Vital Records
Individuals may request certified copies of a vital record from the Clerk's Office for a fee of:
- $15.00 for the first copy, and
- $6.00 for each additional copy the same day
Correcting a Vital Record
Vital Records FAQ
By law, Maine birth records less than 75 years old, marriage records less than 50 years old, death records less than 25 years old and fetal deaths less than 50 years old are considered to be private. In order to inspect these documents, or to obtain copies, an individual must prove that they are permitted by law to do so. Those authorized to view or obtain a copy of a vital record include:
- The person named on the record,
- The person's spouse or registered domestic partner,
- The parent(s) named on the record,
- Descendants of the person named on the record (including children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to the most remote degree),
- The legal custodian, guardian, or authorized representative of the person named on the record, and
- Genealogists who have a researcher card issued by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Data, Research and Vital Statistics.
Effective July 12, 2010, all individuals requesting copies of these records must present positive identification and, if requesting the record of a parent or grandparent and you are not a registered genealogist, proof of direct lineage.
Registered genealogists may only obtain a non-certified copy of a record, unless they can meet the above requirements for obtaining a certified copy. They may only view or obtain a copy of a birth, death, or marriage record.
Birth records 75 years or older, marriage records 50 years or older, death records 25 years or older and fetal deaths 50 years or older are considered public records and informational copies can be issued to anyone requesting them.
In order to prove direct lineage when requesting records concerning your parents or grandparents, a copy of your birth certificate will identify your parents. If your parents were married, this document can be used to obtain a copy of your parents' marriage record, which should identify your grandparents.
Other acceptable proof of direct lineage could include a hospital or physician's record of birth or death, a baptismal record, school enrollment records, military records, court records, a family bible record; a newspaper engagement, marriage or birth announcement; an obituary, a U.S. Census enumeration record, an insurance application, or an affidavit.