Office of Vital Records
The Office of Vital Records located at 244 Water Street in Augusta, is available to take walk in requests. There is a 24 hour turnaround time for all requests made in person. You will be given a choice to have your records mailed to you, or you can pick them up the following business day.
The Program: The Office of 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:
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Collects and maintains records of births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and divorces dating from1892 to present, issuing certified copies on request. Records from 1923 to the present are physically housed at Vital Records. Records from 1892-1922 are housed at Maine State Archives. As of July 30, 2004, the Office of Vital Records is establishing and maintaining the Domestic Partner Registry.
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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.
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Ensures that all statutes, rules and policies are compiled for transportation and disposition of human remains.
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Ensures that all marriages occurring in Maine are legal joinings.
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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.
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Ensures the vital statistics information for the interstate exchange agreements are processed on births and deaths.
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Prepares newsletters for hospitals, courts, municipal clerks, and funeral directors.
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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.
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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.
Application form for a search and certified copy of a vital record (pdf file to print and return to the address below) with a long, self-addressed, STAMPED envelope.
Domestic Partner Registry information, applications
and instructions
Marriage Intention form
Application for Certificate of Marital Status form The Certificate of Marital Status is usually required for persons conducting business (usually getting married) in a foreign country. If you need a certificate of marital status or no impediment to marriage, please complete this application and send it, along with the appropriate fee outlined on the application, to the Office of Vital Records, #11 State House Station, 244 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04333.
Adult Adoptee Access to Original Birth Certificate Rules and Forms
- Chapter 12 Adult Adoptee’s Access to Original Birth Certificate (Rules) Word | PDF
- Application for Adult Adoptee to Original Birth Certificate form Word | PDF
- Medical History form Word | PDF
- Contact Preference form Word | PDF
Contact us at:
Lorraine Wilson, Supervisor
Deputy State Registrar
Address:
244 Water Street
11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Telephone: (207) 287-3181
Toll Free: 1-888-664-9491
e-mail: lorraine.wilson@maine.gov
