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Town Clerk

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1. How do I obtain a Marriage License?

Due to very limited staffing, we are fulfilling Marriage License Applications by appointment only (please do not contact us more than 30 days from the actual wedding day).

Town Hall is open to the Public, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm. Marriage License Application Appointments are available between 9 am and 4 pm. Please contact the Town Clerk at 603-890-2116 or Deputy Town Clerk at 603-890-2111 to schedule an appointment. Appointments are first come-first served and only when available. We cannot accommodate any Walk-In Marriage License applications at this time.

Once an appointment has been made, please bring the following with you to the Town Hall:

• Photo IDs (current Driver's License or Passport)
• If previously married and divorced/annulled: the original, certified Final or Absolute Divorce Decree (Divorce NISI are not acceptable) or Annulment of the most recent marriage
• If previously married with a deceased spouse: the original, certified Death Certificate of the spouse
• If any of your documents are not in English, they must be translated into English and notarized
• $50 cash, check, money order, credit card or debit card

Both you and your fiancée must be present to complete the "Certificate of Intention of Marriage" (a.k.a. Marriage License Application). Please allow yourself 30 to 45 minutes to complete the entire application process. Witnesses are not required for the application process. However, translators are recommended to attend the application process with the applicants as we do not have translation services available.

Once the process is completed, the applicants will leave with a NH Marriage License that is valid for 90 days. The Officiant must complete their portion of the license following their presiding over the marriage ceremony, civil or religious. The license must be returned to the Salem Town Clerk within 6 days from the marriage ceremony for entry into the NH Vital Records database.

Marriage Certificates can be requested and purchased from any town or city within the State of New Hampshire once the marriage information has been recorded with the NH Vital Records Division. Please see the Town of Salem's procedures for attaining certified Marriage Certificates: Vital Records Request.

2. How do I register or transfer plates to a vehicle, motorcycle or trailer (utility, boat or camper) in Salem?

Please know the Town of Salem and State of New Hampshire have many laws and ordinances with respect to the registration of vehicles. As Municipal Agents for the NH Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Clerks for the Town of Salem, we must follow all current laws and ordinances. There are certain, required procedures and documents that MUST be provided for all registration transactions. In other words, we do not make the laws, we must follow them.

Registering vehicles in the State of New Hampshire must start at the municipal/local level, first: at the Salem Town Hall. As Municipal Agents for the NH DMV, we are able to perform most state registration functions such as issuing passenger, trailer and motorcycle plates. Specialty registrations and plates, such as Antique and Veteran, must be completed at the NH DMV. A nominal fee of $3 is automatically added to each transaction that we are completing on behalf of the NH DMV, thereby saving you an additional trip to the NH DMV to complete the registration process.

For vehicles, motorcycles or trailers (utility, boat or camper) purchased from an Out-of-State Dealership or Private Sale or Moved into Salem from Out-of-State, please present the following at time of registration at the Town Hall:

• Current, valid NH Driver's License (or Out-of-State license if within 60 days of moving into New Hampshire)
• Vehicle/motorcycle/trailer's Certificate of Title, or Application for Certificate of Title (from certain, authorized Massachusetts dealerships), or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, completed with required Seller's and Buyer's information and Odometer Reading. See our Sample Title (PDF) for proper completion by the seller(s)
• If Leased: all pages of the Lease Agreement designating the Leasing Company (Lessor) and Lessee(s)
• If Financed: the Bill of Sale designating the Lender/Lienholder (i.e. bank, credit union, etc.)
• If transferring NH-issued license plates from a previous vehicle to the new vehicle: the original, current, signed registration for those plates
• If moving in from out-of-state: the original, current registration from the previous state of issue
• If the manufacturer's year is 1999 or older, two of the following must be presented (essentially, we need two forms of identification of the vehicle/trailer/motorcycle you wish to register):
  • Original Certificate of Title
  • Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin
  • Verification of Vehicle Identification (TDMV 19A) (PDF)
  • Bill of Sale (JPG) (with buyer, seller, their respective addresses, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), sale price, and any other details specific to the vehicle, listed), or previous owner's registration

For vehicles, motorcycles or trailers (utility, boat or camper) purchased from a New Hampshire Dealership, please present the following at time of registration at the Town Hall:

• Current, valid NH Driver's License (or Out-of-State license if within 60 days of moving into New Hampshire)
• Completed and signed Application for Certificate of Title (Town Clerk's Copy), Certificate of Title, or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, completed with required Seller's and Buyer's information and Odometer Reading
• If transferring NH-issued license plates from a previous vehicle to the new vehicle: the original, current, signed registration for those plates

For an estimate of registration fees on new and renewed vehicle registrations: NH Vehicle Estimator:

• The State of NH prorates new vehicle registration fees by the month not by the day. Your registration fees on January 1st will be the same on January 31st for new-to-you vehicle registrations
• Renewals are always for a 12-month period. The state does not prorate renewals for shorter periods of time. You may renew up to 4-months in advance at the 12-month rate (e.g. September renewals can renew as early as June)
• The State of NH does not issue refunds for partially used vehicle registrations. The only way to retain the remaining value of registration fees paid is to transfer your vehicle registration and plates from an old vehicle to a new vehicle. Any remaining registration fees will be used as a credit towards your new vehicle's registration fees

3. I just moved to Salem. How do I register my vehicle(s)?

Welcome to Salem!! With any luck, you will quickly discover that here is way better than there!

Per state law, you have 60 days to convert your driver's license and vehicle registration(s) if you moved from out of state. If you moved within the State of NH, you have 30 days to update your address.

In both cases, you will need to establish Residency with the Assessing Department. The Assessing Department is located in the bottom floor, backside of the Town Hall. Please see their Residency procedures on the Becoming a Resident page. Once Residency is established, you may register your vehicle(s) per our instructions in the following FAQ: Registering a Vehicle in Salem.

For new residents to the State of NH, you can register your vehicle(s) prior to attaining a NH Driver's License. However, we highly recommend you make an appointment with the NH Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to attain your NH license in the meantime. You may also call the NH DMV directly to make an appointment at 603-227-4000, although your wait time may be lengthy.

For NH residents moving from another NH town/city into Salem, you do not need a new license or vehicle registration (if it is not due for renewal, yet). You may change your address directly with the NH DMV by completing a Record Change Request Form (PDF) and mailing it directly to the address on the form, or dropping it off at the Salem DMV at 154 Main Street (behind Romano's Pizzeria). Please do not bring this form to the Town Clerk's Office. We cannot process an address change unless there is a motor vehicle transaction (i.e. renewal, plate transfer).

4. How do I get a certified copy of a birth, death, divorce or marriage certificate?

For more information on obtaining vital records we recommend visiting our Certified Vital Records page.

5. We just got married in New Hampshire. What do we do now?

Congratulations on your recent nuptials and best wishes to a happy future together!!

Now, on to the essentials:

1. Return the original, completed Marriage License, along with any special officiant marriage waivers from the Secretary of State of New Hampshire, to the Town/City Hall that you attained your Marriage License from. Every block in the "OFFICIANT" section of the license must be filled in by the Officiant
2. Request and pay for Marriage Certificates. We do not automatically send out the Marriage Certificates due to the privacy laws of the State of New Hampshire. You must request and pay for them, first. While any town/city clerk in the State of NH can access the vital records database, please refer to the specific town's/city's procedures. In Salem, we highly encourage you to order your Marriage Certificates online. Otherwise, you can request them by mail (PDF). Further details about requesting Marriage Certificates, or any other vital records, can be found on our Certified Vital Records page
3. Once you receive your Marriage Certificate, you can legally change your name, if applicable. Start with the Social Security Administration to attain an updated Social Security card. Once you receive your new Social Security card, then you can proceed to:
   • Your local Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)/Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to update your driver's license
   • Your banking institution(s) to update your account(s)
   • Your insurance company to update your coverage
   • Your doctor's office to update your records
   • Your professional licensing institutions/agencies, so forth and so on

6. How do I get a landfill/dump permit and where is the landfill/dump located?

The new 2023-2024 Landfill/Dump stickers (purple) are now available!

Landfill permits are obtained in the bottom floor of the Town Hall in the Collections Area. You will need a current, valid registration (or a photocopy) of the vehicle on which the landfill sticker will be going onto showing a Salem address. If you are not a Salem resident, or your vehicle registration does not have a Salem address on it, you will need to provide proof that you own property in Salem, as well as provide your current, out-of-town or -state vehicle registration.

The cost of the permit is $45 and expires on September 30, annually. The fee is not prorated. If you are 65 years of age or older, you may obtain one free permit for your personal vehicle, only. Each additional permit costs $45. The pricing is per the Fee Schedule (PDF) adopted by the Board of Selectmen. If you are a veteran that is 100% permanently & totally disabled, you may obtain a free permit with proof of your "100% permanent and total disability" from the Veterans Administration. Please bring in your VA Disability letter showing your "100% permanent and total disability" rating.

Landfill permits come with three "bulky" coupons attached for large items. Only one set of landfill bulky coupons is allowed per household per year. You may purchase additional landfill permits for additional vehicles, but they will not include the bulky coupons.

The landfill (also known as the Transfer Station or Dump) is located on Shannon Road. Take Route 97 (Main Street) to Hampstead Street, which will become Shannon Road. The landfill is about one mile on the left.

Renewal Options

You have other options for Landfill/Dump Sticker renewal if you do not wish to come to the Town Hall:

Mail In

Please mail in a $45 check or money order made payable to the "Town of Salem," a standard Number 10 business size self-addressed stamped envelope, and a photocopy of your current registration for the vehicle that the landfill/dump sticker will be going onto the following address:

Town Clerk
33 Geremonty Drive
Salem, NH 03079

Cash is not an acceptable form of payment using this method.

Town Hall Drop Box

At the front of the Town Hall, please drop off a sealed envelope labeled "Town Clerk" including a $45 check or money order made payable to the "Town of Salem," a standard Number 10 business size self-addressed stamped envelope, and a photocopy of your current registration for the vehicle that the landfill/dump sticker will be going on. Cash is not an acceptable form of payment using this method.

Please note: If a self-addressed stamped envelope is not provided with mail/drop box requests, the landfill sticker will remain at the Town Clerk's Office until retrieved by the requestor.

7. How do I license my dog?

We recommend visiting our Dog Licenses page to learn more about licensing dogs in the Town of Salem.

8. I did not receive my Motor Vehicle Renewal Notice, what should I do?

In an effort to go green and save on ink, paper and postage, the Salem Town Clerk's Office is collecting email addresses from residents in order to email the complimentary renewal notifications. Residents with email addresses already on record with the Town Clerk's Office and/or NH Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will receive an email notification from EB2gov.com, our 3rd party collections company, to assist in the registration renewal process. Within that email is a link directly to the EB2gov website to renew your vehicle's registration. Should you not receive that email notification directly in your inbox, we recommend that you check any other folders associated with that email address, depending upon the security preferences of your internet/email provider and email software (i.e. Outlook, etc.).

Should you not receive the renewal notice by mail or email, do not worry - you can still renew your vehicle registration(s)! You have three options:

1. Online: Renew your registration(s) online via the current plate number and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) (last four digits found on your registration): Renew by Plate/VIN.
2. In Person: Renew your registration(s) in person at the Town Hall. We are open to the Public, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. All Motor Vehicle transactions stop at 4:30 pm. Please bring your current driver's license, current registration(s), and form of payment (cash, check, credit/debit card).
3. By Mail/Drop Box: If you would like to renew by mail or drop box, please provide a check or money order made payable to the "Town of Salem", ensure your current address and phone number are on the payment, as well as the license plate number(s). Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your payment. If a self-addressed stamped envelope is not provided, we will hold your registration(s) until you pick it/them up at the Town Hall.

If you are unsure of your registration fees, please see the online renewal procedures, above, or refer to the previous year's registration(s) (State Fees listed in upper right corner; Local/Municipal Fees listed in lower right corner). This applies to vehicles over 5 years old from the original manufacturer's date. Newer vehicle registration fees depreciate within the first 5 years from manufacturer's date.

9. I can't find my vehicle's title. Where do I get a new one?

You can conveniently apply for a duplicate or replacement Title, and it takes no more than a few minutes of your time. In New Hampshire, titles are processed by the Division of Motor Vehicles - Bureau of Title and Anti-Theft. When you want to sell your car, you'll need to supply the vehicle title. Titles can become lost, stolen, damaged or illegible, necessitating their replacement. A duplicate title is easy to acquire with a few forms and supporting documents. Note: When there is a lien on a title, such as when the vehicle was purchased with a loan, the title is mailed to the lienholder.

Aside from needing a duplicate if you lose your car's title, you'll need it if and when you sell it. You can apply for a duplicate title by mail or in person at most NH Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices. To get a duplicate title:

• Fill out an Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title (Form TDMV 18 (PDF))
• If a vehicle is jointly owned, all of the owners must sign the application for a duplicate title
  • Provide the drivers license number of all owners
• Pay a fee of $25 by check or money order, made payable to the "State of NH"
• You can deliver the form and payment to the Salem DMV Office at 154 Main Street, or mail everything to:
  NH Department of Safety
  DMV - Title Bureau
  23 Hazen Drive
  Concord, NH 03305

A duplicate title will be mailed to you within 10 business days. The Town Clerk's Office does not hold vehicle titles, nor do we provide the duplicates/replacements.

10. How do I register to vote?

Salem's Supervisors of the Checklist ("Supervisors") administer voter registration.

Voter registration applications can be picked up and submitted at the Town Clerk's Office, Town Hall, 33 Geremonty Drive, during regular business hours. The Supervisors will hold additional special hours just before elections and before the beginning of a filing period. Voter registration closes 10 days before an election, however New Hampshire permits same day voter registration at the polling places.

You are required to show proof of age, residency and citizenship. Acceptable forms of proof of age include a driver's license, passport or birth certificate. A driver's license, utility bill or other mailed correspondence is acceptable for proof of residency. A passport, birth certificate or naturalization papers are proof of citizenship. Citizenship and residency affidavits are available if you cannot provide necessary documentation.

When you register to vote you are registered for all elections, and town and school meetings.

11. Where do I get a fishing/hunting license?

Licenses are available at many sporting goods stores or you may contact the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department at 603-352-9669.

12. Where do I get a business license?

The Town of Salem does not license businesses; however new business owners are encouraged to call the Town of Salem Code Enforcement Department to ensure the location is properly zoned for business: 603-890-2080. Businesses and corporations are required to file with the NH Secretary of State's Office in Concord NH (call 603-271-3246) or the Secretary of State's Business Division.

The Town of Salem also has an ordinance regarding home businesses in Residential properties. Please contact the Building Department for Code Enforcement information by calling 603-890-2020 or 603-890-2209.

13. When are elections held?

Town elections are held annually on the second Tuesday in March.

The Presidential Primary election is held, usually, in January every four years always in an even-numbered year. Every two years (also in even-numbered years) there is a State Primary election held on the second Tuesday in September and a State General Election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Every four years this election also includes the Presidential election.

14. Where do I register my boat? What will it cost?

Boats, canoes, etc., can be registered at a Boat Agent listed with the State of NH: Authorized Boat Agents.

Unfortunately, the Town Clerk of Salem is not an authorized boat agent and cannot answer any questions regarding boat registrations.

For further information on registering a boat in the State of NH, please go to the NH Boat Registrations page.

15. Where can I dispose of construction debris or wood?

Construction debris (C&D) and wood (ex. 2 by 4 inch studs, plywood, decking, etc.) are not accepted at the Landfill/Transfer Station on Shannon Road in Salem. However, the LL&S Transfer Station, at 87 Lowell Road in Salem, will accept C&D from Salem residents, only. C&D Coupons are available for purchase at the Town Clerk's/Collections Office. Coupons are $25 each and are good for up to 500 pounds of material (to be disposed of at one time). Anything over that weight will be charged $0.07 per pound in cash, only, at the time of disposal. The current year's C&D Coupons expire on September 30th.

Please contact LL&S at 603-894-9800 for acceptable materials for disposal, hours of operation and any further questions.

There is a limit of three coupons per household per year.

Please note: These coupons are separate from the three Transfer Station Bulky coupons issued with your annual Landfill/Transfer Station Permit.

16. What will it cost to register my car, motorcycle or trailer in the Town of Salem?

For an estimate of fees on new and renewed vehicle registrations visit the NH Vehicle Estimator.

The State of NH prorates new vehicle registration fees by the month not by the day. For example, your registration fees on January 1st will be the same as on January 31st for new-to-you vehicle registrations.

17. What forms of payment does the Town accept?

For water/utility and property taxes: cash and check, only.

For all vehicle registration activities, landfill/dump/transfer station passes, construction debris coupons, electronic device disposal stickers, dog licenses, marriage licenses and vital records requests: cash, check, credit card and debit card.

• Checks must have your current Salem address and phone number on them. Checks can only be accepted for property owners. Renters will have to make payments via cash or credit/debit card at the time of transaction.
• Credit or debit card payments incur a 2.79% convenience fee on the total fees. Payments $50 and under incur a $1.50 convenience fee.
• We have an ATM located on the bottom floor of the Town Hall (Town Clerk's area). The ATM charges a $2 service fee for each withdrawal session. The maximum withdrawal is $200 per session.

18. Where do I vote?

Voting information can be found in the Town's Local and State Elections page, including information on how to register, how to vote absentee and a searchable map of the districts and polling places.

19. How do I find a Justice of the Peace to perform a marriage ceremony?

When you apply we will give you a list of area Justices of the Peace. You may also find a listing on the Internet or in the yellow pages.

20. Where do I get a passport? Where do I get a Social Security card?

Both of these are obtained through the federal government. Passport applications may be obtained at the Post Office. Social Security cards or applications are available at any Social Security Office. The telephone numbers are listed in the telephone book under United States Government.

21. Where can I do genealogy research?

Genealogy research may be done at the Bureau of Vital Records at 6 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH. They have a genealogy room and maintain records for all cities and towns in New Hampshire from 1640. They also have divorce records from 1880. The Town Clerk's office in Salem does not have the facilities or manpower to do genealogy research. Due to the conditions of our records, genealogy research cannot be done in this office.

Visit the State of NH Bureau of Vital Records website to learn more.