Changing your name

If you were born in Maine, you can get a certified copy of your birth certificate by sending a request by mail to the office of Vital Records. By mail, the state will only take payment by check.

If you need to pay using a debit or credit card, you can use this online portal, which is approved by the State of Maine. This website charges an additional fee – it will cost $27.95 instead of $15.00 for one certified copy of your birth certificate. This site recommends using more expensive mail carrier for shipping, but you can also choose free shipping via the U.S. Postal Service.

If you are going to request your birth certificate by mail, this is what you will need to send:

• The name on the birth certificate (the name you were assigned at birth)

• The date of birth on the birth certificate (your birth date)

• The name of the city or town where you were born

• The names of your parents, as listed on the birth certificate. You should include your parents' current legal names, and any names they have used before (like a "maiden name").

• Your relationship to the name on the birth certificate (Let them know that it is your birth certificate)

• A phone number where you can be reached during the day (they might leave a message, so be careful if you share a home phone and want to keep your information private)

• A check for $15.00, payable to: "Treasurer – State of Maine." This will cover the cost of one certified copy of your birth certificate. If you need extra certified copies, they are an additional $6.00 each. If you know you are going to be changing your name or gender marker on several documents, it would be a good idea to have a few certified copies of your birth certificate. It's cheaper if you get them all in the same order.

• A photocopy of printed picture of a government issued photo ID. A driver's license or passport are the most common examples. If you don't have a government issued photo ID, you can send in two things from this list to prove your identity:

  • a utility bill

  • a bank statement

  • a car registration

  • a copy of an income tax return

  • a personal check with address

  • a previously issued vital record or marriage license

  • a letter from a government agency requesting a vital record (for example, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services)

  • a Department of Corrections identification card

  • a Social Security card

  • a DD214

  • a hospital birth worksheet

  • a license or rental agreement

  • a pay stub (W-2)

  • a voter registration card

  • a Social Security disability award letter

  • a Medicare or Medicaid insurance card,

  • a school or employee photo ID, OR

  • if you don't have any of these documents, other forms of identification listing your name, date of birth, and address may also be considered.

You will need to send this information to:

Vital Records
11 State House Station
220 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME 04333-0011

What if I can't afford the $15 fee?

There is not a form for requesting that this fee is waived, but in extreme circumstances, the fee can be waived (it won't have to be paid). At the moment, this can only be done if you send your request through the mail.

If you include a letter with your request, explaining your situation and why you are not able to afford the $15 fee, you might not have to pay the fee. You should be sure to mention if you are receiving any kind of public benefits (SSI, SSDI, TANF, SNAP, etc.), and if you have other expenses like child care, rent, or medical bills.

This fee waiver is not certain – it is up to the Vital Records office to decide whether or not they will process your request without the $15 fee.

What if I wasn't born in Maine?

You should check on what the process is to get a certified birth certificate in the state or country where you were born. If you were born in another state, the state where you were born may also use the same online records request company that Maine uses. You should also know that if you want to have your birth certificate changed to reflect your name and gender identity, you will need to do that in the state or country where you were born.

If you were born outside of the U.S. and aren't able to get your birth certificate (because those records weren't kept, or would be very difficult to get), you may be able to make a sworn statement, called an "Affidavit of Birth," instead. You should talk with a lawyer about this, if you are able to.  You can also call the GLAD Legal Helpline.

Name changes can be expensive. All courts charge a $60 filing fee. They also have additional charges for publication (see below), certificate(s) of name change, and for the forms themselves. Whether or not these fees can be waived (the Court will allow you not to pay them if you can’t afford to pay) also depends on the court. Even if the fees can be waived, it is up to the judge to decide whether or not to waive these fees.

Maine requires (in most cases) that when someone changes their name, that change be published in local newspapers.

What if having my name changed published wouldn't be safe for me?

One exception to this requirement is if you are a survivor of domestic violence. If this is your situation, and you need the Court to not publish your name change in the papers, or give notice to your spouse, you will need to prove that:

• You are a survivor of domestic violence
• You reasonably fear for your safety

You may be able to do this by bringing a Protection from Abuse Order to the Court.

If you are in a relationship with domestic violence, we recommend that you contact your local domestic violence (link is external) program: 1-866-83-4HELP(44357).

For more information on protection from abuse orders visit our other resources.

Another possible situation where the court could allow you to change your name without having it published would be if you fear discrimination based on the fact that you are trans and/or gender non-conforming. If you are concerned about this, you should try to talk with a lawyer if you can afford one. If you aren't able to afford a lawyer, you should call the GLAD Legal Helpline. They may be able to direct you to other information or resources in your area.

Notice to your spouse

If you are married some courts may require your spouse to get notice. This notice may be waived by your spouse by signing the probate form N-107 (link is external). Some courts may have a specific form for your spouse to sign so the Court knows your spouse is aware of the name change. Again, check with the Probate Court in the county where you live.

Note: The interactive version of this form N-107 is posted at maineprobate.net (link is external); our "N-107" link takes you there.

Maine law allows the Judge to order a background check for a person who is changing their name. In practice, they don't usually do this, except in York county (read more about the process in York county below, by clicking to expand that section). A court ordered background check is a possibility, but it is actually very rare.

Typically, a background check would consist of running your legal name through an online database to check for any past criminal convictions. Again, in all counties except York county, background checks are not normally done for name changes.

When you change your name, you have the option of amending your birth certificate at the same time. Many courts are used to doing these things all at the same time, and the process is more streamlined than if you decide later that you want to amend your birth certificate.

Note: It isn't required that you change the name on your birth certificate when you legally change your name – there is an extra fee to do this, and you don't have to do it if you don't want to, or can't afford it. Changing your name on your birth certificate will not automatically change the gender marker on your birth certificate. Visit "Amending your birth certificate" for more information on this process, and what to expect from your amended birth certificate.

If you do want to amend your birth certificate when you change your name, let the clerk know you would also like to amend your birth certificate when you get your name change forms. You will need to pay an extra fee of $60. You can only pay this fee by check, payable to "Treasurer, State of Maine." You will give your birth certificate and the check to the Probate Court, and when your name is changed, they will automatically send your check as a form documenting you legal name change to the Vital Records Office.

After this, the Office of Vital Records will send you an amended birth certificate, along with the original form (called a VS-14) from the Probate Court noting your legal name change.

Fees: $80 total, plus an additional $1 - $2 for the court forms.

Fee waiver: There is no fee waiver available for name changes.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Sun Journal.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $86, including forms and publication

Fee waiver: Can be requested at the Court. But only the $40 filing fee can be waived, not the fee for publication.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Houlton Pioneer Times (if you live in Mars Hills or South of Mars Hills) or the Aroostook Republican (if you live North of Mars Hills).

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $80 total, which includes the $40 filing fee, $30 publication fee, $5 for the name change petition and $5 for the name change affidavit.

Fee waiver: No fee waiver available.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Portland Press Herald.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $81, which includes publication and the cost of the forms.

Fee waiver: Can be requested at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Franklin Journal.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $110, which includes publication, but does not include the cost of the forms, which are $1 each.

Fee waiver: No fee waiver available.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Ellsworth American.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $95, which does not include the cost of the forms.

Fee waiver: No fee waiver available.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Kennebec Journal.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Birth Certificate: You will need to bring a certified copy of your birth certificate to file for your name change.

Fees: $70, plus $1 per form.

Fee waiver: No fee waiver available.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Courier Gazette.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $70

Fee waiver: There is a form that can be requested at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Lincoln County News

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $85, plus $2 - $3 for forms.

Fee waiver: No fee waiver available.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in The Advertiser.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $121, including forms.

Fee waiver: Can be requested at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Bangor Daily News.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Birth certificate: You will need to bring a certified copy of your birth certificate, which you got within the last six months, to file for your name change.

Fees: $122, including forms

Fee waiver: Can be requested at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Piscataquis Observer.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $70

Fee waiver: Sagadahoc County uses the standard court form and criteria for an “indigency affidavit.” Go here to learn more about this process, and to get the forms you will need.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Times Record.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $76, including court forms.

Fee waiver: Application available at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Town Line.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $82, including forms.

Fee waiver: No fee waiver available, but if you cannot afford the fees, there is a possibility that you can fill out a form about your financial situation, and meet with the Judge to set up a payment plan.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Republican Journal.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $77, including forms.

Fee waiver: Available at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the Machias Valley.

Background check: Not usually performed.

Fees: $105, which does not include the fees for the forms.

Fee waiver: A fee waiver form is available at the Court.

Publication: The fee covers publication. The Court will publish a notice of your name change in the local paper in the area where you live.

Background check: Background checks are always performed, but you will not have to pay for this background check. Ask at the York County Probate Court for more information on what this process involves.

This is the form you use to ask the Court to change your legal name. Here are some important things to know:

• You are the “petitioner,” because you are asking (petitioning) the Court to change your name.

• You don’t have to fill in the attorney information if you are doing this on your own.

• You don’t need to worry about filling out the “docket number” - the Court will take care of that.

• Where the form asks the reason you want to change your name, there isn’t a wrong answer. The Court doesn’t have an approved set of reasons for a person to change their name. People change their names for many reasons, sometimes just because they don’t like their name.

Here are some examples of language you could use if you are having a hard time phrasing why you want to change your name:

• “I am transgender. I want to change my name to better reflect my identity.”
• “I do not feel that my current name fits my identity. I want to change my name to fit better with who I am.”
• “I want to change my name because it does not match who I am or how I want people to see me.”
• “Changing my legal name is an important step in my transition. I want my legal name to fit my gender identity.”
• “I do not feel safe or comfortable with my current legal name. I want to change my name so that it will match how I feel and how I present myself.”

Remember, there are no wrong answers to this question. Just explain (it doesn’t have to be a long explanation, or in “legal” language) why you want to change your name.

The affidavit is another form you will need to fill out. It may be different depending on which court you are in. Basically, the affidavit is a way for the Court to make sure that you aren’t changing your name for an illegal reason, like trying to avoid someone you owe money to, or to get away from criminal charges. By filling out the affidavit, you are swearing that this is not why you are changing your name.

To complete the affidavit, you will have to have it “notarized.” This means that you will need to sign the form in front of a notary public. They will check your ID, witness you signing the affidavit, and then sign it themselves. Sometimes notaries are available at town offices, banks, or at the courthouse. Most notaries charge a small fee, or no fee at all.

If you get stuck filling out these forms, it’s ok to ask for help! The staff at the Probate Court are there to help people. If you feel comfortable talking with them, they can help you figure out how to fill out the forms and file them with the Court.