Maine, Hancock County
Where Castine's records are kept. The Town of Castine has its own town government and clerk's office; county and state offices keep its other public records.
Start here
The cards below include Castine's own offices, along with State of Maine offices; the Hancock County offices are on our Hancock County page. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
City records
The Castine town office and clerk: birth, death and marriage certificates, licenses, the town ordinances and tax payments, with Freedom of Access Act requests for town records.
Open official site Castine Town ClerkCity records
The Town of Castine site: building permits, meeting agendas and minutes, zoning, vital records through the town clerk, the town ordinances and bids.
Open official site Town of CastineCourt records
The U.S. District Court for the District of Maine: federal civil and criminal cases, written opinions, the court calendar and jury service, with case records and filings through PACER.
Open official site Maine Federal CasesState records
Maine unclaimed property from the State Treasurer: dormant accounts, uncashed checks and deposits searched free by name, with claims filed online.
Open official site Maine unclaimed property searchVital records
Maine birth, death and marriage records from the state vital records office in Augusta (Data, Research and Vital Statistics): certified copies ordered online, by mail or in person for events from 1892 on, with the fees and the rules on who may obtain them; the town clerk where the event happened also issues copies.
Open official site Maine vital recordsPolice & jail
The Maine Sex Offender Registry from the State Bureau of Identification: registered offenders by name, town or zip code, with photos and addresses.
Open official site Maine sex offender registryPolice & jail
The Maine Department of Corrections adult prisoner search: people in Maine state facilities by name, with the facility and release date.
Open official site Maine corrections offender searchPolice & jail
Maine criminal history record requests from the State Bureau of Identification: statewide conviction records by name, requested online for a fee, and fingerprint based checks.
Open official site Maine criminal history record checkState courts
Maine court records: the eCourts public access portal for cases on the new system, the Maine Judicial Branch records request process, and how to reach each clerk's office.
Open official site Maine court recordsState records
The Maine Secretary of State corporate name search: corporations, LLCs, partnerships and marks by name or charter number, with filings and status.
Open official site Maine business entity searchLocal record guide
Local profile
The Town of Castine is in Hancock County, whose county seat is Ellsworth. Court and property records sit with Hancock County, and birth and death certificates come from The Town of Castine's town clerk and the State of Maine. Castine's own offices are in the cards above, and our Hancock County page lists each county office.
Straight answers
Open only the answer you need.
Inspecting records is free under Maine's Freedom of Access Act, and agencies may charge only copying costs plus $25 an hour after the first two hours of staff time. A certified Maine birth, death or marriage certificate costs $15 from the town clerk or the state, with $6 for each additional copy, and registries of deeds charge set copy fees.
Ask the Castine police department if the town has its own force; most small Maine towns are covered by the Hancock County Sheriff's Office or the Maine State Police. Crash reports are bought online through the Maine Crash Reporting System, while police investigative records are generally not public under Maine law.
Cases from Hancock County are heard by the Maine Superior Court and District Court for the county. re:SearchMaine gives online access to electronically filed cases, though some records can be seen only at the courthouse, and the clerk checks older paper cases.
Deeds and mortgages are recorded at the Hancock County Registry of Deeds, and every registry offers online land record search. Property taxes in Maine are set and collected by the town, so the town assessor values property and the town tax collector sends the bill.
The municipal clerk in Castine issues certified birth, death and marriage certificates for events in the town or for residents, usually while you wait, and the state office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics in Augusta issues them too. A certified copy costs $15, with $6 for each additional copy.
Yes. The Maine State Bureau of Identification runs public criminal history record checks by name and date of birth online for a fee. Court records are also available from the clerk.
Maine agencies must acknowledge a request within five working days and give a good-faith estimate of the time needed under the Freedom of Access Act, 1 M.R.S. 408-A. Staff time after the first two hours may cost $25 an hour.
Same county
Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.