Maine Adoption Background Check: Identogo and What You Need to Know

Background checks are a mandatory component of every adoption home study in Maine. Under Title 18-C, Section 9-304, all prospective adoptive parents must complete a comprehensive background check process before the court can grant an adoption petition. For most Maine families, the most confusing part of this requirement is not the concept — it is the logistics. Maine uses Identogo as its state-contracted fingerprinting provider, and families in rural areas quickly discover that getting an appointment can be a significant undertaking.

This post covers exactly what background checks are required, how the Identogo process works, what rural families can do to manage the logistics, and what criminal history will and will not disqualify an applicant.

What Background Checks Are Required in Maine Adoption

Maine's adoption background check requirements cover three separate systems:

FBI National Criminal Database. Fingerprinting is submitted to the FBI for a national criminal history check covering all states. This check captures felony and misdemeanor convictions across the country, not just Maine. All adult household members — not just the petitioner — must complete this check.

Maine Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). A state-level check of Maine's criminal history database. This captures convictions and pending charges in Maine courts.

Maine Child Abuse and Neglect Registry. A check against the state's registry of substantiated child abuse and neglect findings. Anyone with a substantiated finding of abuse or neglect in Maine's records cannot be licensed as an adoptive or foster parent.

If any adult in the household has lived in other states recently, additional checks may be required for those states.

How Identogo Works in Maine

Identogo (a subsidiary of IDEMIA) is the state-contracted provider for live-scan fingerprinting in Maine. Live-scan captures fingerprints electronically and transmits them directly to state and federal databases, which is faster and more reliable than traditional ink-and-roll fingerprinting.

Scheduling. You schedule your Identogo appointment online at the Identogo website using a state-specific service code. The code for Maine adoption applicants is provided by your home study agency or DHHS caseworker. Do not go to an Identogo location without a pre-scheduled appointment — walk-ins are generally not accommodated.

Location network. Identogo has fingerprinting locations across Maine, with concentrations in the more populated areas: Portland, Auburn, Augusta, Waterville, Bangor, and Brewer. There is also a location in South Portland. For a family in Aroostook County, Penobscot County, or Washington County, the nearest Identogo site may be 60-100 miles away.

Fees. The fingerprinting fee is typically $49 per person, which is charged by Identogo at the appointment. This fee is separate from Probate Court filing fees and is not reimbursed under the standard non-recurring adoption expense reimbursement unless specifically negotiated in your adoption assistance agreement.

Processing time. After fingerprinting, results are typically returned to the requesting agency within 2-6 weeks, depending on current FBI processing volumes.

Rural Maine and the Identogo Bottleneck

For families in rural Maine — particularly in Aroostook, Washington, Oxford, Piscataquis, and Somerset Counties — the Identogo requirement is one of the most-cited logistical frustrations in the adoption process. A family in Presque Isle may be looking at a 3-4 hour round trip to reach the nearest Identogo location in Bangor or Brewer.

Practical strategies Maine families have used:

Book the earliest available appointment when you start the process. Identogo appointments fill quickly, especially at smaller locations. As soon as you begin your home study, log on and schedule the fingerprinting — do not wait until it is "needed." Availability can be several weeks out.

Combine the trip with other adoption tasks. If your home study agency is in Bangor or Augusta, schedule your in-person home study interview on the same day as your Identogo appointment. Grouping tasks reduces the total number of rural driving days.

Check for mobile fingerprinting services. Some counties and municipalities arrange periodic mobile fingerprinting events. AFFM (Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine) or your DHHS regional office may be aware of upcoming mobile clinics in your area. These are not guaranteed but are worth checking.

All adults in the household. Every adult who lives in the home — not just the primary petitioner — must be fingerprinted. If you have a spouse, partner, or other adult household member, schedule all appointments at the same time rather than making multiple trips.

How Long Background Check Results Remain Valid

Background check results have a finite validity period. For Maine adoption purposes:

• The court requires that background check information be "sufficient and current" at the time of the final decree. In practice, this generally means checks must be no more than 12-24 months old.
• If your adoption process extends longer than expected — which happens in contested TPR cases or complex private adoption situations — you may need to repeat the fingerprinting process.
• If significant time has passed between your initial background check and your finalization hearing, confirm with your attorney or home study agency whether updated checks are needed before the court date.

What Criminal History Disqualifies an Applicant in Maine

Maine law under Title 22 specifies that certain criminal history is an absolute bar to adoption licensing. Convictions that disqualify an applicant include:

• Felony conviction for child abuse or neglect
• Felony conviction for spousal abuse
• Felony conviction for any crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault, or homicide
• Felony conviction for physical assault, battery, or drug-related crimes within the past five years

Beyond these absolute bars, Maine uses a case-by-case review for other criminal history. A misdemeanor DUI from 15 years ago is treated differently than a recent domestic violence conviction. The home study evaluator considers the nature of the offense, time elapsed, evidence of rehabilitation, and any pattern of behavior.

If you have any criminal history — even minor offenses, dismissed charges, or old convictions — disclose it fully to your home study agency from the beginning. The background check will surface it regardless. Families who disclose proactively and provide context (including letters of reference, documentation of rehabilitation, and candid discussion with the evaluator) are in a far stronger position than those whose records reveal surprises. An undisclosed prior offense raises credibility concerns with the evaluator; a disclosed one, with appropriate context, often does not.

Substantiated child abuse or neglect findings from Maine's registry are also reviewed on a case-by-case basis in some circumstances, though a recent or serious finding is typically disqualifying.

Re-Fingerprinting for Different Adoption Types

Families who were previously licensed as Maine foster parents and now wish to adopt may wonder whether their existing background checks carry over. Generally, the answer is yes — if your foster care licensing background check is current (within the validity period) and on file with DHHS or your agency, you do not need to repeat the process. However, you will likely need to pay the Probate Court Identogo fee as part of the court filing process, even if DHHS already has your prints on file. Confirm this with the specific Probate Court where you file, as practices can vary.

Families adopting internationally must complete background checks that satisfy both Maine and federal USCIS requirements. The I-800A home study for Hague adoptions has its own background check standards that must be met in addition to Maine's requirements. Your Hague-accredited agency will provide guidance on the specific requirements for your country of adoption.

For a complete checklist of background check requirements, Identogo scheduling guidance, and what to bring to your appointment, the Maine Adoption Process Guide covers the full process in step-by-step detail.

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