Appleton, Maine

The Town Office has official birth records for children born in Appleton as well as those whose mother lived in Appleton at the time of the child's birth. 

By law, Maine birth records less than 75 years old, marriage records less than 50 years old, death records less than 25 years old and fetal deaths less than 50 years old are considered to be private. In order to inspect these documents, or to obtain copies, an individual must prove that they are permitted by law to do so. Those authorized to view or obtain a copy of a vital record include:

• The person named on the record,
• The person's spouse or registered domestic partner,
• The parent(s) named on the record,
• Descendants of the person named on the record (including children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to the most remote degree),
• The legal custodian, guardian, or authorized representative of the person named on the record, and
• Genealogists who have a researcher card issued by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Data, Research and Vital Statistics.

Effective July 12, 2010, all individuals requesting copies of these records must present positive identification and, if requesting the record of a parent or grandparent and you are not a registered genealogist, proof of direct lineage.

Registered genealogists may only obtain a non-certified copy of a record, unless they can meet the above requirements for obtaining a certified copy. They may only view or obtain a copy of a birth, death, or marriage record.

An application for securing a copy of the vital record must be filled out and presented, along with positive identification such as a driver's license, passport, or other government issued picture identification that clearly shows that the person requesting the record is who they say they are.  Identification requirements apply whether the records are requested in person or by mail.

For your convenience, you may download the application here. 

More information on this issue may be found at this State web site.   

The cost of a certified birth certificate is $15 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy when purchased at the same time.  If you call ahead of time (785-4722), we will try to have the copies ready for you when you come in.