Maine Criminal Records

Understand Maine SBI criminal history coverage

Maine State Police State Bureau of Identification (SBI) criminal history requests cover Maine-held records for convictions, adjudications, and pending cases less than one year old. This is not a national or interstate all-events history. Adult and juvenile dissemination rules differ. Ordinary juvenile information is generally limited to murder and Class A, B, or C equivalent offenses unless another legal exception applies.

Request a Maine SBI record search

The public online request uses the subject’s full name and date of birth. Requests may use credit card payment or a subscriber account. The public search fee is $31 for non-subscribers and out-of-state subscribers, even when no record is found. Eligible Maine subscribers pay the $21 subscriber rate. An additional $10 nonrefundable notarization fee applies when a notarized request is selected.

Online transactions provide a transaction ID. If an expected email result is not received, check spam folders and contact SBI if the result is still missing after three weeks. Most requests are returned within about two hours, but manual review can take up to two weeks. Mail requests use a check or money order sent to Maine SBI, State House Station #42, Augusta, ME 04333-0042.

Separate Maine court records from SBI history

Maine court records are separate from Maine SBI criminal history. The Maine Judicial Branch eCourts access system provides free public case searching through re:SearchMaine where available, and registration for that public search access is free. A public Registry of Actions is different from underlying documents. Remotely available docket information and documents are not the same as the complete court file.

For participating courts, the free copy option applies to paper copies of public electronic records. Other public documents may require courthouse access. Nonpublic records require the applicable court-order authorization process. Legacy or inactive cases may remain with the clerk holding the record.

Request Maine court name-search results and copies

The OTH-009 criminal name search route uses name and date of birth, selected location boxes, and a $20 per name/location search box. A party may use the applicable own-party search exemption. Requests may be made by mail, carrier, or in person; email and fax are not request methods for this service.

Mail requests use a self-addressed stamped envelope and the Judicial Branch Service Center, PO Box 266, Lewiston, ME 04243. Carrier or in-person requests go to the Judicial Branch Service Center, 250 Goddard Road, Lewiston, ME 04240. A known-case copy request should go to the holding clerk with the case number and named filing information. Returned results provide docket or status information; underlying files and copies require separate requests.

General copy charges are $2 for the first page and $1 for each additional page, with attestation adding $5 per document. A $5 mailing and handling charge applies when no adequate self-addressed stamped envelope is supplied. These general charges are separate from free participating-court paper copies of public electronic records.

Correct Maine record information and interpret results carefully

For a Maine SBI record issue, submit an own-record correction request identifying the particular error, the requested correction, and the reasons for the request. SBI correction requests may be submitted in person or in writing by mail. The SBI contact number is 207-624-7240. The physical SBI location is 45 Commerce Drive, Suite 1, Augusta. Written mail requests use the mailing address: State Bureau of Identification, State House Station #42, Augusta, ME 04333-0042.

SBI provides a written finding within 15 business days. If the record challenge remains unresolved, review may proceed through the Director and then Superior Court process. Errors in court records must be addressed with the court holding the record rather than SBI.

Name and date-of-birth matches can be uncertain because similar identifiers may belong to different people. SBI guidance explains that fingerprints establish positive identity, but ordinary public name searches should not be treated as requiring fingerprints in every case. Keep SBI responses and court responses separate, confirm the product required by the recipient, check participating eFiling coverage, and ask the holding clerk about a specifically missing filing. An online absence or no-match is not proof that no event or record exists.