Maine Birth Records

No, birth records are not classified as public records in the State of Maine. Maine is a "closed record" state. Therefore, records of vital events (birth certificates, fetal death and death certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) are only released to authorized persons. For example, a registrant (the subject of the birth record) or their legal representative.

Notably, Section 2706, subsec. 7 of the Maine legislature provides for the public release of birth records by state and local vital statistics offices. Under this law, Maine birth certificates remain closed to the public for 75 years. After this time, such vital records are deemed "public birth records," and any member of the public can request non-certified or informational copies from the custodians. The legislature also opens access (without restriction) to Maine birth certificates and records created before 1892.

What are Birth Records in Maine?

Birth records contain information about births and all circumstances regarding such events. They are vital records and are mostly issued as birth certificates upon request. The Vital Records Office of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) maintains and disseminates birth records in Maine. The Vital Records Office is under the Data, Research, and Vital Statistics Office (DRVS). A person’s Maine birth record commonly contain information such as:

• The person’s full name
• Gender
• Race
• Place and date of birth
• Parents’ full names
• Mother’s maiden name
• Date and place of registration and birth registration number

The Vital Records Office issues birth certificates as either certified copies or non-certified copies. A non-certified copy of a Maine birth certificate is commonly used for informational purposes and is generally available to members of the public. It is printed on white paper and contains all or part of the information found in an original birth record. It, however, cannot serve any legal or official purpose. It is mostly used for genealogical and investigative research. In contrast, a certified copy of a Maine birth certificate is useful for various legal functions, and access is restricted to specific individuals.

Besides proving a person’s identity and citizenship, a Maine birth record also qualifies an individual for the following:

• Driver’s license application
• Social security
• Access to Medicaid
• Enrollment in a school
• Employment
• Passport
• Retirement benefits
• Marriage license
• Genealogy purpose

Where to Find Public Birth Records in Maine

As explained previously, Maine considers the phrase "public birth records" to mean any birth record 75 years or older from the date of birth and any Maine birth record filed before January 1, 1892. Such vital records can be found at the municipal and state level.

Regionally, Maine public birth records are available at the municipal (city/town) clerk's office situated where a child was born or where the child's mother resided at the time of birth.

At the state level, Maine public birth records can be found at the Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office, a unit of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (or Maine CDC). However, the DRVS does not maintain records of births that occurred before 1892. For those public birth records, an individual may contact the Maine State Archives (or an applicable municipal clerk's office).

How to Find and Request Birth Records Online in Maine

The DHHS Vital Records Office does not have any provision for individuals who wish to look up or obtain birth records online in Maine. However, persons may request Maine birth records online through approved third-party vital records service providers. Generally, third-party online vendors charge requesters additional fees for using their services or requesting an expedited service. A requester must provide accurate information when ordering birth records online to enable a quick turnaround time.

Interestingly, many municipal clerk's offices provide an online system where individuals can place online orders for Maine birth certificates. The state government also has a Municipal Vital Records Request Service for ordering birth records from municipalities.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:

• The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
• The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.

While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government-sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.

How to Get Birth Records in Maine

The DHSS Vital Records Office is the repository for all Maine birth records of birth events whose registrations are less than 75 years. Records of births that occurred in Maine before 1892 are available as informational copies at the Maine State Archives. They are also available at the offices of clerks of municipalities where such births occurred. Pre- 1892 birth records are issued on letterheads from the clerks’ offices or the state archives office. The Vital Records Office provides both mail-in or in-person services for birth record requests.

To obtain Maine birth records for births occurring after 1892, requesters must first confirm their eligibility, since only certain persons can obtain such records. Eligible persons include individuals named on the birth records and persons with proof of relationship to them (for example, legal representatives). An applicant who can show a direct and legitimate interest in a birth record is also qualified to obtain a copy of such a record.

How to Get Main Birth Records in Person

The DHHS Vital Records Office provides walk-in services to persons who want to obtain certified copies of Maine birth records in person. Requesters should complete the Application of a Search and Certified Copy of a Vital Record Form and attach copies of their valid IDs. Municipal clerk offices across the state also provide walk-in services for Maine birth record requesters.

How to Get Main Birth Records by Mail

Mail-in requesters must complete the Application of a Search and Certified Copy of a Vital Record Form and pay the applicable fees. They must also enclose a copy of their valid government-issued ID and self-addressed stamped envelope with the Maine birth certificate application, then mail all to the Vital Records Office. Proof of relationship to persons named on requested birth records or direct and legitimate interest in the records should also be attached if applicable. To avoid a delay in processing a request, an applicant must ensure to provide the following information accurately:

• The full name of the record owner (Registrant)
• Registrant’s date of birth
• The place of birth (city/town where the event occurred in)
• Mother’s maiden name
• The requester’s daytime telephone number

Acceptable government-issued photo IDs for requesting Maine birth records include driver’s license and passport. Persons who do not possess valid IDs must present two other forms of identity documents bearing their names. Such documents include:

• Utility bill
• Bank statement
• Car registration
• Copy of an income tax return
• Personal check with address
• Previously issued vital record or marriage license
• Letter from a government agency requesting a vital record (for example, the DHHS)
• Department of Corrections identification card
• Social Security card
• License or rental agreement
• Pay stub (W-2)
• Voter registration card
• Medicare or Medicaid insurance card
• School or employee photo ID

Where Can I Find Birth Records in Maine?

Birth records are available at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the legal custodian of all the Maine birth records. To obtain certified copies of birth records in Maine, requesters may submit completed applications in person or by mail at/to:

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC)
11 State House Station
220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

Before May 1, 2015, the State Archives maintained and disseminated birth records dating from 1892 to 1922. But these records are no longer available there, having been electronically stored in digital formats. They are now available at the DHHS Vital Records Office.

Municipal Offices

Birth records registered in Maine before 1892 are available at the municipal offices where such births occurred. Interested persons can obtain such records by contacting the clerks of the towns/cities where the vital events happened. State law mandates the filing of birth records at the municipal clerk’s office in the town/city where births occur.

How to Get Birth Records From a Hospital in Maine

Hospitals in Maine are not authorized to issue birth records. Persons interested in obtaining one should do so at the DHSS Vital Records Office.

Can Anyone Get a Copy of a Birth Certificate in Maine?

Maine birth records are closed records, and members of the public are restricted from inspecting or copying them. Per state law, access to birth records is limited to individuals legally qualified to obtain them. Such individuals include:

• The person whose name appears on the birth certificate (Registrant)
• Registrant’s spouse or their registered domestic partner
• The parent(s) named on the record
• Descendants of the person named on the record
• The legal representative, custodian, or guardian of the registrant
• Genealogists who have a Maine CDC-issued researcher card.

However, registered genealogists can only obtain non-certified copies of birth records if they meet all the required criteria for obtaining certified copies.

How Much Does a Birth Certificate Cost in Maine?

In Maine, a certified copy of a birth certificate costs $15 per copy, while a non-certified copy attracts a $10 fee. Additional copies of the same birth certificate cost $6 per copy when requested at the same time. These fees apply for both mail-in and in-person birth record requests.

Maine's birth certificate fee covers the cost of a record search and one certified copy of the birth certificate if found. All payments are non-refundable regardless of whether the records are found or not. A record search is usually conducted within three years: one year before and a year after the stated date of birth. The Vital Records Office only accepts payments made with checks or money orders. They do not permit credit card payments like the third-party vital records providers that process online orders for Maine birth certificates.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Birth Certificate in Maine?

The standard processing time for mail-in birth certificate requests in Maine is between seven to ten business days. Most in-person requests are processed on the same day of the Maine birth certificate application. The Vital Records Office reserves the right to mail out certificates requested in-person the following business day, depending on the volume of requests. Online orders of birth records are generally processed the next business day.

How to Get a New Birth Certificate in Maine

The Maine legislature gives the state Vital Records Office the exclusive right to amend, correct, or complete a birth record to preserve the integrity of vital records kept and issued by official government custodians. According to 22 MRSA § 2765, the state registrar can issue new Maine birth certificates under the following circumstances:

• When the registrar receives a certificate of adoption or certified copy of an adoption decree, along with the information required to identify the original birth certificate and create a new one. The only exception is if the adoptive parents or adoptee (if at least 18 years) declines the production of a new birth certificate.
• When the registrar receives a request to create a new certificate after legitimation. (Per the law, legitimation occurs when a mother is unmarried at the time of a child's birth but later weds the biological father or when a mother was married at the time of birth but not to the child's biological father.)
• When the registrar receives an application for gender marker change.

Persons authorized to submit a Maine birth certificate application for a new birth record include the registrant (if 18 years old), their parent, and a legal guardian. To get a new birth certificate in Maine, an individual must mail the appropriate application form, along with the required supporting documentation and fee, to the Maine CDC Vital Records Office. An application may also be sent electronically through an approved third-party online vendor.

The supporting documentation and fee requirements vary based on the certificate request type. For instance, a birth mother requesting their child's new certificate after legitimation must submit an Application for an Amended Birth Record Following Legitimation (Form VS8). This application must carry the notarized signatures of both parents. The applicant must also provide a certified copy of their marriage record, a divorce decree or court determination (if married at the time of birth or conception), and a check or money order of $60 made out to the "Treasurer, State of Maine". The $60 processing fee includes one certified copy of the new birth certificate. On the other hand, a registrant, parent, or guardian applying for gender marker change must submit a notarized application, a copy of their photo ID, and $15 for a certified copy of the new birth certificate.

Generally, any additional copy of a new birth certificate requested at the application time costs $6.

According to the Maine CDC Vital Records Office, the processing time for new birth records in Maine is four to six weeks. However, individuals who place orders via the third-party online vendor are charged an additional fee for an expedited service.

For more information about Maine's new birth certificate application process, an individual can review the Maine CDC's Amend, Correct or Complete a Vital Record page or Chapter 2 of DHHS 10-146, which describes amendment types, eligible requesters, and the supporting documentation requirements. A person can also call (207) 287-3771 to speak to vital records staff.

Note: Pursuant to 22 MRSA § 2765, subsec. 5, the Maine Vital Records Office provides each municipal clerk with a copy of every new birth certificate, so long as the clerk's office is mandated by law to receive it. Subsequently, individuals can request the new birth records from a town or city clerk's office or the state bureau of vital statistics.

Can You Find Maine Birth Certificates Online?

No. Maine birth certificates are confidential vital records. As a result, the vital records offices in Maine do not provide these records on their official websites or allow interested individuals to check the availability of birth certificates via web-based portals.

To find any Maine birth certificate, an individual must submit an application, valid identification, and fee to an official government custodian. However, a person may find Maine public birth records on some third-party public record sites.

How to Expunge Your Birth Records in Maine

Generally, Maine does not make provisions for expunging records, birth records inclusive. Expungement is the deletion of the content in a person’s record in a way that makes it seem the event never happened.

How to Seal Your Birth Records in Maine

Per state law, Maine adoption records are automatically sealed and removed from public inspection. Hence, individuals do not have to file a petition to seal adoption records to obtain a court order authorizing non-disclosure.

The following persons can access a sealed birth record in an adoption file and obtain a certified copy of an adoptee’s Maine birth certificate:

• The adoptee
• The adoptee’s attorney
• The adoptee’s descendants (if the adoptee is deceased)

How to Unseal Your Birth Records in Maine

In Maine, adult adoptees have unrestricted access to their birth records and do not require court orders to unseal them. Nevertheless, they are required by law to provide documentation to confirm their identities. Other persons eligible to request Maine adoption records are the adoptees’ attorneys and adoptees’ descendants (if the adoptees are deceased). Adoptees must satisfy the following requirements to unseal their birth records in Maine:

• They must be at least 18 years of age
• Their births must have occurred in the state.

The State Registrar issues non-certified copies of adoptees’ original birth certificates upon requests. Applicants must submit a completed Application for Copy of Non-Certified Original Birth Certificate along with a valid proof of identification and applicable fees to be eligible. The Registrar typically provides adoptees with any contact preference form or medical history form completed by birth parents at the point of adoption.

Who Signs Birth and Death Certificates in Maine?

When a live birth takes place in a hospital or institution in Maine, or en route to a hospital or institution, the individual in charge of the institution or their authorized designee signs the Maine birth certificate (22 MRSA § 2761). However, if the birth occurred outside an institution, one of the following people, listed in the order of priority, will sign the certificate:

• The physician or other individual in attendance at the time of the birth or immediately after;
• The father;
• The mother; or
• The person managing the premises where the birth took place.

Meanwhile, per 22 MRSA § 2842, persons authorized to sign Maine death certificates include:

• A state-licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant knowledgeable about the decedent's recent medical condition. However, suppose the death occurred naturally, and the physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant was the attending healthcare provider. In that case, the death certificate may be signed by:
  • A physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner permitted to practice at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs at Togus or another federal medical facility within Maine.
  • A physician, advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or physician assistant licensed to practice in Vermont, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts and who, at the Chief Medical Examiner's request, is willing to do so.

  What is a Maine Birth Index?

  A birth index or registry is a catalog of births registered within a municipality or state. It often features a child's full name, place of birth, date of birth, the birth parents' names, and file number, thereby allowing individuals to obtain information about a birth record or its file location. Typically, the public can find a birth index on the official websites of vital records offices or local/state archives.

  However, vital records offices in the State of Maine do not provide a Maine birth index to the public, as Maine birth records have restricted access. These offices only issue certified or non-certified (informational) copies of Maine birth certificates. Hence, anyone looking to search the Maine birth index must pay a search fee to a local or state vital statistics office, and the office will issue a certificate if the record is found.

  It is worth mentioning that individuals may find a Maine birth index on third-party sites that acquire records from official government custodians. However, these are usually earlier records of the Maine vital events (birth indexes 100 years and older), and availability varies among providers.