Last Updated
February 02, 2012
Town Clerk
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Location:
Town Hall, 3 North Lowell Road (directions)
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Hours of Operation: Mondays 8am-7pm (with the exception of
Holidays). Tuesday-Friday 8am-4pm. Last Saturday of each month,
9am-12pm, with some exceptions (View schedule of 2011/12
Saturday hours here.)
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Phone: (603)
434-5075 / Fax: (603) 425-6582
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Email:
Nicole Merrill, Town Clerk
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Related Pages:
New to Windham?
The Town Clerk's Office is a
full-service department, offering full motor vehicle registration
services (with the exception of 20 day temporary plates), vital record
assistance, hunting and fishing licenses, off-road vehicle and boat
registration, transfer station decals, skate park decals, dog licensing,
voter registration, and census upkeep. New and current residents alike are encouraged to review
the information below prior to coming in if they have any questions
regarding proper procedures, or call us for further information.
Please take note that, at this time, the Town Clerk's office can only
accept cash or your in-state check as payment for services.
Jump to:
Vehicle Registration:
NEW
RESIDENTS RELOCATING FROM OUT-OF-STATE: Note:
New Hampshire allows new residents only 60 days to change over
driver’s licenses and/or motor vehicle registrations
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Present to the Town Clerk’s Office
documentation from the closing of your home (ie. HUD statement), OR, if renting, you
must present one (1) of the following: a lease or
notarized written
statement from the current property owner confirming your residency.
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If your vehicle is less than
fifteen (15) years old, present your out-of-state TITLE (a copy is not acceptable), OR, if your vehicle
IS fifteen (15) years old or more , present a copy of your title
from out of state, or a New Hampshire Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) verification form (19a).
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If your title is currently held by an out-of-state lienholder or leasing
company and your registration and insurance are still valid contact your
lienholder or leasing company directly and inform them that you have
moved to NH that way they will prepare the proper paperwork needed to
make it a smoother transaction.
NH is a ‘title state’, and as such, any existing
title must be surrendered at the time of registration. Again, it
must be the actual title, a photocopy is NOT sufficient. The Town
Clerk’s Office is not authorized to make request for a title on your
behalf. It must be made by the NH Title Bureau. Present your
out-of-state registration and the lienholder or leasing company’s
name and mailing address. Also, please jot down your current mileage
so we can prepare a NH title application for a fee of $2 for the
Town and $25 for the State. Upon receipt, they will request your
title from your lienholder or leasing company.
Once the title is received at the Bureau’s office, a
notice will be sent to you authorizing the Town Clerk’s office to
issue your registration and plates. If you have any questions, or if
your notification is taking longer than expected, then please
contact the Title Bureau at 603-271-3111 or 603-271-3112. Make sure
to bring the letter of notification in to the Town Clerk’s Office
that the State sends you. Please note that the letter from the State
is a little confusing so please have patience. This is a process
which can take up to several weeks.
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If your insurance or registration has already
expired, or will expire within the next twenty (20) days, please
bring to the Town Clerk’s Office your current out-of- state
registration and your insurance showing the proof of expiration,
along with the lienholder or leasing company’s name and mailing
address you will qualify for a “Hardship Registration”.
We will prepare a NH title application and
registration, and collect your town registration taxes. You will
then be directed to the Salem Motor Vehicle Sub-station, where you
will pay your registration fees for the State. Salem will issue a
sixty (60) day temporary plate, and at some point during that time,
upon receipt of your out-of-state title, Concord Motor Vehicle will
forward your metal plates directly to you.
NH RESIDENTS RELOCATING TO WINDHAM:
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Same as #1 above.
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We will provide you with a change
of address card, which you must complete and forward to the Division of
Motor Vehicles within ten (10) days
of moving.
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If you do not receive a renewal
notice from the Town of Windham for your vehicle, or if your renewal is
due the month you move to Town, you must present to the Clerk’s Office
your expiring registration from your previous town of residence. If you
do not have your registration, you must obtain a copy from the town
where it was issued prior to obtaining a renewal with the Town of
Windham.
ALL RESIDENTS:
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NEW VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS:
Registration fees paid to the Town of Windham are based on the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)
when the vehicle was new. The MSRP is taken from the “Red Book”
published by National Market Reports. The same book is used state-wide,
and all taxes are calculated from the same, state-regulated tables.
Current year vehicles are taxed at $18.00/thousand for the first year.
The rate is then reduced by $3.00/thousand per year until the vehicle is
six (6) years old. At that time, the rate remains at $3.00/thousand. The
State registration fee is based on the gross vehicle weight (GVW). You
may calculate the estimated costs of your registration by clicking
here.
The
Town Clerk cannot register a new vehicle for less than five (5) months,
nor more than sixteen (16). A resident who comes to the office in July,
and whose birthday falls in November would register for five (5)
months. The same registration processed in August would run for sixteen
(16) months.
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TRANSFERRING VEHICLES:
When transferring license plates
to a newly purchased vehicle, please bring the paperwork for the new
vehicle (Certificate of Origin or title) as
well as the prior (current) registration from the vehicle being replaced.
Please remember that your license plates and registration are
your property and responsibility, and should remain in your possession
after the sale or trade-in of any vehicle.
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RENEWING VEHICLES:
Vehicle registrations expire on the last day of the owner’s birth month,
except in the case of a company owned or leased vehicle. In this
case, the expiration date is determined by the first letter of the
company name. The Town of Windham forwards registration reminders
to vehicle owners, however, it is the registrant’s responsibility to
renew the vehicle in the event of lost or misdirected mail. Registrations being renewed by
mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope in order to avoid mailing
delays.
There is no grace period on expired registrations. If you would like to
receive your renewal notice by e-mail, please complete
this
form and send to the Town Clerk's Office
Please note that you MUST bring in either a previous
registration OR the renewal reminder that we sent out, as per RSA
261:148#4 staff can no longer look up your plate number or your name
for renewal purposes. If you cannot find any previous registrations
for that vehicle or the mailer that we sent, you will have to
purchase a duplicate registration for $15.00 and then we will use
that to renew your vehicle
You also have the opportunity to register your vehicle
online with the
Town Clerks’ Office. Please follow the link at the top of the page to
complete your registration. Please be prepared to be asked your vehicle
information as well as your bank information.
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
Top of Page ^
NEW VEHICLES: Within ten (10) calendar days of
obtaining your plates and registration you are required to have a safety
inspection of your vehicle(s).
VEHICLE RENEWALS:
Vehicles up for renewal are expected to be inspected during their
renewal month, however, there is a ten (10) grace period into the
following month.
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You may obtain or renew your driver’s license at the Department of Motor
Vehicles located on Geremonty Drive in Salem, NH. New residents
should be prepared to present the following:
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A valid out-of-state license, which must be
surrendered
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The following forms of identification: an
original birth certificate or certified copy, a valid passport, or a
valid military ID.
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Proof of residency. Acceptable forms include: a valid NH
registration, a Town/City Clerk approval of residency, or a
postmarked utility bill showing the service address.
Currently, the fee for a standard Operator License is $50.00.
Additional fees are charged for Motorcycle and Commercial endorsements.
Drivers under the age of eighteen (18) are required to complete a Driver
Education Course, and show parental or guardian consent. Driver’s
Licenses are valid for a term of five (5) years, expiring at midnight on
the licensee's birthday.
The DMV in Salem is open from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm, Monday through Friday,
and you may contact Driver Licensing in Concord at 603-271-2371 for more
information.
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Voter Registration:
Important: Please note that the polling location is now WINDHAM HIGH SCHOOL.
You may register to vote any time during regular business hours. You
must be an American citizen, and present proof thereof. A birth
certificate or passport is acceptable. If you are a Naturalized citizen,
you must present your naturalization papers. Proof of residency is also
required. A driver’s license or utility bill would suffice.
Voter registration cannot be accepted by the Town Clerk’s office within
ten (10) days prior to any election, however, the Supervisors of the
Checklist sit prior to an election for new voters, change of party, etc.
Their hours are posted in the local paper, and in the Town Hall. Registration can also be completed at the polls on the
day of the election. For more information about Elections please
visit the State's
website.
ABSENTEE VOTERS
If you will be gone from the Town or
physically can't come to vote then you can obtain an
Absentee Ballot by submitting an
Absentee Ballot Form (State or Federal elections) or
Absentee Ballot Form
(Town elections) either by faxing it, dropping it off in
person, or mailing it to the Town Clerk's attention. Emailed forms will NOT be
accepted. The deadline for returning absentee ballots
in person are 5:00 pm the day before the Election. We
can accept Absentee ballots that are postmarked and MAILED
to us up until the day of Election at 5:00pm. Please
keep in mind you need to be a REGISTERED VOTER in order to
obtain an Absentee Ballot. If you have anymore questions please give
the office a call during business hours or feel free to email
us.
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Couples should be aware of the following requirements to obtain a
marriage license in NH:
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If applying for your license in the State of New
Hampshire you may go to any Town Clerk’s office. It doesn’t matter
where you’re getting married. Both parties must present their birth
certificates or passports and their drivers licenses at the time of application. Also, if it is
not a first marriage for either, you must present your final divorce
decree/ annulment papers or death certificate.
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Blood tests are not required.
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Your license will be effective immediately, with no
waiting period, and remain valid for a period of 90 days.
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Cost: $45.00. Please note, the Town Clerk's Office
will not accept out-of-state checks nor do we process credit
cards or debit cards at this time.
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After the ceremony, it is your officiate's
responsibility to ensure that the completed license is returned to
the Town Clerk's Office that you applied with. It will then take approximately 10-14 days for the
information to be updated in the vital records system. Please note
that out of state officiates will be required to obtain a
Special
License.
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If you would like us to mail your certificate to
you, please provide a self-addressed stamped envelope, along with a
copy of your driver's license and a completed
request form. Certified copies may be obtained
at a cost of $15 for the first copy, and $10/ea for any subsequent
copies requested. Once again, be sure to enclose a self-addressed
stamped envelope, properly completed request form, a copy of your
driver's license, and please note that only money orders or bankers/cashiers
checks will be accepted as payment.
(Important! Please note that
you should plan to arrive at the Town Clerk's Office at least a half
hour before our closing to obtain your marriage license, as it will take some
time to complete the paperwork. Thank you.)
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Dog Licensing:
NEW: Residents may now renew their dog license(s)
online. Please be prepared to provide your previous tag number and
your bank information, and updated rabies information, if necessary.
State of New Hampshire RSA 466:1 requires that every owner or keeper of
a dog 4 months old or older shall annually cause it to be registered,
numbered, described, and licensed for one year in the office the clerk
of the city or town in which the dog is kept, and shall cause it to wear
around its neck a collar to which shall be attached a metal tag with the
following information thereon: the name of the city or town, year of
issue of license and its registered number. Regardless of when the
license is obtained, the license shall be effective from May 1 to April
30 of the subsequent year. RSA 466:14 requires the clerk of the city or
town to issue a $25 civil forfeiture to the owner or keeper of each
unlicensed dog.
If one is not on file with the Town Clerk, please provide a rabies
certificate when securing a dog license. The certificate and license fee
may be mailed or hand delivered to the Town Clerks Office. License fees
are as follows:
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Altered Animal |
$6.50 |
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Male or Female |
$9.00 |
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Senior Citizen Owner (first dog
only) |
$2.00 |
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Group License (5 or more dogs
same owner) |
$20.00 |
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Late Fee per Month |
$1.00 |
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Civil Forfeiture-Unlicensed Dog |
$25.00 |
Windham has adopted a “dog control” law which states that the dog must
be in the presence and sight of a responsible adult at all times, and
must respond when called. There are also statutes regarding
nuisance and vicious dog offenses, and local regulations regarding dogs
on
Town property.
The
Animal Control Officer will take into custody any dog found off the
property of its owners, having reason to believe it is a stray, or any
dog without a current tag on its collar. Once impounded for any
reason, the dog may be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within
seven (7) days. If the identity of the owner is known, Animal
Control will serve a notice in writing that the dog has been seized and
must be retrieved within five (5) days or face euthanasia.
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Vital Statistic Records:
As mentioned before,
we provide marriage licenses. We also distribute death certificates,
birth certificates, and marriage certificates. If you need copies of
birth certificates, please make sure that the person was born in the
State of New Hampshire. If they were born out of state, then you
will need to contact that particular Vital Statistics Bureau.
To obtain certified copies of vital records, at a
cost of $15 for the first copy and $10/ea for subsequent copies,
please be sure to enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope,
properly completed request form (Marriage,
Birth,
or Death),
and a copy of your driver's license. Please note that only money
orders or bankers/cashiers checks will be accepted as payment.
We also can access Divorce Decrees, as long as they
took place in the State of New Hampshire.
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Boat Registrations:
If registering a new
boat, please provide a bill of sale, prior boat registration, or HIN
number Identification (Form 690) if need be. If you’re simply
renewing your boat, please have either the mailer that the State
sends with you, or a copy of your previous boat registration.
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Resident/Non-Resident
Hunting and Fishing License:
If you are interested in obtaining any type of license, please have your
driver’s license/ID on hand at the time of issue. Also, make sure
the person that is getting the license, is the person that comes in
to the office. If you are obtaining a hunting license, please have
your prior hunting license or current hunter’s safety education
card.
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OHRV (Off-Road Vehicle) Registrations:
If you
are registering a new OHRV, please provide a bill of sale, a
previous registration, or a certificate of origin so we can complete
your registration. If you are renewing your OHRV, please have the
prior registration so we can process everything efficiently.
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Saturday schedule for 2011/2012. Office hours: 9am-12pm.
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November 19, 2011
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December 17, 2011
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January 28, 2012
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February 25, 2012
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March 31, 2012
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April 28, 2012
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May 19, 2012
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June 30, 2012
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July 28, 2012
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August 25, 2012
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September 29, 2012
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October 27, 2012
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November 17, 2012
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December 29, 2012
