How Long After Divorce Can You Remarry in Maine?

Maine has no mandatory waiting period between divorce and remarriage — but there is a 21-day window you need to understand before booking anything.

The 21-Day Appeal Window

When the judge signs your divorce judgment, it is entered on the court docket that same day. But the judgment is not technically final for 21 days after entry. During this window, either party can file a motion to reconsider or appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

If you remarry during the 21-day appeal period and your ex files a successful appeal, your new marriage could face legal complications — you'd technically have been married to two people simultaneously.

The workaround: Both parties can sign a written waiver of the right to appeal and file it with the court. Once that waiver is entered into the record, the judgment becomes immediately final, and you can remarry without waiting the full 21 days.

What You Need to Get a Marriage License

To obtain a marriage license in Maine, you'll need to visit the municipal clerk's office in the town where either party resides (or where the ceremony will take place). The standard marriage license fee is $40.

You must provide proof that your prior marriage has been legally dissolved. Bring a certified copy of your divorce decree — not a photocopy, and not just the docket number. The municipal clerk will verify the decree before issuing the license.

If you completed a name change as part of the divorce, make sure your current identification matches the name you plan to use on the marriage license. If your driver's license still shows your married name but you've legally restored your maiden name, the clerk may require you to update your ID first.

Timing Considerations

While there's no legal barrier to remarrying on day 22 after your divorce, there are practical reasons to handle other post-divorce administrative tasks first:

Name changes. If you restored your former name in the divorce and plan to take a new spouse's name, you'll go through the name change process twice. Some people choose to wait and change directly from their married name to the new spouse's name — but this requires careful coordination with the SSA and BMV since the divorce decree only authorizes restoration to a former name, not adoption of a new one.

Beneficiary and estate updates. Getting your estate documents, retirement account beneficiaries, and insurance policies cleaned up before entering a new marriage prevents complicated inheritance disputes later.

Health insurance. If you're currently covered through a marketplace plan obtained during your post-divorce Special Enrollment Period, remarriage is another qualifying life event. You may need to adjust your household income reporting and potentially switch plans.

The Maine After-Divorce Checklist covers the complete administrative timeline from decree to remarriage readiness.

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