Search For Maine Death Records

By Maine state law, Maine Death Records are confidential records and can only be acquired by authorized individuals such as the parents or legal guardian of the person named on the death certificate and legal representative. However, non-certified death documents can be requested by the public for genealogical purposes.

Significant files of the state, including those of deaths, are maintained by the Vital Records Office of Vital Statistics. It houses reports on deaths documented since 1923. Individuals can ask for a copy of this information either certified or uncertified for a cost of $15 and $7, respectively. Uncertified copies come from the State Archives and only cover death records dated 1892 to 1922. For similar type of file dated beginning 1923 to the present, applications must be sent directly to the office of Vital Statistics at Augusta, Maine.

Pre-1892 death records can be obtained by contacting the town clerk in the town/municipality where the event occurred. The availability of information during this time may vary since the recording of deaths was not yet made mandatory. The Main State Archives has an index of vital records before 1892 of 80 towns on 109 microfilms plus copies of most of the existing pre-1892 documentations. These early accounts are also accessible on microfilm through the Family History Library.

The state also provides online sources for free. It offers access to Index of Maine Deaths (1960-2007) and Name Index to Maine Deaths & Burials (1841-1910). In requesting, enter as much as you can of the following: name of the deceased, date of death, city/town of passing, your relationship to the person and a telephone number. The required fee must also be enclosed in the application inclusive of 5-year search.

A “Certificate of Failure to Find” may be given to you if there were no matches found in your request. Apart from the $15 search fee, an additional $6 should be given for each extra copy of certificate ordered at the same time. Check or money order should be made payable to Treasurer – State of Maine. Cash is not acceptable and charges are non-refundable. For expedited service, additional costs are applied.

With the rise of professional private records providers these days, retrieving Death Records is surely a breeze. Typically, you’ll get to avail exceptional type of service by paying a reasonable price. Choosing a paid service provider is worth it, though, since it renders 24/7 support, user-friendly database plus quality and instant results.