How to Find a Cause of Death in Maine (2026 Guide)

Maine records the cause of death on the medical certification section of the death certificate, and for unexplained deaths in the autopsy report from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. For the first 25 years after a death, both are restricted to eligible family and authorized parties, so the cause of death is not a general public record during that window.

How Do You Find Someone's Cause of Death in Maine?

To find someone's cause of death in Maine, you obtain the document that records it. The cause of death is written on the medical certification section of the death certificate, and for deaths the medical examiner investigates, it also appears in the autopsy report.

If you are an eligible family member or authorized party, you can request a certified copy of the death certificate from the Maine CDC Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS) Vital Records unit. Next of kin can also request the autopsy report from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

If you are not eligible and the death was recent, the cause of death is not available to you directly. People outside the family often learn the cause from an obituary, a newspaper report, or, for older deaths, from public records once the 25-year restriction has passed.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Maine?

No. The cause of death is not a general public record in Maine for the first 25 years after a death. It sits on the death certificate, and Maine restricts that certificate to eligible parties during that period.

The rule comes from Title 22, Section 2706 of the Maine Revised Statutes. Under subsection 7, only after 25 years from the date of death may any person obtain a noncertified (informational) copy of the death record.

State and municipal employees may not disclose information in restricted records, with a narrow exception for the annual town report (date of death, name, age, and location). The detailed medical cause of death is not part of that public summary.

Two categories sit outside the standard window. Records created before 1892 are open to the public, and fetal-death records stay confidential for 50 years rather than 25.

Where the Cause of Death Is Recorded

The cause of death lives in two official places in Maine: the death certificate and, in investigated cases, the autopsy report. Knowing which document you need determines who you ask and what it costs.

The Death Certificate

Every Maine death certificate has a medical certification section. The certifying physician, or the medical examiner when one is involved, lists the immediate cause of death, the underlying conditions that led to it, and the manner of death.

During the 25-year restricted period, this is the controlling record for cause of death, and only eligible parties can get a certified copy showing it.

The Autopsy Report

When the Office of Chief Medical Examiner accepts a case, it produces a detailed report. The Office investigates sudden, unexpected, and violent deaths and determines both the cause and the manner of death.

The autopsy report explains the medical findings in far more detail than the one-line cause on the certificate. It is requested separately from the medical examiner, not from Vital Records.

How to Request Records That Show the Cause of Death

You request the cause of death through one of two offices, depending on the document you need. Eligibility and identification requirements apply to both.

For the death certificate, eligible requesters apply to the Maine CDC DRVS Vital Records unit in Augusta. You complete a written application, provide government-issued photo identification, and, if you are not named on the record, document your relationship or legitimate interest. A certified copy costs $15.00, with $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.

For the autopsy report, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (housed within the Office of the Attorney General) provides a report to next of kin at no charge, and the statutory fee exemption covers one copy per family. Additional copies beyond that first one are charged at the standard rate. Next of kin is defined by statute in order of priority, starting with the spouse, then a domestic partner, an adult child, a parent, and an adult sibling, and continuing through further tiers including an adult grandchild, an adult child of a sibling, maternal and paternal grandparents, an adult sibling of a parent or that sibling's spouse, an adult first cousin, and other adult blood relatives in descending order. Other parties pay a fee, generally $35.00 for an autopsy report or $15.00 for an examination report. Reports in homicide cases have more limited access.

To request the autopsy report, send the deceased person's name, the date of death, and your full name, relationship, and preferred delivery method to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

Finding the Cause of Death for Older or Historical Deaths

For older Maine deaths, the cause of death becomes easier to find as the record ages out of the restricted window. Once 25 years have passed from the date of death, any person may request a noncertified copy of the death record, and that copy shows the cause of death.

Records created before 1892 are fully open to the public. For deaths in that range, the cause of death (where one was recorded) can be obtained without proving any relationship.

For genealogical research, the Social Security Death Index is a useful starting point, but it only confirms the fact and date of death. It does not contain the cause of death, so you still need the death certificate or autopsy report for that detail. For broader context, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Maine Cause of Death Records at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Maine cause of death records and is not legal advice. Access rules, fees, and processing times can change. Confirm the current requirements with the Maine CDC Vital Records unit or the Office of Chief Medical Examiner before you apply.

Sources

This guide draws on Maine CDC Vital Records, the Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and Title 22, Section 2706 of the Maine Revised Statutes.

Related: Maine Death Records and the Death Records by State hub.