Maine, county records

Hancock County, Maine Public Records

Find the right office in Hancock County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Hancock County records

Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.

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Showing 6 official sources

Official

County court

Maine Federal Cases

The U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, with courthouses in Portland and Bangor, posts court calendars and trial lists. Its federal case files are searched through PACER.

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Local record guide

About public records in Hancock County

County profile

Hancock County at a glance

State
Maine
County seat
Ellsworth
Population
55,478
Area
1,587 sq mi
Founded
1790
Cities and towns
39

Hancock County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Hancock County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Hancock County.

Police Departments. In addition to Hancock County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments operate within Hancock County, including the Ellsworth Police Department, Bar Harbor Police Department, and Bucksport Police Department.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Hancock County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 60 State Street in Ellsworth, Maine 04605, provides primary law enforcement services to unincorporated townships and supports municipal police departments throughout Hancock County. Hancock County Jail, located adjacent to the Sheriff's Office on State Street, houses pre-trial detainees and sentenced inmates. §§ 401-410), which requires public agencies to provide access to most law enforcement records unless exempt for investigatory or privacy reasons.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Hancock County are maintained by Hancock County Sheriff's Office and local police departments.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Hancock County are taken and retained by Hancock County Sheriff's Office during the booking process.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Hancock County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Hancock County

Old mine sites
265
Sites with no status in the records
75
Still producing
16
Worked underground, in the mine records
118
Main minerals
Granite; Silver; Copper
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
317
Shafts and tunnels
3
What they are
gravel pit, quarry, adit, mine shaft
Maps surveyed
1973 to 1988
Records behind them
706 records for 673 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 356 named mine sites inside the county, 265 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 317 holes drawn inside the county, 3 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Granite; Silver; Copper.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area.

600 of 608 shown
Hancock County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. Hover a dot for its name.
Maine mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Hancock County (202 shown, 156 more named and 315 unnamed on the map)

Rows taken off the old survey maps open the USGS record of what sits at that spot, because no single feature on those maps has a page of its own. Rows from the mine records open their own USGS page.

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Hancock County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Hancock County, Maine?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Hancock County Sheriff's Office or a city police department in Hancock County. Ask that agency for its record.

How do I get a criminal background check in Hancock County, Maine?

The Maine criminal history record comes from the Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification. Name based search online through the Maine Criminal History Record and Juvenile Crime Information Request service; fingerprint based checks need fingerprints sent straight to the State Bureau of Identification. Fee: $31.00 ($21.00 for InforME subscribers in Maine).

How can I look up sex offenders in Hancock County, Maine?

Search the Maine Sex Offender Registry (Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Hancock County, Maine?

Register with the municipal registrar of voters (the town or city clerk's office) or through the Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions. You can also register online with the state online registration. Same day registration: yes, in person at your municipality up to and including Election Day; online registration closes 21 days before a state or federal election.

How do I look up property records in Hancock County, Maine?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Hancock County are kept by the Hancock County Registry of Deeds. Property values are set by the municipal assessors, and tax bills come from the municipal tax collector. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Hancock County, Maine?

Certified birth and death certificates for Maine come from the Maine CDC, Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS). Maine's vital records are housed at DRVS and at most municipal offices statewide; records created before 1892 come from the municipality where the event took place or from the Maine State Archives. In person at DRVS, 220 Capitol Street, Augusta (walk ins 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), by mail with the application, identification and fee, or online through VitalChek, the independent company DRVS has partnered with. Fee: $15.00 per certificate, $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.

How do I find business license records in Hancock County, Maine?

Business entity filings are searched with the Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions. General licenses to operate a business are managed at the town or city level in Maine; contact your town office.