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William Barnett, Town Clerk |
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2 Jabish Street, P.O. Box 629 Belchertown, MA 01007 |
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Telephone: (413) 323-0281 |
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email: clerk@Belchertown.org |
Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Birth Certificates
Marriage Licenses
Death Certificates
Dog Licenses
Passports
Business Registration Certificate
Homesteads
Raffles and Bazaars
Voter Registration
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Filings
Hunting, Sporting, Archery, Waterfowl, Primitive Firearms or
Wildlands Licenses and Stamps
Fishing, Trapping or Wildlife Licenses and Stamps
The Town Clerk is
responsible for conducting elections, official recordkeeping, and issuing
certain licenses. The Town Clerk records all official votes and motions at
special and annual town meetings. The Town Clerk is the official Election
Officer and acquires from the State all necessary materials for the property
conduct of State-wide elections. For local elections, the Clerk provides
ballots and other necessary material to voters. The Clerk also serves on the
Board of Registrars of Voters.
Maintaining records of personal property mortgages, records of all licenses authorized by the Selectmen, and certificates of landtaking are all responsibilities of the Town Clerk. The Town Clerk is also an agent of the State, issuing and recording licenses for births, marriages, deaths, dogs, hunting, fishing and trapping. As the official recordkeeper of the Town, the Town Clerk is required to research and verify the existence of certain records such as births, deaths and marriages upon request.
There is a $5.00 charge for a certified copy of a birth certificate.
You must both apply in person for a marriage license. This requirement is applicable to both residents and non-residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. According to Massachusetts law, you must jointly file intentions to marry, and you may do so with the city or town clerk in any community in the state. If a person is in the military, intentions may be filed by either party, providing one is a Massachusetts resident. If a person is incarcerated in a county house of correction or a state correctional facility, intentions may be filed by either party. A marriage license, once obtained, is valid for 60 days from the date intentions are filed and may be used in any Massachusetts city or town. It is not valid outside the state.
There is a $15.00 charge to apply for a marriage license. If you would like a certified copy of a marriage license, the charge is $5.00. If you would like additional assistance, please contact the Belchertown Town Clerk at the above address or phone number or the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics by mail: Department of Public Health, 470 Atlantic Avenue, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02210-2224, or by phone: (617) 753-8600.
There is a $5.00 charge for a certified copy of a death certificate.
The Belchertown Dog Control ByLaw (Chapter 15 - Animals) requires that all dogs six (6)
months of age or older be licensed with the Town Clerk. The licensing period is January 1st
for one year. (The Town Clerks' ofc begins licensing for the following year in mid November.)
Application for a dog license must be made within 30 days of obtaining a dog six (6) months
or older. Failure to properly license a dog six (6) months of age or older is subject to a
fine starting at $10.00. In order to obtain a license for your dog, you need to have a
current rabies vaccination certificate, and a spay/neuter certificate, if applicable. You
can license your dog by coming to the Town Clerks' office or through the mail . If through
the mail be sure to include copies of the above and payment. (Mail to: Town Clerk; P.O.
Box 629; Belchertown, MA 01007-0629) Once received we will process and mail you the Dog
License and tag. The fees are as follows:
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DOG |
FEE |
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Spayed or Neutered |
$8.00 |
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Not Spayed or Neutered |
$15.00 |
Passport Applications are accepted Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM. Please call 323-0281 with any questions or to have a Passport Application mailed to you.
You may also access the U.S. Department of State website at www.travel.state.gov for more detailed passport information and required applications.
Business Registration Certificate
There is a $15.00 charge for a Business Registration Certificate, which is good for four (4) years. A Home Occupation Zoning Permit may be required from the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer.
The Town Clerk's office records homesteads for the mobile homes in town. The recording fee is $10.00. Any other homesteads are recorded at the Hampshire County Registry of Deeds.
A permit is required for any and all raffles and bazaars that are held. The fee is $10.00.
To register to vote a person needs to obtain a Voter Registration Form from the Town Clerk's office. They may complete the form there or by mail. In order to register to vote you must be:
- a U.S. citizen, and
- a resident of Massachusetts, and
- 18 years old on or before the next election.
The opportunity to register to vote must be offered to your whenever you:
- apply for a driver's license,
- renew a driver's license or
- change your address in person or in writing.
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Filings
As of July 1, 2001, City and Town Clerks are prohibited from accepting any UCC financing statements (filings, amendments, assignments, continuations, and terminations). Search requests will be honored until June 30, 2008.
For more information, please contact the Office of the State Secretary: www.state.ma.us/sec/cor
Hunting, Sporting, Archery,
Waterfowl, Primitive Firearms or Wildlands Licenses and Stamps
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CLASS |
TYPE OF LICENSE |
* FEE A |
** FEE B |
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H1 |
Resident Citizen/Alien Hunting |
$23.50 |
$28.50 |
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H2 |
Resident Citizen Hunting, Age 65-69 |
$12.25 |
$17.25 |
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H3 |
Resident Citizen Hunting Paraplegic |
FREE |
FREE |
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H4 |
Resident Alien Hunting |
$23.50 |
$28.50 |
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H5 |
Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Hunting, Big Game |
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$100.50 |
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H6 |
Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Hunting, Small Game |
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$66.50 |
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H7 |
Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Commercial Preserve (3 day) |
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$25.50 |
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H8 |
Resident Citizen Minor Hunting, Age 15-17 |
$7.50 |
$12.50 |
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S1 |
Resident Citizen Sporting |
$41.00 |
$46.00 |
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S2 |
Resident Citizen Sporting, Age 65-69 |
$21.00 |
$26.00 |
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S3 |
Resident Citizen Sporting, Age 70 or over |
FREE |
FREE |
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DH |
Duplicate Hunting |
$2.00 |
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DS |
Duplicate Sporting |
$2.00 |
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M1 |
Archery Stamp |
$5.10 |
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M2 |
Waterfowl Stamp |
$5.00 |
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M3 |
Primitive Firearms Stamp |
$5.10 |
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W1 |
Wildlands Stamp - Resident |
$5.00 |
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W2 |
Wildlands Stamp - Non-Resident |
$5.00 |
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W3 |
Wildlands Stamp - Collector's Edition |
$5.00 |
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* FEE A: Fee for second resident license, free license, duplicate license, and stamps. Please note: One stamp per year required for residents. Non-residents must purchase stamp for each license.
** FEE B: Fee for first resident license and all non-resident licenses. Cost includes a $5.00 fee for the Wildlands Conservation Stamp and a $1.00 fee for processing.
Fishing, Trapping or
Wildlands Licenses and Stamps
|
CLASS |
TYPE OF LICENSE |
* FEE A |
** FEE B |
|
F1 |
Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing |
$23.50 |
$28.50 |
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F2 |
Resident Citizen Minor Fishing, Age 15-17 |
$7.50 |
$12.50 |
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F3 |
Resident Citizen Fishing, Age 65-69 |
$12.25 |
$17.25 |
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F4 |
Resident Citizen Fishing (Age 70 or over, or Paraplegic, Blind or Mentally Retarded) |
FREE |
FREE |
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F6 |
Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing |
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$38.50 |
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F7 |
Non-Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing (3 day) |
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$24.50 |
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F8 |
Resident Citizen/Alien Fishing (3 day) |
$8.50 |
$13.50 |
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F9 |
Non-Resident Minor Fishing, Age 15-17 |
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$12.50 |
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T1 |
Resident Citizen Trapping |
$31.50 |
$36.50 |
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T2 |
Resident Citizen Minor Trapping, Age 12-17 |
$7.50 |
$12.50 |
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T3 |
Resident Citizen Trapping, Age 65-69 |
$16.25 |
$21.25 |
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DF |
Duplicate Fishing |
$2.00 |
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DT |
Duplicate Trapping |
$2.00 |
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W1 |
Wildlands Stamp - Resident |
$5.00 |
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W2 |
Wildlands Stamp - Non-Resident |
$5.00 |
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W3 |
Wildlands Stamp - Collector's Edition |
$5.00 |
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* FEE A: Fee for second resident license, free license, duplicate license, and stamps. Please note: One stamp per year required for residents. Non-residents must purchase stamp for each license. As of January 1, 1997, City and Town Clerks were required to add $1.00 to fee schedule listed on the license for each license sold.
** FEE B: Fee for first resident license and all non-resident licenses. Cost includes a $5.00 fee for the Wildlands Conservation Stamp and a $1.00 fee for processing.