Vital Records

Effective Monday, June 8, 2020, Vital Record's lobby hours will return to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Learn more on how to request certified copies of vital records by mail or online on our website at https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/public-health-systems/data-research/vital-records/order/index.shtml.

The Program

Vital Records provides vital registration services and technical services for the general public, health care professionals, funeral directors, hospitals, state agencies, court officials, and municipal clerks in the registration of vital records from which statistics are gathered.

The Problem: State and federal statutes require registration of births, deaths, fetal deaths, abortions, miscarriages, acknowledgement of paternity, court determinations and adoptions. Estimation of the population of each town in the state is another requirement.

Program Activities

  • Collects and maintains records of births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and divorces dating from January 1, 1892 to present, issuing certified copies on request. As of July 30, 2004, the Maine CDC vital records office has established and maintains a Domestic Partner Registry.
  • Provides other vital registration services: acknowledgements of paternity, corrections, supplemental cause of death, divorces, delayed registration of records, court determinations legal name changes on birth records, preparation of new birth certificates after adoption or legitimization, maintains the adoption reunion registry and maintains the domestic partner registry. Vital Records houses all sealed adoptions and legitimizations.
  • Ensures that all statutes, rules and policies are compiled for transportation and disposition of human remains.
  • Ensures that all marriages occurring in Maine are legal joinings.
  • Ensures the statutes, rules and policies are complied with for acknowledgements of paternity in order to add a father's name to a birth record.
  • Ensures the vital statistics information for the interstate exchange agreements are processed on births and deaths.
  • Prepares newsletters for hospitals, courts, municipal clerks, and funeral directors.
  • Prepares pamphlets to assist individuals through various processes approved by Vital Records i.e.- corrections, legal name changes, marriage packets, delayed filing of records and authorized pamphlets.
  • Requests: Approximately 11,000 certified copies are issued each year, 7,000 requests for services are processed and 40,000 telephone calls for information are received.

Contact us at:

Division of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics
220 Capitol Street
11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Telephone: (207) 287-1919
Toll Free: 1-888-664-9491