How it works in Maine
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Request your Record
Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your criminal history record from the Maine State Bureau of Identification.
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Review your Record
Confirm there is no disqualifying information in your history. If there is something incorrect, follow the process to challenge the issue. If everything is accurate, make a copy for your file and keep the original somewhere safe.
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Request Certified Documents
Collect certified copies of relevant documents. These include a copy of the disposition of the case from the clerk of court that handled the original case and the arrest record from the arresting agency. If you had probation or parole, had to take classes, had to pay fees, or had any other obligations, you also need certified proof that you completed those requirements. The cited fee comes from the general clerk-of-court schedule; the clerk of court that handled your case can confirm the current local rate for certifying a criminal record.
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Verify the Final Documents
Review each document for accuracy. Confirm each one is certified and clearly shows you completed your obligations. Make copies of every original.
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Prepare your Petition
Complete the petition based on the type of charge and outcome you are seeking. Note the timing restriction in Title 15, Chapter 310-A: certain conviction records require four years to have passed before you may move to seal them.
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Finalize your Petition
Take the completed petition from Step 5, the documents collected in Step 3, and the background check from Step 1, and put them together in a complete package. Double-check every file in the package is the original and ensure you have a copy of the complete package for your personal file.
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File your Expeal Request
Once you have confirmed you have everything, file the petition with the court that handled the original case. The Maine Judicial Branch publishes a fee schedule for court motions; confirm the current filing fee for the CR-218 sealing motion with the clerk before you file. If you cannot afford the filing fee, ask the clerk about the fee-waiver application (Form CV-067) with the financial affidavit (Form CV-191).
Filing fee: $60.00 — Motion to seal Class E criminal history is treated as a post-judgment motion under M.R. Civ. P. 60(b); ME Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Order JB-05-26 (eff. 2025-10-01) sets the motion fee at $60.00 (see page 7 of the order). Fee waiver available via CV-067 (Application to Proceed Without Payment of Fees) + CV-191 (Financial Affidavit) for qualifying applicants.
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Work with the Court
After the court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the next instructions — typically a hearing date or a request for additional information. Respond promptly to anything the court asks for.
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Receive the Court's Order
Once the court rules on the petition, it issues an order either granting or denying sealing. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out which records are covered. Keep a certified copy of the order for your own files.
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Verify the Record is Sealed
Under Title 15, Chapter 310-A, the court and the Maine State Bureau of Identification update or restrict the records covered by the order. Confirm with the arresting agency that its records also reflect the sealing. If a background-check provider later produces an outdated report, your certified copy of the court's order is your authoritative reference. Note that Maine unseals your record if you are convicted of any other crime after sealing — the seal is conditional, not permanent.
If you have to mail anything, remember to keep a copy of whatever you send and to use a method with a tracking number like the USPS Flat Rate Envelope.
Official agencies
Court forms
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