Maine is one of the most straightforward states in the series for arrest record access -- the State Bureau of Identification's online portal returns conviction and pending case information within about two hours, and the process is among the faster ones in New England. Maine is also one of the most restrictive states for record relief: Maine does not allow true expungement of adult criminal records. What Maine offers instead is sealing, and only for Class E crimes -- the least serious category of misdemeanor. Most arrests that led to any conviction more serious than that will remain public permanently absent a pardon. This guide covers the full system.
What Makes Maine Arrest Records Public
The Maine Freedom of Access Act, known as FOAA, is codified in Title 1, Chapter 13 of the Maine Revised Statutes Annotated. It establishes that government records are presumed available for public inspection and copying. Criminal history records are covered by this framework, and Maine's Criminal History Record Information Act further classifies arrest, charge, and sentencing information as public criminal history record information.
The State Bureau of Identification, known as SBI, operates under the Maine Department of Public Safety and serves as the central repository for criminal history record information statewide. The SBI's online portal at maine.gov/pcr provides public access to conviction and adjudication information for adult and juvenile crimes in Maine, as well as pending cases less than one year old.
Exemptions from public access include juvenile records protected under Maine statute, sealed records, records pertaining to victims of certain crimes, and records tied to active criminal investigations. A court may also order specific records made confidential if they meet defined statutory criteria.
What a Maine Arrest Record Contains
An arrest record is a booking document. It reflects the facts of an arrest at the time of booking and carries no presumption of guilt.
A Maine arrest record includes personal identifying information such as the person's full name, date of birth, and physical description. It lists the charges filed at booking, the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, and release status. Booking photographs and fingerprints are also part of the arrest record maintained by arresting agencies.
The SBI's online criminal history portal returns conviction information, adjudication information, and pending cases less than one year old. It does not return arrest records that did not result in any court action and that are more than one year old. The SBI's portal is an efficient tool for most background check purposes, but it is a conviction-focused view -- for older non-conviction arrest information, contact with the arresting agency directly may be needed.
How to Search Maine Arrest Records
The SBI online portal at maine.gov/pcr is the primary public tool. Users can submit a name-based criminal history record request online. Results are typically returned within two hours. The SBI also accepts mail requests with a check or money order. The SBI address is 45 Commerce Drive, Suite 1, Augusta, ME 04333. Phone: 207-624-7240.
Maine's Background Check Center also offers a Quick Background Check feature that aggregates publicly available information by name at no cost. This is a useful starting point but less comprehensive and less definitive than the official SBI request.
County sheriff offices are the practical starting point for recent arrests. Maine has 16 counties and each county sheriff manages the local jail. Most county sheriff offices publish online inmate rosters or recent arrest logs. For anyone arrested in the past 24 to 72 hours, the county sheriff website is where to look.
For broader multi-source searches that aggregate public record data across Maine's 16 counties and other jurisdictions, TruthFinder is a practical option.
VINELink at vinelink.com connects to the Maine DOC system and many county facilities and provides free real-time custody status and notification registration.
County Jail Records in Maine
Maine has 16 counties and each county sheriff manages the local jail. County jails hold people recently arrested, those awaiting trial, and individuals serving shorter sentences.
When someone is convicted and sentenced to state prison, they enter the Maine Department of Corrections system. The MDOC provides a free online inmate search called the Maine Adult Resident/Adult Community Corrections Client Search. It is accessible through the MDOC website and allows searches by name, MDOC number, or date of birth. Results show whether someone is currently in custody or under community supervision following an arrest.
Federal Arrests in Maine
Federal arrests in Maine are made by agencies including the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Homeland Security Investigations. After federal sentencing, individuals enter the Bureau of Prisons rather than the Maine DOC.
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free tool for locating anyone serving a federal sentence. Search by name or BOP register number. Federal court records are available through the PACER system at pacer.gov.
Federal arrests and convictions are not part of the SBI criminal history database. The SBI portal covers only Maine state crimes.
Arrest Records Versus Conviction Records
An arrest record documents that law enforcement took someone into custody. A conviction record documents a court's finding of guilt. In Maine, the SBI portal is conviction-focused -- it returns conviction and adjudication information and pending cases less than one year old. Older arrest records without any court outcome are not displayed through the public SBI portal.
Charges can be dropped, cases dismissed, and juries acquit. For non-conviction records in Maine, the avenue for limiting public access is to petition the court to have the record treated as confidential. This is different from sealing in states with broader frameworks and much more limited in effect.
Maine's Record Relief -- Sealing Only, No Adult Expungement
Maine does not have adult record expungement in the traditional sense. True expungement -- physical destruction or permanent erasure of a record -- is not available for adult criminal convictions in Maine under current law.
What Maine does offer is sealing for a limited category of records.
For Class E crime convictions: Under Maine Revised Statutes Title 15, Section 2261 (expanded by 2024 legislation), all Class E crime convictions except sexual assault convictions are eligible for sealing. Class E crimes are the least serious category of misdemeanor offense -- punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. To be eligible, at least four years must have passed since the terms of the sentence were satisfied, and the person must not have been convicted of another crime in Maine and must not have had a criminal charge dismissed as a result of a deferred disposition.
Class D and E marijuana convictions obtained prior to legalization in 2017 are also eligible for sealing under the 2024 law.
No sealing is available under current Maine law for Class A, B, C, or D crime convictions generally -- which includes all felonies and most serious misdemeanors.
When a record is sealed in Maine, it is restricted from public access but is not destroyed. Law enforcement agencies and certain authorized entities retain access.
For juvenile records, sealing is available under 15 MRSA 3308 after three years from discharge, no subsequent adjudications, and no pending proceedings. This is a different and somewhat more accessible path than the adult sealing framework.
The alternative to sealing for conviction records in Maine is a pardon from the Governor. A pardon makes records confidential but also does not erase them.
InmateAid's guides on record sealing and expungement cover Maine's framework in more detail. Mugshot removal from third-party sites after sealing is a separate process addressed in InmateAid's resources on that topic.
Frequently asked questions
Are Maine arrest records public?
Yes, under the Maine Freedom of Access Act at Title 1, Chapter 13 MRSA and the Criminal History Record Information Act. Arrest records and conviction information are generally public. Exemptions apply to sealed records, juvenile records, active investigation materials, and records that courts order made confidential.
How do I search Maine arrest records?
The SBI online portal at maine.gov/pcr is the primary public tool -- results within about two hours, covering conviction information and pending cases less than one year old. Mail requests can be sent to the SBI at 45 Commerce Drive, Suite 1, Augusta, ME 04333, phone 207-624-7240. For recent arrests, check the relevant county sheriff's website. For multi-source results, TruthFinder aggregates public record data. For real-time custody status, VINELink at vinelink.com provides free notifications. For MDOC state inmates, use the Maine Adult Resident/Adult Community Corrections Client Search.
What does a Maine arrest record contain?
A Maine arrest record includes personal identifying information, charges filed at booking, the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, booking photograph, and fingerprints. The SBI's public portal returns conviction and adjudication information and pending cases less than one year old -- older non-conviction arrest records are not displayed through the public portal.
Is an arrest the same as a conviction in Maine?
No. An arrest documents that someone was taken into custody. A conviction reflects a court's finding of guilt. Maine's SBI portal is conviction-focused. You can have a Maine arrest record with no conviction if charges were dropped, dismissed, or you were acquitted -- but those older non-conviction records do not appear in the public SBI portal. They exist at the arresting agency level.
How do I find someone in a Maine county jail?
Check the county sheriff's website where the arrest occurred. Most Maine county sheriffs publish online inmate rosters. VINELink at vinelink.com connects to many county facilities and provides free notification registration. For someone in state prison or under DOC supervision, use the Maine Adult Resident/Adult Community Corrections Client Search through the MDOC website.
Can I search federal arrest records in Maine?
Federal court records are available through PACER at pacer.gov. For someone serving a federal sentence, the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the free official tool. Federal arrests and convictions are not part of the SBI database -- the SBI portal covers only Maine state crimes.
How long does an arrest stay on record in Maine?
Conviction records in Maine remain in SBI files and are publicly accessible indefinitely unless sealed. Sealing is available only for Class E misdemeanor convictions and certain marijuana convictions under the 2024 law. All other conviction records have no mechanism for removal under current Maine law absent a pardon. Non-conviction arrest records at the agency level may persist unless the person petitions the court to treat them as confidential.
Does Maine have expungement for adult records?
No. Maine does not have true expungement of adult criminal convictions. What Maine offers is sealing, which restricts public access to certain Class E crime convictions but does not destroy the record. Class A, B, C, and D crime convictions -- including all felonies and most serious misdemeanors -- cannot be sealed or expunged under current Maine law. A pardon from the Governor is the other option, but it also does not erase the record.
What records can be sealed in Maine?
Under Maine Revised Statutes Title 15, Section 2261 (2024), Class E crime convictions except for sexual assault convictions are eligible for sealing after a four-year waiting period from sentence completion, with no subsequent convictions and no deferred dispositions. Class D and E marijuana convictions prior to 2017 legalization are also eligible. Class A, B, C, and D crimes are not eligible. Juvenile records may be sealed separately under 15 MRSA 3308 after three years.
Why does my record show an arrest but no conviction?
Arrests that did not result in a conviction -- dismissed charges, acquittals, charges never filed -- exist in law enforcement records at the arresting agency. However, they generally do not appear in the public SBI portal unless they are pending cases less than one year old. If an older non-conviction arrest is showing up on a third-party background check, it was likely sourced from a court filing or agency-level record rather than the SBI portal. Petitioning the court to treat such records as confidential is the limited avenue available in Maine for non-conviction arrest records. ---
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