Maine Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Eligibility

Maine CDC's Data, Research, and Vital Statistics office (DRVS) in Augusta issues certified copies of Maine birth certificates, and town clerks sell them too. The first certified copy costs $15.00, and each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time costs $6.00.

You can order in person in Augusta, by mail, online through VitalChek, or at a town office. For other states, see our guide to birth certificates by state.

Information last verified on October 8, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

This page covers ordering, fees, eligibility, corrections, gender marker changes and delayed registration for Maine birth certificates, based on Maine CDC's vital records pages and Title 22 of the Maine Revised Statutes.

How to order a Maine birth certificate

DRVS's Request Documents page describes three ways to order from the state, and a fourth option is a town office.

In person. DRVS is at 220 Capitol Street in Augusta, and walk-ins are welcome from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It provides same-day walk-in service, though on occasion there may be up to a 24-hour turnaround. You fill out an application, show identification and pay the fee. DRVS lists cashier's checks, money orders, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover as accepted payment.

By mail. Send a completed Application for a Vital Record, a copy of your valid government-issued picture ID that bears your signature, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and the exact fee by check or money order payable to Treasurer, State of Maine. Do not send cash. Applications without identification and payment are returned unprocessed.

Online through VitalChek. DRVS names VitalChek as the independent company it has partnered with for online requests (1-877-523-2659), and says it does not endorse any other internet ordering service. VitalChek charges its own fee. DRVS also notes that VitalChek can currently process requests for grandparents and prior generations only by phone.

At a town office. DRVS's Birth Records page says birth certificates can be purchased for $15 at Vital Records, at the town where the birth occurred, or at the town of the mother's residence.

For questions, DRVS lists VitalRecords.DHHS@Maine.Gov and (207) 287-1919.

No free certificate at birth

Maine does not mail parents a free birth certificate when a birth is registered. DRVS says to buy one from Vital Records or the town office instead.

How much does a Maine birth certificate cost?

These fees come from the fee schedule on the Request Documents page. DRVS says it does not have the authority to waive fees.

The $15.00 search fee applies to each search whether or not the record is found.

How long does it take?

DRVS publishes these estimates:

• Walk-in: same day, though on occasion up to 24 hours.
• Mail: an average of 5-7 business days from the date Vital Records receives the application. DRVS asks you not to call about status until your check has been cashed.
• Corrections and amendments: approximately 4-6 weeks.

Who can get a certified copy of a Maine birth certificate?

Maine is a closed-record state, so vital records are not public records. Under 22 M.R.S. 2706, custodians issue copies "when satisfied that the applicant has a direct and legitimate interest in the matter recorded," and the state registrar's or town clerk's decision can be reviewed by the Superior Court.

DRVS explains how that works in practice. Applicants listed on the record, which means the person named and the parents, get a certified copy with an application, identification and the fee. Applicants not listed on the record must also document their direct and legitimate interest, with an original or notarized copy. DRVS's examples include:

• A spouse (marriage certificate) or registered domestic partner (domestic partner certificate)
• A guardian (court-issued guardianship papers)
• Family not on the record, such as grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles (proof of lineage)
• An attorney or agent for the person named (a Vital Records Release Form or a contract naming both)
• People who need the record for a creditor, mortgage lender, Social Security or insurance purposes (a letter on the organization's letterhead)
• Genealogists (identification and a valid genealogical researcher identification card)

DRVS states that media representatives and commercial firms, other than those doing health, medical or social research, are not considered to have a direct and legitimate interest.

Under 22 M.R.S. 2706(5-B), the state registrar must make an unaccompanied or emancipated minor's vital records available to the minor at no cost.

For how Maine compares with other states, see are birth certificates public records.

ID requirements

Every applicant shows a driver's license, passport or other government-issued picture ID. If you have none, DRVS accepts photocopies of two items from its list, which includes a utility bill, bank statement, car registration, pay stub or W-2, Social Security card and voter registration card. The same ID rules apply to certified and noncertified copies.

Using a Maine birth certificate for a passport or REAL ID

DRVS's pages do not describe a long form or short form. For a first U.S. passport, federal rules generally require a birth certificate that shows your full name, place and date of birth and your parents' full names, is signed by the official custodian of birth records, carries the issuing office's seal, and shows a filing date within one year of birth (22 CFR 51.42).

The federal REAL ID rule lists a certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the vital statistics office of your state of birth as an acceptable identity document (6 CFR 37.11).

Correcting or amending a Maine birth certificate

DRVS's Amend, Correct, or Complete Vital Records page says corrections and amendments are governed by 22 M.R.S. 2705 and the department's rule at 10-146 CMR Chapter 2, and cannot be done at town offices. Under 22 M.R.S. 2705(3), the department "has the exclusive power to amend, alter or complete any certificate or record of birth."

Most changes use the Application to Correct a Vital Record in Maine (VS-7). You can mail it, apply online through VitalChek, or apply in person by appointment only. On a mailed application, your signature must be witnessed by an official authorized to take oaths or a municipal clerk.

If the record is more than 90 days old, you must provide two pieces of documentary evidence supporting the change. Include a copy of a government-issued ID (or two alternate forms of identification), a self-addressed stamped envelope and the $60 fee by check or money order payable to Treasurer, State of Maine.

DRVS says that if you are 18 or older, you must be the one to request a change to your own record. Parents listed on the record apply for a child under 18.

Under 22 M.R.S. 2705(1), an amended certificate is marked "amended," and certified copies of it are marked the same way. Administrative correction of clerical errors within 90 days after filing does not make the record count as amended.

Name changes and adding a parent

A legal name change requires a court order. The $60 fee covers preparing a record after a court-ordered legal name change, and after adding a parent's name on receipt of a court-ordered judgment of parentage, a certified divorce decree or a child protective order. Our guide to Maine name change laws covers the court process.

DRVS's amendments page also links Acknowledgment of Parentage forms, including one for a child under 18 (VS27-A) and one for an adult (VS-27A-1).

Changing the gender marker

DRVS's gender marker page states: "Maine law allows individuals born in Maine to change the gender marker on their birth record." Under 22 M.R.S. 2705(5), amendment of a certificate after a gender marker change is governed by section 2765 of Title 22.

• Adults (18 or older): complete the VS-7 application, sign it before a notary and send it with the $60 fee. An in-person appointment is available by calling (207) 287-3181.
• Minors: a parent or legal guardian applies, and a health care professional's declaration form is also required.
• First and middle names: these can be changed administratively only when done on the same application as the gender marker change. Otherwise a court order is needed, and a separate application costs another $60.
• What you receive: a replacement certificate. The original is sealed, and only the registrant or the registrant's legal representative can access it, except by court order.
• At birth: parents may choose a nonbinary designation, which displays as X, with both parents (if applicable) consenting on the parent's worksheet.

The gender marker page is undated; we read it on October 8, 2026. Confirm the current process with DRVS before applying.

Delayed registration: a birth never recorded

The Birth Records page says any person born in Maine whose birth was not previously recorded may apply for a delayed birth registration using Form VS-60. It is only for people one year old or older; someone younger than that needs a late filing of a birth record instead. Delayed registration is by appointment, and town or city clerks will help prepare the form and gather evidence.

The number of supporting documents depends on age:

• Ages 1 to 14: at least two documents supporting the facts of birth, and only one may be an affidavit of personal knowledge.
• Age 15 and over: at least three documents for the date of birth and at least three for the place of birth (only one of each may be an affidavit of personal knowledge), plus at least one document for parentage.

An affidavit of personal knowledge must come from someone at least five years older than the applicant. Except for that affidavit, documents must be at least five years old. The fee is $60, including one certified copy.

For a passport, a certificate filed more than a year after birth does not meet the federal standard for primary evidence on its own (22 CFR 51.42).

Home births

For a birth outside a hospital or birth center without an attendant, parents request a worksheet from DRVS, complete it, sign it and have it notarized. They must also provide two forms of evidence of a live birth, such as prenatal records, a newborn exam or a notarized affidavit.

Adoption

After an adoption, DRVS prepares a new birth certificate; the fee is $60, including one certified copy. Access to the original birth record afterward depends on state law, and our guide to Maine adoption records covers those rules.

Older records and genealogy

Maine's restriction ends after 75 years. Under 22 M.R.S. 2706(7), after 75 years from the date of birth, any person may obtain noncertified copies of birth certificates under the department's rules, and records created before 1892 are open to the public without restriction.

Genealogists can register for a researcher identification card, which costs $50 and is valid for one year. Under 22 M.R.S. 2706(8), custodians must let card holders inspect records and must issue noncertified copies to them. The fee schedule also lists a $25 fee for a noncertified copy of an 1892-1955 record whose microfilm copy at the Maine State Archives Research Room is illegible.

This article is general legal information about Maine birth certificates, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change, so confirm current requirements with Maine CDC's Data, Research, and Vital Statistics office before you order. Information last verified on October 8, 2026.

Related

• Birth certificates by state
• Are birth certificates public records?
• Maine adoption records
• Maine name change laws

Last updated: October 8, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a birth certificate in Maine?

DRVS charges $15.00 for the first certified copy, which includes a search one year either side of the date you give, and $6.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. VitalChek orders add a $15.50 processing charge.

Can I get a Maine birth certificate the same day?

DRVS offers same-day walk-in service at 220 Capitol Street in Augusta from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but says some requests may take up to 24 hours.

How long does a Maine birth certificate take by mail?

DRVS says mail applications take an average of 5-7 business days from the date it receives them, and asks you not to call about status until your check has been cashed.

Can I get a Maine birth certificate from my town office?

Yes, if it is the town where the birth occurred or the town of the mother's residence. DRVS says birth certificates can be purchased for $15 at Vital Records, at the town where the birth occurred, or at the town of the mother's residence. Corrections cannot be done at a town office.

Who can get a copy of a Maine birth certificate?

The person named on the record and the parents listed on it. Others, such as a spouse, grandparent, sibling, guardian or attorney, can also get a copy, but DRVS requires documentation of the relationship or authority (for example a marriage certificate, proof of lineage or a release form); 22 M.R.S. 2706 governs access.

How do I correct a birth certificate in Maine?

File the Application to Correct a Vital Record in Maine (VS-7) with DRVS, with the signature witnessed by an official authorized to take oaths or a municipal clerk. The fee is $60 including one certified copy, two pieces of evidence are needed if the record is more than 90 days old, and processing takes about 4-6 weeks.

How do I change the gender marker on a Maine birth certificate?

An adult born in Maine completes the VS-7 application, signs it before a notary and sends it with the $60 fee. For a minor, a parent or guardian applies and a health care professional declaration is also required.

When do Maine birth records become public?

Under 22 M.R.S. 2706(7), anyone may obtain noncertified copies of birth certificates 75 years after the date of birth, and records created before 1892 are open to the public without restriction.