Maine Marriage Records
A couple intending to marry in Maine must be 18 or older. Interested parties under 18 but older than 16 must bring parental consent signed by a legal guardian to obtain a marriage license. A county judge can also give consent after a legal hearing. The individuals should not be married to anyone else at the time of the application. Requesters must provide divorce decree certification of all their previous unions at the county office when getting a marriage license.
Marriage licenses in Maine are issued at the city or town level. If both individuals live in Maine, they should apply at the town office where one is a resident. However, if they live in different Maine towns or out of the state, they can apply together in one of the towns. That said, they do not need to apply for the license in the same Maine town where they plan to get married. There is no waiting period when a marriage license is provided, but it is valid only for 90 days, after which it becomes void. The ceremony's officiant will be responsible for filing the certificate with the city or town that issued the license.
Maine has a median marriage length of 21.8, making it one of the states with the longest-lasting unions in the country. Maine is a closed record state, meaning parties applying for marriage information have to complete a written request. They must also provide the right identification and demonstrate a relationship to the parties on the record.
What are Marriage Records?
According to the state's laws, these records show that a couple is legally married. Maine’s marriage records are generated at the local level utilizing information the couple provided during the marriage license application. Marriage records may detail the spouse’s names, addresses, and dates of birth. They will also entail the identities of the officiant and the witnesses to the ceremony, along with their signatures. Maine marriage records can also detail the names, addresses, and dates of birth of each party's parents.
Marriage records are primarily used to provide legal proof of the union. They are required when onboarding a new employer, applying for spousal benefits, and changing one’s name. Maine’s marriage records are also necessary to access health insurance coverage through the spouse’s plan. They are also essential when filing joint income tax as a couple to take advantage of rebates and other deductions. Ironically, marriage records are also needed for divorce proceedings to continue. A marriage record can prove the legality of the union to begin the dissolution process.
According to Title 22, §2706, concerning the disclosure of vital records, certified and noncertified copies of vital records must be made available to particular parties on request. These include spouses, descendants, legal domestic partners, parents, grandparents, siblings, and step-relatives. County authorities are not allowed to disclose information on the record to outside parties unless they are satisfied the requester gets express authorization from the courts.
Marriages in Maine
Maine has one of the highest marriage rates in the United States, at 7.5 per 1,000 residents in 2021. This increased from 7.1 per 1,000 in 2010, which is higher than the national average of 6.2. Maine’s smaller, tight-knit communities and religious and social influence are part of the reason why many weddings occur, and marriages typically last longer.
In Maine, 54% of the people 15 years and older are married. 32% of the population has never been married, 11% are divorced, and 2% are widowed. The following illustrates the grouping of marriages according to ethnicity and demographics.
- White (non-Hispanic) - 51.22%
- Asian (including Hispanic) - 52.27%
- Mixed (including Hispanic) -29.53%
- White Hispanic - 41.15%
- Black (including Hispanic) - 34.88%
- Others (including Hispanic) - 34.73%
There were 10,362 marriages in Maine in 2022 and 3,376 divorces. Over the five years from 2017 to 2022, the number of marriages has ranged from 7000 to 10,400 yearly. The only dip occurred in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the state experiences 2.4 divorces per 1,000 residents.
The Municipal Clerk or the State Registrar who issued the license will ensure that the parties to be married comply with the laws. That is, they must be able to present adequate identification and fulfill all requirements. The cost of a marriage license application is $40 in most counties. The intending couple must get a copy of the marriage license and present it to the officiant before the ceremony. Once the wedding officiant receives the marriage license, the custody duties are transferred to them until the ceremony is complete.
Per state regulations, the parties to be married in Maine have to present a valid state marriage license to the officiant. The ceremony's chosen officiant must verify that the couple is of legal age. Marriage through proxy is not allowed in the state. They also have to confirm the license to ensure all party signatures have been appended and it has not exceeded the expiry date. Once the wedding is conducted, the officiant will have two witnesses sign the license. They will complete the ceremony section of the license and file it with the Municipal Clerk or the State Registrar within seven days of the event. The officiant will also keep a copy of the marriage license filed with the registrar. In Maine, the persons authorized to solemnize a marriage include Ordained ministers of the gospel, persons licensed by a religious seminary, judges, lawyers admitted to the Maine Bar, and notaries.
Maine Marriage Certificate
Marriage certificates are official documentation that proves a couple is legally married. They can be used by individuals and institutions performing research at various levels. For insurance and benefits, people may use marriage certificates to prove a relationship when onboarding at a new employer. They can also be used when applying for a name change after a marriage ceremony.
Considering they are legal documentation typically used for official purposes, certificates are only accessible to the parties of the record and their legal representatives. Third parties may also access these documents if they have court approval. Marriage certificates over 50 years old may be accessible to all parties, though. Marriage certificates are accessible from the Department of Health and Human Services or the Maine State Archives if the records are before 1892.
How To Find and Access Maine Marriage Records
Interested parties may find Maine marriage records in person, via mail, or online.
Finding and Accessing Delaware Marriage Records in Person
To access marriage records in person, the first option is to consider the city or county options. Search for the Clerk’s office location in the county where the wedding took place. Marriage certificates can be purchased in person at the Clerk’s office during working hours. Generally, appointments are not required. However, individuals requesting records must prove their eligibility to get the record.
Depending on the county, they may also have to complete request forms that illustrate their name and connection with the parties on the record. A copy of their government-issued identification will also be required. If photo identification is not possible, the interested party must provide bank statements, utility bills, or copies of income tax returns to verify their identities. Alternatively, parties may obtain marriage records from the Office of Vital Records from the Department of Health and Human Services in Maine.
They would also be required to provide relevant identification and proof of relationship to the names on the record. The fee is $15 for the first certified copy and $6 for each additional one.
Finding and Accessing Delaware Marriage Records via Mail
Parties may also get marriage records via mail at the county or state levels. Depending on the county, one may fill out a request form or write a letter including the names on the record, dates of marriage, and a copy of government-issued identification. They will also have to provide their names, addresses, phone numbers, number of requests, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Certified copies usually cost $15 for the first and $6 for every additional request.
At the state level, interested parties will download and fill out the Marriage record application form sourced from the Division of Public Health Systems. They will mail the request to the Maine Office of Vital Records. Attached to the request will be a copy of their IDs, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the record. The request will also take a few weeks to process.
Finding and Accessing Delaware Marriage Records via Online
Parties can now order and purchase a copy of their marriage records online through the Maine Municipal Vital Record Request service. The request may be completed within two days and mailed back to the requester's address. However, state laws limit access to records less than 100 years old to specific parties. One must also possess a valid United States driving license to use the platform.