Key takeaways:
- In Maine, you usually serve your spouse before you file. Once service is complete, the complaint must be filed with the District Court within 20 days (M.R. Civ. P. 3(a)).
- The York County Sheriff’s Office charges $100 per person per service for in-state paperwork, plus an optional $35 rush fee. Cash is not accepted.
- Deputies can only serve at an address in York County. If your spouse lives elsewhere, you need a different sheriff or another service method.
- Your spouse then has 20 days to answer (M.R. Civ. P. 12(a)), and Maine requires at least 60 days between filing the paperwork and the final hearing.
Last reviewed: October 22, 2026. This article is general information about Maine law, not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your own case.
You have decided to move forward with your divorce, and now you are facing the paperwork side of it. One of the most reliable ways to make sure your spouse is properly notified is to have the York County Sheriff’s Office serve the divorce papers. This guide walks you through the Maine steps in order, the sheriff’s current fees and rules, and what to do if service gets stuck.
Contents
- Step 1: get and complete the forms
- Step 2: have the sheriff serve your spouse
- Sheriff fees and payment
- Other ways to serve in Maine
- Step 3: file with the court
- When service gets stuck
- FAQ
Step 1: get and complete the forms
Maine’s court forms come in packets. Pick the one that fits your family: Divorce with Children or Divorce without Children. You can get them from any District Court clerk’s office or download them from the Maine Judicial Branch forms page.
- Get the original summons in person. Even if you download everything else, you need one original Family Matters Summons and Preliminary Injunction from the clerk’s office, because it carries the court seal. The court fee for a form with the court seal is $5.
- Fill out the forms. You are the plaintiff and your spouse is the defendant.
- Make copies. The court says to make two copies of the completed forms. The sheriff also needs an original and a copy for each person to be served.
To file in Maine, you generally need to meet one of the residency options in 19-A M.R.S. 901: for example, you have lived in Maine in good faith for six months, or your spouse is a Maine resident. The most common ground is irreconcilable marital differences (19-A M.R.S. 902).
The summons is also an order. The Family Matters Summons includes a preliminary injunction that applies to both spouses. Read it before you serve it, so you know what you can and can’t do with property during the case.
Step 2: have the sheriff serve your spouse
Under Maine’s rules, a sheriff or deputy can serve process within the sheriff’s own county (M.R. Civ. P. 4(c)(2)). For a spouse who lives or works in York County, that means the York County Sheriff’s Office Civil Process unit.
York County Sheriff’s Office: Civil Process
- Physical address: 149 Jordan Springs Rd, Alfred, ME 04002
- Mailing address: 45 Kennebunk Rd, Alfred, ME 04002
- Civil process paperwork: 1 Layman Way, Alfred, ME 04002
- Phone: 207-324-1113. Fax: 207-324-3496
- Business office hours: weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed on holidays. You can call or walk in without an appointment.
What to give the sheriff:
- The original documents and a copy for each person being served
- Completed paperwork, including your address, your spouse’s address, dates and court information
- A service address located in York County
- Payment (see below)
After service, the deputy completes the proof of service on your originals and either mails them back to you or calls you to pick them up. This return of service is what you will file with the court.
What deputies can’t do. The sheriff’s office says deputies cannot give legal advice, help fill out your documents, advise you on how to handle your situation, or confirm that your papers are complete or legally sufficient. Accepting your papers is not an opinion on whether they are correct.
Sheriff fees and payment
| Service | Fee (per person, per service) |
|---|---|
| In-state paperwork (a Maine case) | $100.00 |
| Out-of-state paperwork (papers from another state’s court, served in York County) | $120.00 |
| Rush fee (added on request) | $35.00 |
With the rush option, a deputy attempts service within the first 48 hours after receiving your paperwork. The sheriff’s office is clear that completion is not guaranteed. It pays for a fast attempt, not a guaranteed result.
Payment: cash is not accepted. The current civil process page lists credit or debit cards, checks and money orders. An older archived county page says check or money order only, so if you plan to pay by card, confirm by phone first.
Fees were checked on October 22, 2026, from the York County Sheriff’s Office civil process page and can change.
Other ways to serve in Maine
The sheriff is not your only option. The Maine Judicial Branch lists three ways to serve the defendant in a divorce:
- Acknowledgment by mail or hand delivery. Send the papers with two blank copies of the Acknowledgment of Receipt of Summons and Complaint (CV-036). Your spouse signs both, keeps one and returns the other to you. If no acknowledgment comes back within 20 days of mailing, you must use another method (M.R. Civ. P. 4(c)(1)).
- Certified mail, restricted delivery, return receipt requested. In family cases this works whether your spouse is in Maine or out of state (M.R. Civ. P. 4(f)(2)). The signed green card is your proof.
- A sheriff. The sheriff in the county where your spouse can be found, which is York County only if they are there.
A cooperative spouse often makes the acknowledgment route the cheapest. A spouse who won’t sign is where the sheriff comes in.
Step 3: file with the court
Divorces are filed in the District Court. For towns in York County, the Maine Judicial Branch’s town lookup points to the Biddeford District Court, 515 Elm Street, Biddeford, ME 04005, (207) 283-6000. Check the lookup for your town before you go.
- What to file: the summons, your completed form packet and the return of service (the sheriff’s proof, the signed CV-036 or the green card).
- Deadline: if you started the case by serving your spouse, file the complaint within 20 days after service is complete (M.R. Civ. P. 3(a)).
- Filing fee: $120 for entry of a family matter action, under the court fee schedule effective March 9, 2026. If you can’t afford it, ask the clerk about a fee waiver.
- Name change: there is no extra court fee to restore a former name as part of a divorce.
After filing, your spouse has 20 days from service to answer (M.R. Civ. P. 12(a)). The clerk schedules the first court event, and you must attend. The court may also order mediation, which carries a fee of $160 for the initial two sessions unless you qualify for a waiver. Maine requires at least 60 days between filing all the necessary paperwork and the final hearing, and contested cases take longer.
When service gets stuck
Give deputies good information. A precise physical address is essential. A description, vehicle, and the times your spouse is usually home or at work can help a deputy succeed on the first try.
Spouse outside York County. The York County Sheriff can’t serve outside the county. Use the sheriff in the county where your spouse is, or certified mail with restricted delivery. For a spouse in another state, Maine also allows personal service by anyone authorized to serve process where your spouse is (M.R. Civ. P. 4(e)).
Spouse can’t be found or is evading. If service can’t be made with due diligence, you can file a motion asking the court to allow alternate service, such as leaving papers at the home, publication, or electronic means. The motion needs an affidavit showing your efforts and a proposed order (M.R. Civ. P. 4(g)).
Safety concerns. If you are afraid of your spouse, don’t serve papers yourself. Tell the sheriff about any safety risk, and tell the court so it can be considered in scheduling and mediation. You can also ask the court about a protection from abuse order.
The court self-help pages and staff can explain procedures but can’t give legal advice. A Maine family law attorney can advise you on your specific situation.
FAQ
How much does the York County Sheriff charge to serve divorce papers?
As of October 22, 2026, the York County Sheriff’s Office charges $100 per person per service for Maine paperwork, $120 for out-of-state paperwork, and an optional $35 rush fee. Cash is not accepted.
Where do I send papers for the York County Sheriff to serve?
The sheriff’s office lists 1 Layman Way, Alfred, ME 04002 for civil process paperwork. Its physical address is 149 Jordan Springs Rd, Alfred, and its phone number is 207-324-1113.
Do I file my Maine divorce before or after service?
Usually after. Maine courts tell you to serve the defendant first, then file the summons, forms and return of service with the District Court. If the case starts by service, the complaint must be filed within 20 days after service is complete.
Can the York County Sheriff serve my spouse in another county or state?
No. A Maine sheriff serves within their own county. Use the sheriff where your spouse is, certified mail with restricted delivery, or a person authorized to serve process in the other state.
Sources: York County Sheriff’s Office: Civil Process; Maine Judicial Branch: how to start a divorce; Maine Judicial Branch: divorce; Maine Rules of Civil Procedure (Rules 3, 4 and 12); Administrative Order JB-05-26 (A. 3-26), court fees effective March 9, 2026; Maine courts by town; Maine District Court locations; 19-A M.R.S. 901; 19-A M.R.S. 902.
