Vital records in Maine are handled at the municipal level. Birth, death, and marriage records are maintained by local city or town clerks. The state office (Town Clerk (local) / Maine CDC (state)) keeps duplicate copies.
What this page covers: Maine vital record ordering, eligibility requirements, and related databases. What it does not cover: Genealogy records older than the state vital records system (check the Genealogy Resources page for historical records).
Where to start: For certified copies of birth or death certificates, contact Town Clerk (local) / Maine CDC (state). For marriage licenses, contact the Town Clerk or City Clerk in the county where the ceremony will occur. For divorce records, contact the court that granted the decree.
Common mistake: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees come from different offices. Do not assume one office handles all vital records.
How Maine Vital Records Work — Deep Dive
State-level: Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics
The Maine CDC Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (ODRVS) is the statewide repository for all Maine vital records dating back to 1892 (births, deaths, marriages) and is the office that issues certified copies for events anywhere in the state [www1.maine.gov]. Requests can be made by mail, in person at the State House Complex in Augusta, or online through an approved third-party processor. Fees are set by statute; the standard certified copy fee applies to each additional copy ordered.
Local town/city clerks — Maine's New England model
Maine is one of the New England states that still routes vital-records intake through municipal clerks. The clerk in the town where a birth, marriage or death occurred files the original record locally and forwards a copy to the state ODRVS. That means for recent events, the town clerk's office often has the record available sooner and at a lower fee. Bar Harbor's town office, for example, publishes a public-facing vital-records page describing how to request copies [barharbormaine.gov], as does Bangor's City Clerk for marriage licenses and certificates [bangormaine.gov].
Marriage licenses — apply locally, certify locally or with the state
Marriage licenses in Maine are issued by the town/city clerk of the town where either party resides (or where the marriage will take place if neither party is a Maine resident). After the marriage is performed and the license returned by the officiant, the clerk files the record locally and transmits a copy to the state ODRVS. A certified marriage certificate can then be obtained from either the issuing town clerk or the Maine CDC ODRVS [maine.gov].
Frequently Asked Questions: Maine Vital Records
Where do I get a Maine birth or death certificate?▼
From the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics at the Maine CDC for any event statewide, or from the town/city clerk where the event occurred for recent local events.
Does Maine have county vital-records offices?▼
No. Unlike most states, Maine uses the New England town-clerk model — vital records are filed first with the municipal clerk and then transmitted to the state Maine CDC ODRVS. There are no county vital-records offices in Maine.
How do I get a Maine marriage license?▼
Apply at the town or city clerk where either of you lives. If neither party lives in Maine, apply in the town where the marriage will occur. The clerk issues the license; after the ceremony the officiant returns it for filing [bangormaine.gov].
How far back do Maine vital records go?▼
Statewide registration of births, marriages and deaths began in 1892. Pre-1892 records survive only at the municipal level (town vital records) and in church records held by genealogical societies and the Maine State Archives.
Can I order Maine vital records online?▼
Yes — the Maine CDC accepts orders through approved third-party processors linked from maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/vital-records. Direct mail or in-person requests to ODRVS in Augusta are also accepted.
Vital Records Databases
8 official Maine vital records sources.