How to Get a Maine Death Certificate (2026)

A Maine death certificate is issued by the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS), part of the Maine CDC in Augusta. Eligible family members and legal representatives can order a certified copy for $15.00, with each additional copy of the same record costing $6.00. You can apply online, by mail, or in person.

How Do You Get a Death Certificate in Maine?

You get a Maine death certificate from the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS), the state vital records office within the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The office is located at 220 Capitol Street in Augusta.

There are three ways to request a copy. Each method requires an application, valid identification, and the correct fee.

Order Online

DRVS partners with VitalChek to accept online and phone orders. You can place an order at the VitalChek website or by calling the vendor directly. An additional processing and service fee applies for this option.

Order by Mail

Mail a completed application with a check or money order for the fee, a photocopy of your photo ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send your request to the DRVS office in Augusta. Mailed applications take roughly 5 to 7 business days from the date the office receives them.

Order in Person

Walk-ins are welcome at the Augusta office between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on business days. You complete the application, show identification, and pay the fee on site. In-person requests are often handled the same day.

Who Is Eligible to Request a Maine Death Certificate?

Maine restricts certified death certificates to people with a direct and legitimate interest in the matter recorded. The state issues certified copies only to applicants who are legally entitled to them.

Those who qualify include the surviving spouse, a registered domestic partner, a descendant such as a child or grandchild, and a parent or guardian. Maine Revised Statutes Title 22, Section 2706(5) lists a parent or guardian without limiting it to the parent of a deceased minor, so the parent of an adult decedent may order as well. Each must provide supporting proof, such as a marriage certificate, a domestic partner certificate, guardianship papers, or proof of lineage.

Other family members can also qualify if they show proof of lineage. This group includes grandparents, siblings, a stepparent, a stepchild, an aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, and in-laws.

Attorneys and authorized agents may request a record with a signed release or contract. Government agencies acting in their official capacity may obtain records for verification purposes.

Anyone may obtain a non-certified copy of a death record 25 years after the date of death, under Maine Revised Statutes Title 22, Section 2706(7). At that point the record is treated as public.

Maine Death Certificate Cost and Processing Time

A certified Maine death certificate costs $15.00 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $6.00.

A non-certified copy costs $10.00. Pay by check or money order for mailed requests, or by accepted payment at the counter for in-person visits.

Mailed applications are generally processed within 5 to 7 business days after the office receives them. In-person requests are usually completed the same day. Online orders through VitalChek carry an added vendor fee and may offer expedited shipping for an extra charge.

Certified vs Informational Copy in Maine

Maine issues two versions of a death record, and the difference matters. A certified copy bears the state seal and is a legal document accepted for estate settlement, insurance claims, property transfers, and closing accounts.

A non-certified copy, sometimes called an informational copy, contains the same data but is stamped to show it is not for legal purposes. It is useful for personal records or genealogy but cannot be used to prove identity or settle legal matters.

If you need the certificate to handle a loved one's affairs, request the certified copy. Choose the non-certified version only when you do not need a legally valid document.

How to Get Additional or Replacement Copies

You can order additional certified copies of the same death record at the discounted rate of $6.00 each. Request them at the same time as your first copy, or submit a new application later.

To replace a lost certificate, simply order a new certified copy from DRVS using any of the three methods above. There is no separate replacement process. Each copy you receive is an original certified record.

Estate administration often requires several certified copies, since banks, insurers, and agencies each keep one. Ordering a few extra copies up front can save time and repeat fees.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Fees, eligibility rules, and procedures can change. Always confirm current requirements with the Maine Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics before submitting a request.

For the full overview of access rules and how Maine treats these records, see Maine Death Records. To compare procedures in other states, visit the Death Records by State hub.

Sources

This page draws on the Maine Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics and Maine Revised Statutes Title 22.