The Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit is a sworn-statement form of the Maine Secretary of State's Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). A birth affidavit lets certain applicants for a Maine driver's license or ID card show that they are United States citizens when an acceptable birth document cannot be obtained. Section A is completed by the applicant and Section B by an adult who knows the facts of the applicant's birth. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the BMV publishes the original at maine.gov.
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What is Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit – Maine?
The Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit is the State of Maine, Secretary of State – Bureau of Motor Vehicles form on which a person with personal knowledge of an applicant's birth swears to the facts, so the applicant can prove United States citizenship for a Maine driver's license or identification card.
Maine law requires a person to be lawfully present in the United States to receive a license or ID card. The BMV allows certain applicants to prove citizenship through sworn statements by individuals who have personal knowledge of the birth. A United States citizen, born in the United States or abroad, may submit a birth affidavit when an acceptable birth document cannot be obtained.
The form has two parts:
- Section A, completed by the applicant: name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names and current address.
- Section B, completed by the person who knows the birth: years known, a statement of all facts about the birth and the relationship to the applicant, how the knowledge was obtained, contact details, and a signature under pains and penalties of perjury.
The form is not a substitute for the first step the BMV requires: an official letter from the state of birth saying that no birth record exists (or, for a birth in another country, an official letter or statement from a representative of that country that the record is unavailable). The applicant needs two separate affidavits from two different individuals. The form does not print a form number or revision date.
Who needs to file Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit – Maine?
Applicants for a Maine driver's license or identification card who are United States citizens, born in the United States or abroad, use this form when an acceptable birth document cannot be obtained. Before using it, you must have the official no-record letter from the state where you were born. If you were born in another country, you must have an official letter or statement from a representative of that country saying the birth record is unavailable.
The person who fills out Section B must have knowledge of the applicant's birth and/or the applicant's relationship to the parents. That person must be 18 years of age or older. The applicant needs two separate affidavits completed by two different individuals, so one person cannot supply both.
Section B signers should know that the BMV may contact them to verify the information, and that knowingly providing false information is a Class D crime. The form names no representative who may sign for the applicant or for the person providing the statement.
When to file Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit – Maine
Use the form when you apply for a Maine driver's license or identification card and cannot obtain an acceptable birth document. The instructions tell you to bring the two completed affidavits, with the official letter from the state of birth, to a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office when you apply. The form prints no separate due date or validity period. Because the letter must come first, request it from the state of birth before you give the form to anyone for Section B. The BMV page that lists its forms does not state a processing time for this affidavit.
Documents you need
- Official letter from the state in which you were born advising that no birth record exists; it must include your name, date of birth, the years covered by the search and a statement that no birth records exist.
- If you were born in another country: an official letter or statement from a representative of that country advising that the birth record is unavailable.
- Two separate completed affidavits from two different individuals, each with Section B filled out by a person aged 18 or older who has knowledge of your birth.
- Additional sheet(s) of paper only if the person completing Section B needs more room for the facts about the birth.
How to fill out Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit – Maine
Get the no-record letter first
Before you start, obtain the official letter from the state of birth (or from a representative of the country of birth) saying the birth record does not exist or is unavailable.
Enter the applicant's name and sex
In Section A, enter the Last name, any Title (Jr., Sr., III), First and Middle name of the applicant whose birth is to be proved, then mark Male or Female.
Enter birth date and place
Enter the applicant's date of birth in mm-dd-yyyy format and the applicant's place of birth.
Enter parents' names and address
Write the names of the applicant's Father and Mother. Then enter the applicant's current address: Street, Apartment Number, City, State and ZIP Code.
Give the form to a knowledgeable adult
Hand the form to a person aged 18 or older who knows of your birth or your relationship to your parents. You need two affidavits from two different people.
Enter years known and the facts
In Section B, the affiant enters the number of years they have known the applicant and states all the facts they know about the birth, including their relationship to the applicant and how they obtained that knowledge. Extra sheets may be attached.
Enter the affiant's identity and address
Complete "My name is" with your full legal name and your birth date, then your street address and the city and state where you reside.
Enter phone numbers and work hours
List the home, cell and work phone numbers where you can be reached, and the hours you are usually at work, since BMV staff may contact you.
Enter the mailing address
Check the box if your mailing address is the same as above, or write the complete mailing address if it differs from your street address.
Sign and date the affidavit
The affiant signs and dates the statement, which is sworn under pains and penalties of perjury. Use legible print, type or handwriting.
Review, download and assemble
Check that both affidavits are complete, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Attach the official no-record letter and bring the package as described under How to submit.
How to submit Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit – Maine
The form's instructions describe one channel: return to a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office with the two completed affidavits to apply for your Maine driver's license or identification card.
- At a BMV office: bring both affidavits and the official letter from the state in which you were born advising that no birth record exists (or the letter or statement from a representative of your country of birth).
- Online: the BMV's forms page says its forms cannot be submitted online. It says to complete, print and mail them to the address on each document.
- Contact details printed on the form: Bureau of Motor Vehicles, 101 Hospital Street, 29 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333; telephone 207-624-9000 ext. 52114; TTY users call Maine Relay 711.
Because the form's own instructions say to return it with your application at a BMV office, call the number above if you are unsure how to deliver it. Keep a copy of each completed affidavit if you wish; the instructions suggest this. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the BMV channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the form before obtaining the official letter from the state of birth saying that no birth record exists.
- Submitting a letter that lacks the applicant's name, date of birth, the years covered by the search or the statement that no birth records exist.
- Bringing only one affidavit; the applicant must have two, completed by two different individuals.
- Having Section B completed by someone under 18, who is not eligible to complete it.
- Leaving Section B incomplete, such as omitting the years known, the relationship to the applicant or how the knowledge was obtained.
- Forgetting to sign and date Section B, which is sworn under pains and penalties of perjury.
- Entering the date of birth in a format other than mm-dd-yyyy.
- Giving false information in Section B; the form states that this is a Class D crime under Maine law.
Frequently asked questions
What is a birth affidavit for a Maine driver's license?
It is a sworn statement on the BMV's Driver's License/Identification Card Birth Affidavit form. A person who knows the facts of your birth swears to them so you can prove U.S. citizenship when an acceptable birth document cannot be obtained.
Who can use the Maine birth affidavit?
A United States citizen, born in the United States or abroad, applying for a Maine driver's license or ID card who cannot obtain an acceptable birth document. You must first have the official no-record letter described in the form's instructions.
How many birth affidavits do I need?
Two. The instructions say you must have two separate affidavits completed by two different individuals, and you return both to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles office when you apply for your license or identification card.
Who can fill out Section B of the birth affidavit?
A person who has knowledge of your birth and/or your relationship to your parents, and who is at least 18 years of age. That person states the facts, how they know them, and signs under pains and penalties of perjury.
Do I need a letter before using the birth affidavit?
Yes. You must obtain an official letter from the state of your birth saying no birth record exists, including your name, date of birth, the years searched and that no records exist. For a foreign birth, you need an official letter or statement from a country representative.
Can I submit the birth affidavit online?
No. The BMV's forms page says its forms cannot be submitted online. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download it, but the BMV receives it only through its own channels; the form says to return it to a BMV office with your application.
What happens if someone gives false information on the affidavit?
The form states that making false statements on it is a Class D crime punishable under Maine law. BMV staff may also contact the person who signed Section B to verify what they wrote.
Where can I get help with the form?
The form prints the Bureau of Motor Vehicles at 101 Hospital Street, 29 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333, telephone 207-624-9000 ext. 52114. TTY users call Maine Relay 711.
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