Maine Death Records

Are Death Certificates Public in Maine?

Maine has a closed records policy; therefore, death certificates are not public. A written request or application, valid identity, and, depending on the record requested, possibly proving one's direct and legitimate interest or ancestry are all requirements for anyone requesting certified copies of a death certificate.

Maine death certificates that are less than 25 years old are regarded as private according to Maine law. Maine death certificates older than 25 years are considered public death records. An individual must demonstrate their legal right to access these records before they can see or request copies of them. Maine death certificates may be viewed or copied by anyone who is permitted, including:

• The person's registered domestic partner or spouse,
• The parent or parents listed on the record,
• Children of the individual listed on the record (including grandchildren and great-grandchildren),
• The individual named on the record's legal custodian, guardian.
• Authorized representatives, as well as genealogists who possess a researcher card provided by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Data, Research, and Vital Statistics

What Shows Up on Death Records in Maine?

Maine death records are vital documents registering deaths that occurred in the state. In Maine, death records are death certificates. These certified documents that used to confirm the identity of deceased individuals and, like most Maine vital records, are useful for personal and genealogical reasons. They also provide additional information about the deaths recorded. Typically, Maine death certificates contain the following details:

• Full name of the decedent
• Biodata of the decedent, including their age, gender, and race
• Where and when the decedent was born
• Where and when the decedent died
• Last known address of the decedent
• Cause of death
• Signature and name of a medical officer, coroner, or physician providing cause of death.
• Full names of the parents of the decedent
• Name and address of the funeral home tasked with handling the remains of the deceased
• Death record registration number
• The decedent's social security number (sometimes redacted)

Maine keeps a record of every death reported in the state for a number of reasons. Such records help it calculate its population growth and update census figures and voter databases. The state also uses death records to estimate the age distribution of its population. Such information is useful when planning and executing public health initiatives such as vaccination drives.

Surviving relatives of decedents, as well as their legal representatives, also need and request death records. A Maine death record certifies the death of the individual named in the document and allows executors to fulfill the will of the deceased. A certified Maine death certificate can also be used in court to establish parentage and lineage in guardianship and estate matters. Furthermore, the deceased's family or the named next-of-kin requires this document to claim insurance benefits and due pension payments.

Maine also allows genealogists access to its death records. They use such records to trace lineages and construct family histories. Medical scientists may also access death records as part of a search into mortality and morbidity trends. These records are helpful in discovering emerging health trends and collecting important health statistics data.

How are Death Records Created in Maine?

The funeral director of the home contracted to handle the final arrangements of the decedent is responsible for completing the death record. For individuals who wish to be cremated, the head of the crematorium is assigned this task. The person responsible obtains and provides the information requested in the death certificate. They may need to speak with the family of the deceased to get certain personal information, such as the names of the decedent’s parents and last known address.

The funeral director also brings the document to the coroner, medical examiner, or physician who certified the death and provides a cause of death. This individual then signs the document. The complete death certificate is then sent to the Maine Vital Records. This is the Division of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS), a unit of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. The DVRS allows funeral directors to register deaths online through its Database Application for Vital Events (DAVE) portal. Once submitted, the state’s Vital Records registers this document as well as the death described. Those wishing to obtain copies of the vital record may Failure to pay taxes, penalties or interest when due or assessed, or to comply with the tax laws may result in the following actions:

Liens may be placed upon your real estate, personal property, and property interests, including bank accounts, accounts receivable, security interests, and similar items. Also, the liened property may be subjected to tax sale then request it from the DRVS.

How to Find Death Records Online in Maine

Maine is a closed record state and maintains death records as confidential records for the first 25 years after creating them. For fetal death, records are considered confidential and private for 50 years. During these periods, Maine death records are only available to those deemed eligible. This means that they are not public records and cannot be viewed online. However, it is possible to confirm the existence of a Maine death record online. To look up a Maine death record, search for it using the Maine Vital Records Death Index. This portal is mostly meant for genealogists and municipal clerks. Users must register and login to access the index and search for records by the names of the decedents, dates of death, or locations of death.

The DVRS allows eligible members of the public to request for death records online. However, it does not directly accept online requests. Rather, it receives them through a third-party partner.

Considered open to citizens of the United States, public records are available through both traditional, and 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.

Death Record Search by Name in Maine

Anybody who wants to perform a death record search by name in Maine must order a certified copy of the death certificate. This requires an individual to complete an application form where they must put down the decedent's full name. This name, together with other death record details, will be used by the vital records staff to identify the requested death record. A Death record search by name can also be performed by making requests through a city clerk's office in the county where a person died.

Death Record Search by Address

When requesting a death record from the Maine vital records department, it is required by law that the location where the death took place be provided. The administrative staff can search for death records by using any address associated with the desired record or by using the place of death information supplied in the request form. This address can be the place of death or the deceased person's last known address. This address requirement also applies to the requester, who must give a residential or mailing address for the delivery of the certified copy

How to Find Death Records for Free in Maine

Maine does not provide death records for free. It charges nominal fees for eligible individuals requesting copies of certified death certificates similar to death, marriage and divorce records. It also charges copy fees for non-certified copies of death records that are no longer confidential and have become accessible to the public.

How to Obtain Death Records in Maine

Maine death records are only available from the Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC). Besides the main state vital records office, eligible individuals can also request certified death certificates from most of the municipal clerk’s offices in the state.

Maine only accepts mail and online requests for death records. All online requests go through the approved third-party request processor while mail requests must be sent to the state DRVS office and municipal clerks’ offices.

To request certified copies of a death record from the Maine vital record office, submit a written request along with a completed Application for a Search and Certified Copy of a Vital Record. Enclose a copy of your photo ID, a check or money order for payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send this request to:

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

Acceptable forms of identification include a passport, driver’s license, or other government-issued photo IDs. If you do not have any of these, Maine accepts any two of the following IDs:

• Utility bill
• Bank statement
• Car registration
• Copy of an income tax return
• Personal check with address
• Previously issued vital records or marriage license
• Letter from a government agency requesting a vital record
• Department of Corrections identification card
• Social Security card
• Military discharge papers, DD214
• Hospital birth worksheet
• License or rental agreement
• Pay stub (W-2)
• Voter registration card
• Social Security disability award letter
• Medicare or Medicaid insurance card
• School or employee photo ID

The state vital records office will also consider other forms of IDs listing the requester’s name, address, and date of birth.

Besides valid photo identifications, Maine also requires requesters to provide proof of their relationships to the descendants listed on the records sought. To establish a direct lineage to the person named in a Maine death record, the requester must present their birth certificate. The DVRS also accepts other proofs of direct lineage such as:

• Hospital or physician's record of birth or death,
• Baptismal record
• School enrollment records
• Military Records
• Court records
• Family bible record
• Newspaper engagement, marriage, or birth records
• An obituary
• U.S. Census enumeration record
• Insurance application
• An affidavit

When applying for copies of a Maine death certificate from a municipal clerk’s office, visit the website of the city or county or contact the office by phone. Maine municipal clerks’ offices may have different requirements for providing certified death certificates. They do have different request forms.

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

No. For the first 25 years after registering a death, only certain individuals are deemed eligible to view and obtain copies of the death certificate. Individuals allowed to get certified copies of a Maine death certificate are:

• Parents of the decedent named in the death record
• Descendants of the decedent including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren
• Decedent's spouse or registered domestic partner
• Legal guardian or custodian of the decedent
• Authorized representatives of the decedent

When requesting Maine death certificates, these individuals must demonstrate their relationship to the individual named on the record. Maine also allows registered genealogists to obtain copies of death records upon request. These must be genealogists with valid research cards issued by the DVRS. These researchers can obtain non-certified copies by performing a Maine death certificate search. They may request certified copies only if they are directly related to the decedents listed on their records requested.

Anyone can obtain copies of Maine death certificates of 25 years or older. For fetal death records, the seal of confidentiality is lifted after 50 years. When these become public records, the DVRS will issue informational or plain copies of requested death records.

How Much Does a Death Certificate Cost in Maine?

Maine’s DVRS office charges $15 for the first certified copy of a death certificate requested. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $6. The fee for non-certified or informational or plain copies is $10. These are not legal documents and have the words “not for legal purposes” stamped across them.

When ordering Maine death records by mail, pay for ordered copies with a check or money order. Make this out to the Treasurer, State of Maine.

The municipal clerks’ offices also charge the same fees for certified copies of Maine death certificates. When ordering from one of these, call their office to ask about their preferred method of payment.

The fee structure for online requests for certified copies of Maine death certificates is the same. However, requesters have to pay the approved third-party processor with their credit cards. There is an option to request expedited processing when ordering for Maine death records online. This costs an additional fee. Requested records are usually delivered by regular mail. To enjoy faster shipping, requesters can also pay extra for UPS delivery.

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

The DVRS takes 2 - 3 weeks to process each request for a Maine death certificate. This is not inclusive of the time taken to receive a mail request and the time taken to deliver copies of requested death records. Requesters can expect delivery to take a week after processing is complete. Deliveries to addresses outside Maine may take longer. For expedited shipping, you may choose to have the record requested delivered by UPS. Such deliveries take 1 - 2 days.

How Long to Keep Records After Death

How those surviving the deceased can keep the decedent’s records depends on the type of record. Financial records should be maintained for at least 5 years. This will allow for any outstanding audit of the deceased’s finances. Lien and property records should pass to those who inherited the estate of the deceased. These may come in handy when settling estate matters in court. The deceased’s personal records may be kept for sentimental reasons for as long as needed.

How to Expunge Death Records in Maine

Expungement refers to the permanent deletion of a record. Criminal records are the most commonly expunged records. Maine does not allow the expungement of vital records, including death records.

How to Seal Death Records in Maine

Maine seals death records by default for the first 25 years (50 years for fetal death records). Relatives and authorized representatives of the deceased do not have to take any steps to seal a death record during this period. After this period, there is no provision for sealing death records that have been released into the public domain.

How to Unseal Death Records in Maine

Maine automatically unseals death records after 25 years (after 50 years for fetal records). While rarely granted, it may be possible for someone not ordinarily deemed eligible to access a Maine death record during this period. The third party will require a court order granted after demonstrating the need for this record over the rule to make all vital records in the state confidential

How to Use the Maine Death Registry

The Maine death Registry has data on deaths that, in certain communities, go back as far as the seventeenth century. These Maine death indexes are in the form of archival documents and feature several record groups with data that can be helpful to those who are interested in family history. The use of the data on these death registers is free. This death registry is not available in any database online but the public can see these Death registry records, many of which are on microfilm, in the Maine State Archives Research Room, or by requesting these Maine death record indexes from the Maine Archives Department. Death notices can occasionally be found in a death registry, especially for very old entries. Anyone can reach the Maine Archives by Phone at (207) 287-5790 Email: maine.archives@maine.gov_. Additionally, fax requests can be sent to (207) 287-5517_

The national death index (NDI) contains United States Death records that can also be used to perform a death record search in Maine. The database, however, is only accessible to those who qualify. Normally, researchers can only use the NDI data for medical and public health research. The CDC website contains more details about the US death registry for those who are interested.

How to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person in Maine

Individuals can use the extensive database that the Maine State Library has gathered to search for obituaries in the state. Anyone can fill out the online request form provided by the Maine state library database to perform a Maine obituary search to find a specific person's obituary in the state. By entering this form, a search for obituaries will be launched on a database that includes information from online editions of five major Maine newspapers. Depending on the requestor's preferences, search results can be delivered through email or postal delivery and may take 5-10 days to complete depending on the format of the obituary search that is made. A $5 fee is required to use this service, however, it is only assessed if the desired obituary is located.

How to Conduct a Free Obituary Search in Maine

Utilizing any Maine local library or the library of the residence of the deceased would be a suitable option to conduct a free Maine obituary search. The Bangor public library, for example, has a free obituary search tool that consists of newspaper collections of obituaries. If there are obituaries, the Bangor Public Library staff will locate it for anyone upon a simple request. The only fee associated with the service is reimbursement for any copies that must be made.

What is Considered a Death Notice in Maine?

Basic details about a person who passed away in Maine are included in a Maine death notice. The deceased's name, age at death, date of death, place of residence, decadent spouse, birth parents, or any surviving family member, specifics of the funeral or memorial service, and information about charitable donations may be included.

What is the Difference Between Death Notices and Obituaries?

A death notice's sole aim is to provide a notification or public service announcement regarding the deceased. The information on the deceased given in the notice is briefly described. An obituary is a more intimate homage to the deceased and is written in their honor. Obituaries feature a personal touch and are typically referred to as a brief biography, in contrast to a death notice, which just contains general information such as the name and date of death. Death notices, as opposed to obituaries, are often written by family members or friends. Obituaries are frequently written by journalists and printed in newspapers with other items by journalists.