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Maine · Augusta · Kennebec River Valley · #262 Most Populous County in the US
Kennebec County, Maine
Augusta - Maine's capital on the Kennebec River, Colby College in Waterville, and the river valley towns that connect Portland to the North Woods. State government, Colby's world-class art museum, and one of Maine's most historically significant rivers. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Kennebec County residents.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Kennebec County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency – Director Angela Molino; located in Augusta; confirm current contact via kennebec.gov. Regional Communications Center – Augusta handles 911 dispatch coordination.
Sheriff: Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office – 73 Winthrop Street, Augusta, ME 04330 | (207) 623-3614 | Fax (207) 623-6387; Sheriff Ken Mason, first elected in 2016 and re-elected since; a former U.S. Marine with over 30 years in law enforcement; the office has continuously served Kennebec County since 1799; the Patrol Division covers nearly 900 square miles; operates the Kennebec County Correctional Facility (115 State Street) and offers the Maine Diversionary Sentencing Program (MeDSP) and a Wandering Registration Program for at-risk individuals.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-95, US-201, and US-202 serve Augusta, the county seat and Maine’s state capital.
Notes: Augusta is the third-least populous U.S. state capital, and Kennebec County spans roughly 951 square miles in south-central Maine along the Kennebec River.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Kennebec County Courthouse – 95 State Street, Augusta, ME; built 1829, an early example of Greek Revival architecture in Maine and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Notes: Augusta has served as Maine’s capital city since the early 19th century, home to the Maine State House and the Blaine House (the governor’s official residence). The Kennebec County Courthouse’s 1829 Greek temple front is considered the earliest known example of that architectural style in the state.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Kennebec County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via kennebec.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Lithgow Public Library (Augusta) – confirm current address/phone via lithgowlibrary.org.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Maine State House, Fort Western (a restored 1754 colonial garrison, the oldest surviving wooden fort in New England), and downtown Augusta’s Kennebec River waterfront are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine “state capital” status of Augusta anchors Kennebec County’s civic significance within Maine.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Kennebec County Registry of Deeds – Augusta, ME.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Kennebec Valley Humane Society (KVHS, also known as Pethaven Lane) – 168 Leighton Road, Augusta, ME 04330 | (207) 626-3491 | Email: [email protected]; providing shelter, food, and medical services to local animals in need since 1927 (nearly a century of continuous operation); offers adoption of dogs, cats, and small mammals (rabbits, guinea pigs), along with cruelty-prevention education. Hours: Mon/Tue 12-4 PM, Thu/Fri 11 AM-4 PM, Sat 10 AM-4 PM, Sun 11 AM-4 PM, closed Wednesday.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Kennebec County Department of Environmental Programs – confirm current contact via kennebec.gov.
NOTES: Kennebec County is the sixth and final county in the first batch of the Maine v2 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “state capital” status of Augusta anchors Kennebec County’s civic significance within Maine. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Kennebec County
Kennebec County is Maine’s seat of government – home to Augusta (the state capital), the Kennebec River valley, and the college city of Waterville. The county’s history is tied to the Kennebec River, which was a major transportation and industrial corridor – the ice harvested from the Kennebec was shipped globally throughout the 19th century, and the river’s falls powered textile and paper mills that defined the region’s economy.
Augusta (the county seat, population ~19,000) has been Maine’s capital since 1832. The Maine State Capitol (dome completed 1832, significantly expanded) sits above the Kennebec on a hill visible from much of the city. State government is Augusta’s dominant employer. The Maine State Museum – one of the finest state history museums in New England – chronicles Maine’s history from prehistoric times through the present.
Waterville (population ~16,000) is Kennebec County’s second city and home to Colby College (private liberal arts, enrollment ~2,200) – one of Maine’s most selective colleges. Colby’s Museum of Art has developed one of the finest collections of any liberal arts college in the country, with particular strengths in American art and major contemporary works. The Colby Museum’s commitment to acquiring significant works by contemporary artists – including a significant Alex Katz collection – has given it a national reputation that draws art world attention to Waterville.
Gardiner on the Kennebec is the birthplace of the poet Edwin Arlington Robinson – the first American poet to win three Pulitzer Prizes and one of the most significant American poets of the early 20th century.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Maine requires municipal assessment at 100% of just value. Each of Kennebec County’s 30 municipalities has its own assessors.
The abatement process:
File an abatement application with your local assessors by March 1. If denied, appeal to the Maine Board of Assessment Review or Kennebec County Superior Court within 60 days.
Maine estate tax: Above $6.41 million (2025) at rates up to 12%. No Maine inheritance tax.
OWNWELL CTA: Kennebec County abatement deadline March 1. Augusta state government employment stabilizes central Maine real estate. Maine estate tax at $6.41M. Ownwell manages the abatement with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Kennebec County abatement deadline March 1. Augusta state government employment stabilizes central Maine real estate. Maine estate tax at $6.41M. Ownwell manages the abatement with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Kennebec County Superior Court at 95 State Street, Augusta (207-622-7573) handles major civil and criminal matters. The Kennebec County Probate Court at 95 State Street (207-622-7558) handles all estate administration. The Kennebec County Registry of Deeds (207-622-0431) at 125 State Street, Augusta maintains all land records – searchable online at kennebecdeeds.com.
Maine state government estate planning: Kennebec County’s large state government workforce participates in the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS) – with irrevocable survivor benefit elections at retirement. Maine state workers, legislators, and judges should coordinate MainePERS elections with estate plans.
Colby Museum and arts philanthropy: Colby College’s Museum of Art is among the most significant planned giving recipients in Maine – alumni and art collectors have made transformative gifts to build the collection. Edwin Arlington Robinson’s literary legacy is honored through the E.A. Robinson Society.
Senior Services: The Kennebec Valley Council of Governments / Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (207-626-3440) coordinates senior services and Maine SHIP Medicare counseling.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Court Records)
95 State St., Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 623-3574
Augusta City Clerk
(207) 626-2320
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Kennebec County Probate Court (estate/probate case files – see Probate section above).
As the state capital, Augusta hosts both the Maine State Archives and Maine State Library directly, making this county an exceptionally strong genealogical research hub.
Local societies
No dedicated Kennebec County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories, though the statewide archives and library located here serve as an unusually strong local resource.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Kennebec County Probate Court 95 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330 (207) 622-7558 Kennebec County is home to Augusta, the capital of Maine.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Maine adopted the Uniform Probate Code effective July 1, 2019 (Title 18-C), replacing the prior Title 18-A. Maine is one of fewer than 20 UPC states, so its informal/formal probate tracks and terminology follow the uniform model used elsewhere.
Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit (Small Estate Affidavit) – under 18-C §3-1201, available when the estate’s personal property value is below a threshold that’s adjusted annually for inflation. No probate case or personal representative appointment is required; a successor can present a sworn affidavit directly to banks or others holding the decedent’s property. Each county’s Probate Court publishes the current year’s threshold on its website.
Informal Probate – the path most Maine estates use. Available when the will (if any) is uncontested, the estate is straightforward, and no interested party objects. A Probate Registrar (not a judge) reviews and approves the application without a hearing.
Formal Probate – required when a will is contested, the personal representative appointment is disputed, or supervised administration is requested. These matters go before the elected Judge of Probate at a hearing.
Step 2: filing for probate
For informal probate with a will, file Form DE-201(I) (Application for Informal Probate of Will or Appointment of Personal Representative); for informal intestate proceedings (no will), file Form DE-101(I) – both with the Probate Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled. Applications cannot be filed earlier than 5 days after death.
In informal probate, the Register reviews the application and, if in order, issues a Statement of Informal Probate and Letters appointing the personal representative – no hearing required.
The personal representative must file an inventory of estate assets with the court within 3 months of appointment.
Notice to creditors must be published once a week for 2 successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and the personal representative must mail written notice to known creditors within 4 months of appointment (18-C §3-801).
The personal representative pays valid debts and taxes in priority order, then distributes remaining assets and files a final accounting to close the estate.
What it costs
Filing fees are based on estate value, set by each county’s fee schedule.
Publication costs for the creditor notice typically run in the low hundreds of dollars.
Maine does not set a statutory percentage fee for attorneys or personal representatives; fees must be “reasonable” based on the time and complexity of the work involved.
While not legally required, hiring an attorney is commonly recommended, especially for formal probate or if the estate is at all complex.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
125 State St., Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 623-3614
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Maine DHHS — Central Region
(207) 624-7900
MaineCare
(800) 977-6740
MaineGeneral Medical Center
mainegeneral.org (Augusta/Waterville — major regional hospital; quality Level II Trauma)
Togus VA Medical Center
maine.va.gov (Augusta — major VA medical center serving Maine veterans)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Kennebec County / Central Maine public health resources – contact 2-1-1 Maine for referrals.
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