How to Get a Certified Copy of Your Divorce Decree in Maine

You'll need certified copies of your divorce decree for nearly every post-divorce administrative task — changing your name at the Social Security Administration, updating your driver's license at the BMV, recording a property transfer at the Registry of Deeds, and filing a QDRO with a retirement plan administrator. Photocopies won't work for most agencies.

Where to Request Certified Copies

Certified copies must be requested from the specific Maine District Court that issued your divorce judgment. This is the court in the county or division where your case was filed — not the Office of Vital Statistics, not VitalChek, and not the town clerk.

Contact the clerk's office at your District Court directly. You can find your court's contact information on the Maine Judicial Branch website under the court directory.

What a Certified Copy Costs

Maine District Court certified copy fees are set by the Judicial Branch fee schedule:

• $2.00 for the first page
• $1.00 for each additional page
• $5.00 attestation fee per document (the court seal and clerk's certification)

A typical divorce judgment runs 3–8 pages, so expect to pay $9–$14 per certified copy. Payment is usually accepted by check or money order payable to "Treasurer, State of Maine." Some courts accept cash in person.

How Many Copies to Order

Order at least 3–4 certified copies. Here's why: the Social Security Administration will return your original after processing, but other agencies (BMV, mortgage lenders, retirement plan administrators) may retain the copy you submit. Having extras avoids repeat trips to the courthouse.

Agencies that typically require an original certified copy:

• Social Security Administration (Form SS-5 name change)
• Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (driver's license name change)
• MainePERS or private retirement plan administrators (QDRO filing)
• County Registry of Deeds (recording an abstract of divorce or property deed)
• U.S. Department of State (passport name change)

Some institutions — banks, insurance companies, utility providers — will accept a clear photocopy of the certified original. Call ahead to confirm before surrendering an original.

Requesting Copies by Mail

If you can't visit the District Court in person, most clerks accept written requests by mail. Include your full name (and any former names), your case number (printed on the judgment), the date the divorce was entered, and a check for the estimated fees. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Processing times vary by courthouse workload, but expect 1–3 weeks for mailed requests. If your post-divorce deadlines are tight — particularly the 30-day BMV notification requirement and the 60-day health insurance enrollment window — request copies in person as soon as the judgment is entered.

The Maine After-Divorce Checklist includes a tracking worksheet for all the agencies that need certified copies and which ones will return them.

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