Town Clerk
Bernadette Ratel
Phone: (603) 272-4840
Email: bernadette.ratel@townofpiermontnh.org
Term Expires: 2027
Contact Information
Office: (603) 272-4840
Address:
130 Route 10
Piermont, NH 03779
Town Clerk Hours:
Tuesday: 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday afternoons by appointment
Office CLOSED the week of November 25th
If you are not feeling well, please stay home. Please do not gather inside the Town Clerk’s office. Please practice safe social distancing. If the Town Clerk feels there are too many people in the office, you may be asked to wait outdoors. Please call with any questions or concerns.
Payments: For all transactions, Piermont accepts only ONE check, payable to the “Town of Piermont.” State checks will no longer be accepted. All car registration renewal notices reflect this change. Checks that are returned will have an additional $40.00 fee assessed. The Town Clerk's Office now accepts credit and debit cards.
Duties of the Town Clerk
The many duties and responsibilities of the Town Clerk are defined by the New Hampshire Statutes. There is no one place where they are all listed. Instead, they are specified by numerous statutes such as motor vehicle laws, election laws, vital statistics, planning and land use laws, libraries and the budget law. The Selectboard is responsible for establishing and maintaining appropriate internal control procedures to ensure the safeguarding of all town assets and properties as well as compliance with Municipal Budget Law.
The office is staffed by an elected Town Clerk who serves a 3 year term, and a Deputy Town Clerk chosen by the Town Clerk and appointed by the Selectboard upon approval. Together they perform a variety of duties which include vehicle registrations, marriage licenses and certificates, vital records such as births and deaths, dog licenses, elections, voter registrations, absentee ballots, and act as Notaries. In addition to collecting the Town’s Permit Fees they also act as State Municipal Agent, issuing license plates and processing title applications.
Vehicle Registration
For new registrations: Registering a vehicle in New Hampshire is a two-part process. To register your vehicle in New Hampshire, you must first go to the Town Clerk's office to determine your residency and start your registration process. Please see NH Division of Motor Vehicles for more details, or visit or call the Town Clerk’s office at (603) 272-4840.
For renewal registrations: You have the option to renew registrations by mail or by drop box on the Town Clerk’s office door. We will mail your registration back to you.
Voter Registration
Any voter or potential voter may go to the Town Clerk’s office, during regular hours to register to vote, to change registration or party information, to obtain an absentee voter registration form or to apply for an absentee ballot. See the Voter Registration page for more details.
Copies of the voter registration list are available from the Town Clerk at a cost of $25.00 for each copy.
Those wishing to register must be 18 years of age, provide proof of residency of the Town – a P.O. Box is not sufficient - a Birth Certificate or Passport and a valid NH Driver’s License. The registration form must be completed at the Town Clerk’s Office, a Supervisors of the Checklist Session or at the polling place.
You may obtain an Absentee Ballot from the Town Clerk only for yourself; you cannot pick up or submit for anyone else. Each individual Absentee Ballot must be given personally or mailed to the Town Clerk prior to the Election Day. To obtain an Absentee Ballot you must be on the voter registration checklist.
Vital Records
The Town Clerk is responsible for preserving Town Records. A certified copy of Birth, Death, and Divorce Decree Certificates may be purchased for a fee of $15.00 for one record and is chargeable whether the record is located or not. These are only given to those who have a direct and tangible interest in such record in accordance with NH State Statutes. Subsequent copies requested at the same time will cost $10.00 each. Application forms can be downloaded from this website or obtained directly from the Town Clerk. The completed form, together with the required payment, must be submitted to the Town Clerk before the search is begun. The Town’s records go back to 1764. Older records can be searched through the Secretary of State’s office.
Marriage License/Certificate
To get married in New Hampshire you do not need to be a resident of the state and can obtain your marriage license at any Town Clerk’s Office but you must start the application process at least 1 hour before closing. Both parties must appear in person with a valid photo ID. The license cost is $50.00 and it is valid for 90 days.
You will need to bring proof of age and do not need parental consent if you are age 18 or over. When either party is not 18 then he/she may request permission to marry from a Justice of the Superior Court or a Judge of Probate of the county in which one of the applicants resides. The request must be in writing and have the approval of the parent or guardian. If either applicant has been married before, a certified proof of the divorce/annulment or death of the former spouse must be provided at the time of application. In addition, you will need your birthplace, social security number, your father’s and mother’s full name and place of birth. New Hampshire does not require a blood test.
Please make sure the officiant returns the signed license to the Town Clerk after the ceremony has been performed. The information will then be entered by the Town Clerk into the vital records. Applicants can request a copy of the marriage certificate at the same Town Clerk’s Office; the cost is $15.00 for the first certified copy and each additional copy is $10.00, if requested at the same time.