Maine Death Records: Are They Public and How to Get Them

Maine is a closed-record state for death certificates. For the first 25 years after a death, only the deceased person's family, personal representative, or an authorized agent may obtain a certified copy. Twenty-five years after the date of death, the record becomes public and anyone may request a noncertified copy from the state.

Are Death Records Public in Maine?

Maine death records are not fully public until 25 years after the date of death. For the first 25 years, the state treats death certificates as restricted records that only eligible parties may obtain. This makes Maine a closed-record state for recent deaths.

The rule comes from Title 22, Section 2706 of the Maine Revised Statutes. Under subsection 7, after 25 years from the date of death any person may obtain a noncertified copy of a death record in accordance with the department's rules.

A few categories sit outside the 25-year window. Records of birth, marriage, and death created before 1892 are open to the public without restriction. Records of fetal death are kept confidential for 50 years rather than 25.

Maine's approach mirrors a national pattern. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics confirms there is no federal death-records database, because death certificates are issued and held by individual states. That is why access rules and waiting periods differ from one state to the next. For broader context, see Are Cause of Death Records Public? and our Death Records by State guide.

Who Can Request a Maine Death Record?

During the 25-year restricted period, only people with a direct and legitimate interest in the record may obtain a certified copy of a Maine death certificate. The state requires both eligibility and identification before it will release a recent record.

Under Section 2706, eligible requesters include the deceased person's spouse, registered domestic partner, descendant, parent, guardian, grandparent, sibling, stepparent, or stepchild. The deceased person's personal representative and an authorized attorney or agent acting on behalf of an eligible party may also request a copy.

People named on the record can obtain a copy with a completed application and valid identification. Those who are not named on the record must document their relationship or interest, such as a spouse showing a marriage certificate or a parent showing the child's birth certificate.

Acceptable identification is a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport. If you do not have a photo ID, Maine accepts two alternate documents, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or tax return.

How to Get a Maine Death Certificate

Maine death certificates are issued by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention through its Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS) Vital Records unit. Copies may also be available from the municipality where the death occurred or where the decedent lived.

The state fee is $15.00 for a certified copy and $6.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. A noncertified copy is $10.00. You can order in three ways:

Order Methods

• In person: Visit DRVS at 220 Capitol Street, Augusta. Walk-ins are generally welcomed during business hours, with same-day or 24-hour service.
• By mail: Send a completed application, a copy of your ID, the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail processing typically takes about 5 to 7 business days.
• Online: Order through VitalChek, the state's authorized online vendor. Additional service fees apply.

Always confirm current fees and processing times with DRVS before sending payment, since vital-records pricing and turnaround can change.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Maine?

The cause of death is recorded on the Maine death certificate, so it carries the same access restrictions as the rest of the record. During the 25-year restricted period, only eligible requesters who can obtain a certified copy can see the cause of death.

Once a death record becomes public 25 years after the date of death, the noncertified copy available to the general public reflects the information on file, including the medical cause of death. Before that point, the cause of death is not open to the general public.

If a death involved a medical examiner's investigation or an autopsy, separate rules may apply to those investigative records. See Are Autopsies Public Records? for how autopsy and medical-examiner files are handled.

How Far Back Do Maine Death Records Go?

Maine's centralized vital-records system reaches back to 1892, and records created before 1892 are open to the public without restriction. The state holds death records in this statewide system, with older records also available on microfilm for certain periods.

For deaths after 1892, the 25-year rule controls public access: once a quarter century has passed, the record opens as a public noncertified copy. Genealogists and researchers frequently rely on these aged records.

For nationwide research, the Social Security Administration's public Death Master File is another tool, though it excludes deaths within the most recent three calendar years under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. It is an index rather than a certified record, so it does not replace a state-issued certificate. You may also find our guide on whether Are Birth Certificates Public Records? useful, since Maine applies a longer 75-year window to birth records.

Maine Death Records at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about public-records access in Maine, not legal advice. Eligibility rules, fees, and processing times change. Always verify current requirements directly with the Maine CDC Vital Records office before relying on this information.

Sources

This page is based on the Maine Revised Statutes and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's official vital-records guidance, listed below.