Maine Marriage & Divorce Vital Records

Capitol: Augusta
Most Populous City: Portland
Total Area: 35,385 sq mi
Total Population (2010): 1328361
Website: http://www.maine.gov
Source: Wikipedia

Although Maine divorce records are court records in the public domain, Maine marriage records are subject to the 100-year confidentiality rule. The Office of Vital Records has marriage and divorce records from 1923 to the present but requires proof of direct family lineage to issue certified copies, with requests in person or by mail, or online through VitalChek. The Maine State Archives has the original 1892-1922 marriage records, 1922-1955 marriage records on microfilm, and an online index search for 1892-2009 marriages. Marriage record-keeping was mandated in 1828 but was inconsistent; the Archives has 700 reels of "Delayed Vital Records Microfilm" with historical town meeting and Maine vital records information, but only half have an index, and record-keeping was inconsistent. The Archives do not have divorce records or a divorce record index. Divorce records are court records, with records at the municipal level maintained by the clerk of the appropriate court.

For more information on Maine vital records, visit Maine Birth & Death Vital Records

Maine Vital Records Offices

Record Type: Marriage Certificates
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Vital Records
244 Water St, Station 11
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
Phone: 207-287-3181
Fax: 207-287-1093
Website

Business Hours: 8AM-5PM
Note: The website has a link to VitalChek for online ordering.
Record Access Requirements: Must give relationship to persons of record and reason for request. Data recorded in the section of the certificate specified as confidential is not released (i.e. race, education, etc.).
Search Note: Order form is at www.maine.gov/dhhs/bohodr/documents/vrform.pdf.

Records Available: Divorce Records
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Vital Records
244 Water St, Station 11
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
Phone: 207-287-3181
Fax: 207-287-1093
Website

Business Hours: 8AM-5PM
Note: The website has a link to VitalChek for online ordering.
Record Access Requirements: Must give relationship to persons of record and reason for request.
Search Note: Order form is at www.maine.gov/dhhs/bohodr/documents/vrform.pdf.

Records Available: Statewide Court Records
State Court Administrator
PO Box 4820
Portland, ME 04112-4820
Phone: 207-822-0792
Fax: 207-822-0781
Website

Business Hours: 8AM-4PM
Note: Access to trial court records is not available from a central location. All trial court record access must be done at the local level. The home page offers a variety of resources and information.

Records Available: Criminal Records
State Bureau of Investigation
42 State House Station
45 Commerce Dr, #1
Augusta, ME 04333-0042
Phone: 207-624-7240
Fax: 207-287-3421
Website

Business Hours: 8AM-5PM
Note: Generally juvenile crime information only contains information relative to offenses that would constitute murder or a Class A, Class B or Class C crime if the juvenile involved had committed the offense as an adult.
Record Access Requirements: Requests must be in writing. Will only do FBI fingerprint checks as authorized by Maine Statutes. Records are updated as often as records are submitted to this agency.
Search Note: Include maiden name for females. Also include purpose of the inquiry and name and address of requester. 63% of the records are fingerprint-supported. Fingerprints generally are submitted with arrest information to this agency by the police.

Records Available: Incarceration Records
Maine Department of Corrections
Inmate Records
111 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: 207-287-4376
Fax: 207-287-4370
Website

Business Hours: 8AM-5PM