About Maine Notaries

JPs By State » About Maine Notaries

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  • Visit findaJP.com to learn more about wedding laws in Maine and to search for a Maine Notary.

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Maine Notaries Perform Marriages

In Maine, the state appoints notaries to officiate marriages.

  • As marriage officiants, notaries observe the exchange of wedding vows, pronounce the couple as officially married, and sign the marriage license.
  • In addition, notaries must verify the couple’s identity; be knowledgeable about marriage licenses and how to get one; complete the marriage certificate in black ink; return the completed license to the municipal clerk who issued it within seven working days after the marriage ceremony, and maintain accurate records of performed marriages.
Other Duties
  • Notaries also take oaths and affirmations, and process and manage the documents about sworn oaths and affirmations.
How to Become a Notary
  • The Secretary of State handles all information about obtaining and submitting applications for notary commissions. Maine notaries serve for 7 years, and have the choice of renewing their commission to extend their terms. There is a $50 fee for all commissions.
  • Applications are available for New Hampshire residents, as long as they’re employed or have a business in Maine.
  • A resident of another state who is authorized under the laws of that state to solemnize marriages may receive a temporary registration certificate from the Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics that authorizes the solemnization of a single marriage. The fee is $100.
  • his helpful resource includes information about the process: Maine’s Handbook for Notaries.
Embossing Seal

The Maine Secretary of State recommends that notaries use an embossing or ink seal with their name and expiration date. However, the use of a seal (embossing or ink) on the original marriage license is prohibited by the Maine Office of Vital Records. Many notaries choose to use the seal on a decorative certificate that they give to the couple as a keepsake.

Justices of the Peace

The role of Justices of the Peace were merged into those of notaries between 1981-1988. Although, in 1989, an office was renamed Justice of the Peace; it had previously been called the Complaint Justice. As its original name suggests, the Maine JP receives complaints, and issues processes for arrest and search warrants.

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