailed along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and your payment, a check payable to “Treasurer – State of Maine,” to the address below:

Vital Records
11 State House Station, 220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

Death Records:

All death records filed in the Vital Statistics Office are considered private unless they are more than 25 years old. Only the following individuals are eligible to order a copy of a death certificate:

  • person named on the record
  • person’s spouse or registered domestic partner
  • parents of the person named on the record
  • descendants of the person named on the record
  • legal custodian/guardian/authorized representative of the person on the record
  • genealogists

To order a death record, you must provide the following information:

  • name of the decedent
  • date of death
  • name of city/town where the death occurred
  • your relationship to the decedent

The cost of a certified copy is $15 and $6 for each additional copy. All requests must be mailed along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and your payment, a check payable to “Treasurer – State of Maine,” to the address below:

Vital Records
11 State House Station, 220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

Missing People:

The Main State Police Major Crimes Unit maintains a database of missing persons cases being investigated in the state. You can search the database by typing in the name of the person in the search box. Each case file shows the missing person’s photo, physical description, and the circumstances of his/her disappearance. You will also find the contact information of the law enforcement agency currently handling the case.

Elected Officials:

If you wish to get to know the elected officials in the state of Maine, you can visit the Maine Government website. You’ll be able to get information on all elected officials from the current Governor, Paul R. LePage, to all the legislators serving the state. You can even find the elected officials serving your area. Each official’s name, party, district, contact information, and website will be available to you.

Court Records

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Recorder

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