Maine Statewide Criminal Background Check
Search the Maine State Bureau of Identification repository with a single order.
Our Maine statewide criminal background check returns conviction data reported from all 16 counties, typically within 24 hours.
Plus, every order runs through the FCRA-compliant workflow at BCS Background Screening LLC.
What the Maine Statewide Criminal Search Covers
The Maine State Bureau of Identification, or SBI, is the state’s central repository for criminal history record information.
The Maine State Police has run this repository since 1937.
Local police, sheriffs, and courts in every county report arrests and dispositions to it.
As a result, one name-and-birth-date search covers the whole state.
Each Maine SBI report can include the following public record data.
Adult Convictions
You see felony and misdemeanor convictions for crimes committed in Maine, with statute and charge class.
Juvenile Adjudications
The report also lists juvenile crime information that the SBI may release publicly under Maine law.
Pending Cases Under One Year
Recent arrests and summonses appear while they are less than one year old.
Court Dispositions
Each charge shows the court, case number, disposition, and disposition date.
Full Sentencing Detail
Jail terms, suspended time, probation, fines, and restitution appear exactly as the court entered them.
Caution Flags
Likewise, the SBI prints firearms disqualification and domestic violence flags when it records them.
Why Maine Employers Start With the SBI Repository
Maine courts are moving to a new electronic filing system in phases.
However, remote public access to criminal case records remains limited in many counties.
In fact, the Maine Judicial Branch still directs most criminal record requests to the courthouse.
Cumberland County, the state’s most populous, joins Maine eCourts on September 28, 2026.
Meanwhile, the SBI repository already holds reported arrests and dispositions from every county.
That makes it the fastest single source for a Maine statewide criminal background check.
| Search option | Coverage | Typical speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCS Maine statewide search (SBI) | All 16 counties, public criminal history | 24 hours or less | FCRA employment and tenant screening |
| Do-it-yourself request on Maine.gov | Same SBI data, one name at a time | Emailed; manual review can take up to 2 weeks | Personal, one-off lookups |
| re:SearchMaine court portal | Only counties already live on Maine eCourts | Instant where available | Pulling case detail after a hit |
| Fingerprint check (Maine Background Check Center) | State and FBI fingerprint records | Days to weeks; applicant must be printed | Regulated healthcare direct-access roles |
What a Maine SBI Report Does Not Show
Every state repository has blind spots, and Maine writes its gaps into statute.
Therefore, careful employers pair the SBI search with targeted add-on searches.
Most Motor Vehicle Crimes
Class D and E crimes under Title 29-A stay off the record unless alcohol or drugs were involved.
To catch them, add a Maine driving record.
Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Crimes
Class D and E crimes under Title 12 stay out as well.
Instead, the Department of Marine Resources and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife keep those records.
Non-Conviction Data
Maine treats dismissals, acquittals, and stale arrests as confidential under 16 M.R.S. §703.
Consequently, the SBI releases none of them to employers.
Sealed and Pardoned Convictions
A conviction sealed under 15 M.R.S. chapter 310-A never appears on the public history.
Pardoned convictions stay confidential too.
Out-of-State and Federal Cases
The SBI covers Maine crimes only.
So, add a nationwide criminal database search for applicants who lived elsewhere.
Fingerprint Certainty
The SBI searches by name and date of birth, not fingerprints.
For that reason, a result can belong to someone with a similar name.
Maine Statewide Criminal Search Price
Our Maine pricing stays simple and fully transparent.
You pay $20 per name for the search service from BCS Background Screening LLC.
On top of that, the Maine SBI charges its own $31 state fee per name.
We bill that fee at the state’s published rate, with no markup.
| Item | Fee per name |
|---|---|
| Maine statewide criminal search service | $20.00 |
| Maine State Bureau of Identification state fee | $31.00 |
| Total per name | $51.00 |
Keep in mind that the SBI treats its fee as non-refundable once it processes a request.
That rule applies even when the search returns no record.
Need courthouse-level detail as well? Add a county criminal court search to any Maine order.
How to Order a Maine Statewide Criminal Background Check
Ordering takes only a few minutes once your account is active.
Open Your Account
Sign up online in minutes.
Afterward, we verify your permissible purpose before your first order.
Collect FCRA Consent
Give the applicant a standalone disclosure first.
Then, obtain a signed authorization.
Submit the Order
Enter the full name, date of birth, and any former names.
Our system then sends the request to the Maine SBI.
Review the Results
Our team checks every hit against your applicant’s identifiers.
Next, the finished report posts to your secure dashboard.
How We Handle Name-Based Matches in Maine
The SBI prints a clear warning on every name-based response.
It says a record may belong to another person with the same or a similar name and birth date.
Only a fingerprint comparison confirms identity with certainty.
So our reviewers compare full name, middle name, date of birth, and address history on each hit.
We also flag common names for follow-up at the county courthouse.
Applicants, in turn, can challenge an SBI entry under 16 M.R.S. §709.
The agency must investigate within 15 days and report back in writing.
If it refuses, the applicant can appeal to the agency head and then to Superior Court.
Tip for Hiring Managers
Always give the applicant a copy of the report before you decide.
That step satisfies the FCRA and lets the applicant flag a mismatch early.
Maine Laws That Shape Criminal Record Checks
Maine adds several rules on top of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Here is a short summary of the rules that affect a statewide search.
Fair Chance Hiring: 26 M.R.S. §600-A
Maine bars criminal history questions on initial job applications.
Instead, employers may ask during an interview or after finding the applicant otherwise qualified.
Even then, the employer must let the applicant explain the record and any rehabilitation.
Each violation carries a fine of $100 to $500, enforced by the Maine Department of Labor.
Record Sealing: 15 M.R.S. §§2261–2270
Maine lets courts seal eligible convictions, mostly Class E crimes.
Applicants must wait four years after finishing the sentence, with no new convictions.
Once sealed, the conviction drops off the public SBI history.
Furthermore, the person may lawfully deny the record to most private employers.
Confidential Records: 16 M.R.S. §703
An arrest becomes confidential after one year without an active prosecution.
Likewise, dismissals and acquittals stay out of public reports.
Our search follows these limits automatically.
Federal FCRA Duties
The FCRA requires a standalone disclosure and written consent before any check.
Before you reject someone, send a pre-adverse action notice with the report.
After the final decision, send the adverse action notice.
For the complete breakdown, read our Maine background screening laws guide.
Sample Maine SBI Criminal History Report
Below is a fictitious sample built on the real Maine SBI response format.
We changed every name, identifier, and date to protect privacy.
The Superior Court found the subject guilty of Class D domestic violence assault.
In addition, the court imposed a 120-day jail term, fully suspended, plus 2 years of probation and $3,388.00 restitution.
The SBI also flags the subject as disqualified from possessing firearms.
Criminal History Record · Introduction
Important! The SBI processed this check using personal identifiers such as name and date of birth.
As a result, the record may belong to another person with the same or similar name and birth date.
Only a fingerprint comparison confirms that convictions relate to the person named in the request.
Some decision-makers may use this information to disqualify an applicant for employment, housing, credit, or other benefits.
In that case, they should give the applicant a chance to complete or contest the record.
Under 16 M.R.S. §709, an individual may ask a criminal justice agency to amend or correct the record.
Identification
Criminal History · Cycle 001
Arrest / Charge (Cycle 001)
Court Disposition (Cycle 001)
Sentencing (Cycle 001)
Index of Agencies
Record Scope Notice
This record, effective September 1, 2000, covers fugitives from justice arrested under 15 M.R.S. §201(4).
It also covers persons arrested or charged with Maine crimes.
The record excludes former crimes no longer classified as criminal.
It also leaves out Class D and E crimes in Title 12 or Title 29-A (former Title 29).
However, alcohol-related or drug-related crimes under 25 M.R.S. §1541(4-A)(A) still appear.
For excluded Title 12 crimes, contact the Department of Marine Resources or the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
For excluded Title 29-A crimes, contact the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Sample notice: this report describes a fictitious person. Any resemblance to a real individual, case, or identifier is coincidental.
Why Employers Choose BCS Background Screening LLC
We built our Maine statewide criminal background check for hiring teams that value speed and accuracy.
FCRA-Compliant Workflow
Disclosure, authorization, and adverse action tools come built into every account.
Human Quality Review
Trained reviewers check each Maine hit before a report reaches you.
Secure Client Portal
Our client portal runs on SOC 2 Type II audited infrastructure.
Every user account also offers optional Multiple Authentication Factor (MAF) sign-in.
Clear, Upfront Pricing
You see $20 per name plus the $31 state fee before you order.
Every State Covered
Hiring across New England? Order other statewide searches from the same dashboard.
PBSA Member
We belong to the Professional Background Screening Association and follow its standards.
Maine Statewide Criminal Background Check FAQs
How much does a Maine statewide criminal background check cost?
The search costs $20 per name, plus the Maine SBI’s $31 state fee.
That brings the total to $51 per name.
Also note that the state treats its fee as non-refundable once it processes the request.
How long does a Maine statewide criminal search take?
Most Maine statewide results reach your dashboard within 24 hours.
The SBI usually answers name-based requests within two hours.
However, a record that needs manual review at the SBI can take up to two weeks.
What does a Maine SBI criminal history report include?
It includes conviction and adjudication data for adult and juvenile crimes committed in Maine.
In addition, it lists pending cases less than one year old.
Each entry shows the statute, charge class, court, disposition, and full sentence.
Does a Maine background check show dismissed charges or old arrests?
No, the public SBI report leaves them out.
Under 16 M.R.S. §703, dismissals, acquittals, and arrests older than one year without active prosecution are confidential.
As a result, employers receive conviction data and recent pending cases only.
Are traffic offenses on a Maine criminal history record?
Most are not.
The SBI excludes Class D and E crimes under Title 29-A unless they involve alcohol or drugs.
So an OUI conviction appears, while operating after suspension usually does not.
For full driving history, add a motor vehicle record.
Can Maine employers ask about criminal history on a job application?
Generally, no.
26 M.R.S. §600-A bars criminal history questions on initial applications.
Employers may ask later, at the interview or once the applicant looks otherwise qualified.
Our Maine screening laws page explains the exceptions.
Can a sealed conviction appear on a Maine background check?
No, it cannot appear on the public SBI history.
Maine courts may seal eligible convictions, mostly Class E crimes, four years after the sentence ends.
After sealing, the person may lawfully decline to disclose the record to most private employers.
Is the Maine statewide search fingerprint-based?
No, it runs on name and date of birth.
For that reason, our reviewers verify every hit against the applicant’s identifiers.
Healthcare employers with direct-access workers may also need a fingerprint check through the Maine Background Check Center.
Order Your Maine Statewide Criminal Background Check Today
Open an account online, then run your first Maine SBI search in minutes.
Your total stays at $20 per name plus the $31 state fee.
This page offers general information, not legal advice. BCS Background Screening LLC is a consumer reporting agency, not a law firm. So, please consult counsel about your specific hiring decisions.