Elizabeth A. DelTorto Memorial Town Hall Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
As prescribed by New York State Town Law, the Town Clerk is responsible for a variety of tasks ranging from Registrar of Vital Statistics, to Recording Secretary, to Records Management Officer to Licensing Officer. Realizing that local government is the branch most directly affecting people's lives, we are here to serve and assist you. If I may be of any assistance to you, please stop into our office on the first floor of Memorial Town Hall , call me at 518-783-2734 or email me at deltortoe@colonie.org . Duties of Colonie Town Clerk
Other Services include: Notary Public, Voter and Absentee Voter registration, the issuance of Senior Courtesy Cards, and the sale of Town maps, compost stickers and Town Code books. Dog Licenses We do not yet have the dog licensing process online, but you may license your dog by mail if you’d rather not come to Town Hall. If you would prefer to come in person, we are located in Town Hall on Rte. 9 across from Siena College. Our office hours are Monday-Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and on Thursday from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. If you choose to use the mail, our address is Colonie Town Clerk, Memorial Town Hall, PO Box 508, Newtonville, NY 12128. Purebred Licenses A purebred license may be issued to owners of multiple dogs of the same breed at the same address. Each dog must have an AKC Registration Certificate and proof of a current rabies vaccination. If a dog has been altered, proof of such is also required. The costs are: $30.00 for up to 10 dogs, plus $3.00 per unaltered dog and $55.00 for 11 to 24 dogs, plus $3.00 per unaltered dog. Animal Control / Dog Redemption If a dog is found to be running at large, an Animal Control Officer may pick up the dog and bring him/her to the Latham Animal Hospital ( 326 Troy Schenectady Road (Rt. 2), Latham , NY 12110 , 518-785-1481) to await redemption by the owner. The owner will need to come to the Town Clerk's office to show proof of a current license and current rabies vaccination and to receive a redemption sheet. The cost is $25.00 for the first redemption, $35.00 for the second and $45.00 for the third and subsequent redemptions. Latham Animal Hospital may charge additional fees. Exemptions Working dogs such as police dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs and war dogs must be registered but are exempt from license fees. Official certification must be supplied at the time of registration. A Certificate of Residency is obtained to be submitted with tuition payments at a community college. There is a significant cost savings for the student if residency can be certified. The Town Clerk's office is able to issue a Certificate to Town residents if the applicant can prove the following information:
If you have not changed your address within the last year, one document can usually establish both conditions. Examples of Proof
These documents must be at least one year old to show NYS residence, and/or six months old at the current address to establish Albany County residence. These documents must be in the applicant's name. The applicant must provide his/her Social Security Number. Click here for further information and copy of Application for Certificate of Residency A couple who intends to be married in New York State must apply in person for a marriage license to any Town or City Clerk within New York State . You need not apply only in the municipality in which you reside. The application for a license must be signed by both partners in the presence of the Clerk. There are no blood tests required. If both parties are 18 years of age or older, no written parental or judicial consent is required. The marriage license is issued immediately; however, it is not valid for a period of 24 hours after the issuance of the license. It will remain valid for 60 days thereafter. There is a fee of $40.00 for a marriage license. Fees are payable by cash, check, money order, Master Card or Visa. Each applicant is required to establish proof of age and identity by submitting one of the following age-related documents and one of the following identity-related documents.Age-related documents:
Identity-related documents:
Important Notes:
Second or Subsequent Marriages If either or both members of a couple are applying for a marriage license for a second or subsequent marriage, certified information regarding the previous marriage(s) must be furnished at the time of application. This includes proof of dissolution of the prior marriage(s) by either divorce decrees or death certificates. Important Notes:
Every person has the right to adopt any name by which he or she wishes to be known simply by using that name consistently and without intent to defraud. A person's surname does not automatically change upon marriage, and neither party to the marriage is required to change his or her last name. One or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the surname by which he or she wishes to be known after the marriage by entering the new name in the appropriate space provided on the marriage license. The new name must consist of one of the following options:
The use of this option will provide a record of your change of name. The marriage certificate, containing the new name, if any, is proof that the use of the new name, or the retention of the former name, is lawful. The local Social Security Administration office should be contacted so that its records and your social security identification card reflect the name change. There is no charge for this service. Whether you decide to use or not use this option at the time of your marriage license application, you still have the right to adopt a different name through usage at some future date. However, your marriage license cannot be changed to record a surname you decide to use after your marriage.
To be valid, a marriage ceremony must be performed by any of the individuals specified in Section 11 of the New York State Domestic Relations Law. These include:
How Do I Get a Copy of My Marriage License? The copy of your marriage license is on file in the municipal clerk's office from which it was purchased. This may not be the municipality in which you were married, living or working at the time. A marriage license purchased in New York State may be used anywhere in New York State . If you know or are fairly certain that you purchased your marriage license in the Town of Colonie , we will be happy to search for and prepare a certified copy for you. Please send us the date of the wedding, the full names of both partners using maiden names where appropriate. If you are local and wish to pick up the certified copy at our office in Town Hall (Rt. 9, across the street from Siena College ), you may do so Monday – Friday 8:30 am until 4:30 pm; we are open until 6:00 pm on Thursdays. Please be sure to bring your driver's license as proof of identity. There is a fee of $10.00 per copy payable by cash, check, Master Card or Visa. If you are not local and wish for us to mail a certified copy of the license to you, you will need to put your request in writing with a photocopy of your driver's license and a check payable to Colonie Town Clerk and mail it to us at Memorial Town Hall , 534 Loudon Road , Newtonville , NY 12128 . If you wish the certified copy mailed to the address shown on your driver's license, you will need to do nothing further. If you wish the certified copy sent to a different address, you will also need to have your written request notarized. Application for Copy of Marriage License A death certificate is filed with the clerk of the municipality in which the death occurred within 72 hours of such death. Such filing is usually handled by a funeral director or coroner.
Who is eligible to obtain a death certificate copy?
Note : If a request for a copy of a death certificate is within six months from the time of death, and the arrangements were handled by a funeral director, that director acting on behalf of the family may request a copy or copies
What is a lawful right or claim? If the applicant is not the spouse, parent or child of the decedent, a lawful right or claim must be documented. An example of a lawful right or claim would be a death record needed by the applicant to claim a benefit. Documentation would consist of an official letter from the agency verifying that to process the claim the applicant is required to provide a copy of the requested death record.Identification Requirements - Application must be submitted with copies of either A or B:
Note : If you are applying for a copy of a death certificate via the mail and your driver's license does not reflect the address to which you want the certificate mailed, you must have your signature notarized. There is a fee of $10.00 per certified copy of a death certificate. Fees are payable by cash, check, money order, Master Card or Visa. Application for Copy of Death Certificate A birth certificate is issued by the clerk of the municipality in which the birth occurred. Because we do not have a hospital within the Town of Colonie , we issue a very small number of birth certificates each year. If a birth has occurred within the Town, the parent must file the information with the Town Clerk within five days of the birth. A certificate for a birth occurring within the Town of Colonie will be permanently maintained by the Town Clerk.
Who is eligible to obtain a birth certificate copy?
Identification Requirements - Application must be submitted with copies of either A or B:
Important Notes:
There is a fee of $10.00 per certified copy of a birth certificate. Fees are payable by cash, check, money order, Master Card or Visa. Application for Copy of Birth Certificate What types of records are available for genealogy research? The Town of Colonie can provide uncertified copies of the following types of records for genealogy research purposes if the event occurred within the Town:
Are the time periods ever waived? The time periods are waived for direct-line descendants. A direct-line descendant is a person in the direct line of descent, i.e., the child, grandchild, great-grandchild of the person whose record is requested. The direct-line descendant applicant must provide the following:
There is a $22.00 fee per uncertified copy of each event. Fees are payable by cash, check, money order, Master Card or Visa. For more information on genealogy research, see the Capital District Genealogical Society . Application for Genealogical Services VOTER REGISTRATION / ABSENTEE BALLOT INFORMATION Both the New York State Voter Registration Form and the Absentee Ballot Application are available through the Town of Colonie Clerk 's Office as well as at the Albany County Board of Elections. Voter Registration The Voter Registration Form is used to: register to vote, change a name or address if different than the last time one voted or to enroll or change their enrollment in a particular political party. This form can be completed and forwarded to the Clerk's Office or the Albany County Board of Elections located at 32 North Russell Road , Albany , NY 12206 .
If you are registered to vote, but will be unable to go to your polling place on Primary Day and/or Election Day due to either physical illness or absence from Town, you may vote by Absentee Ballot. Once the absentee ballot application is completed and returned to the Albany County Board of Elections, you will be mailed a paper ballot on which you may cast your vote and return to the Board of Elections. PARKING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES If you are a Town resident and in need of a permanent or temporary parking permit for people with disabilities, you may obtain such from our office. The NYS Department of Motor Vehicles application must be completed and returned to us. Part I is completed by the applicant and Part II is completed by the appropriate health care provider. A permanent permit which is valid for a five-year period and renewable in additional five-year increments may be certified by a Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner or a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. A temporary permit, which may be issued for up to six months and renewed once for up to an additional six months, may be certified only by a Medical Doctor or a Doctor of Osteopathy. A photocopy of your driver's license must be submitted with each application. If you are applying in person for a permit, we will happily make the photocopy for you. If you are unable to apply in person, you may apply via the mail, or you may have someone bring your completed application and drivers' license to Town Hall for you. Click here for copy of application. If a permit is lost or stolen , you may come to our office for a replacement. The replacement permit will be issued after the original permit number is reported to the Colonie Police Department making it immediately non-valid. The replacement permit will retain the original permit's expiration date. You will complete Part I of the DMV application at the time of issuance. A damaged permit which needs to be replaced must be returned to our office. We will ask you to complete Part I of the DMV application, nullify the original permit and immediately issue you a replacement which will retain the original permit's expiration date. Hunting and Fishing Licenses run from October 1 st through September 30 th of each calendar year. Senior discounts for applicants 70 years of age and older apply for both. Fishing Licenses can be purchased for the entire year, for a designated seven-day period or just for one particular day. Everyone over the age of 16 who plans to fish is required to have a license. Hunting License applications must be accompanied by proof of required training classes as required by New York State . No one under the age of 12 may possess a hunting license. For more information about hunting and fishing licenses, please visit the website for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. A permit to use the Colonie Golf Course is available through the Town Clerk's office to any resident and/or property taxpayer . Acceptable forms of identification include a valid NYS Driver's License or Non-Driver's ID issued from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles with a Colonie address; current NYS DMV registration; income tax returns, property tax bills, original rent/lease agreements. There is no fee to obtain a regular resident card, however, a $2.00 replacement fee will be charged for lost cards. A Senior Card is available for $50.00 per year allowing a resident and/or property taxpayer aged 62 years of age or older to play at reduced rates. If a Senior Card is lost, it will cost $50.00 for a replacement. Click here for information regarding the golf course fees. Note: Proof of Colonie School Tax payments does not entitle you to a resident card. PARK/POOL RESIDENT CARDS A permit to use the Colonie Town Park and/or Pool (located on Schermerhorn Road ) is available through the Town Clerk's office to any resident and/or property taxpayer. Acceptable forms of identification include a valid NYS Driver's License or Non-Driver's ID issued from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles with a Colonie address; current NYS DMV registration; income tax returns, property tax bills, original rent/lease agreements. There is no fee to obtain a permit for the park and pool. Please follow this link for the park and pool fees. Click here for information regarding the park/pool fees.
Note: Proof of Colonie School Tax payments does not entitle you to a resident card. RENTAL FACILITIES AT TOWN PARKS , CROSSINGS AND PRUYN HOUSE All rental arrangements for facilities at the Town Park and Crossings are made through the Parks and Recreation Department. Please follow the links below for information regarding rental facilities. The Crossings of Colonie Rental Rates Colonie Town Park Rental Rates Rental of the Pruyn House or the Buhrmaster Barn are made through the Pruyn House. Pruyn House Facility Rental Information A block party permit which allows for open containers at a special event must be approved by the Colonie Police Department. Block party applications are available in the Town Clerk's office and upon completion will be submitted to the Police Department for review. Please complete the application two weeks prior to the event. The application must include the time and date of the event, the street on which the party will occur with cross streets included. The name, address and telephone number of a responsible contact person must also be provided. There is no fee for a block party permit. BINGO, GAMES OF CHANCE, RAFFLE TICKETS The New York State Racing and Wagering Board determine the rules for the issuance of Bingo and Games of Chance, which include Raffle, Bell Jar and Casino Night Licenses. Charitable organizations, which intend to raise money by holding Bingo Games, Games of Chance and in some cases, Raffles, must apply for an identification number issued through the Board. If the organization does not have an identification number or if an assigned identification number has not been used for a one-year period, the organization must contact the NYS Racing and Wagering Board. NOTE : For further information on the issuance of a license for Bingo or Games of Chance Licenses, please refer to the New York State Racing and Wagering Board. Anyone wishing to sell a product or service via door-to-door sales or from a vehicle in the Town of Colonie must have a valid permit issued by the Town Clerk. Applications are available in our office and must be completed and accompanied by a copy of a current driver's license, four passport-sized photos and the applicant's signature must be notarized. Once the completed application and the appropriate fees have been submitted, the application will be forwarded to the Colonie Police Department for purposes of a background check. Once approved from the Police Department, the permit will be immediately issued and remain valid through the end of the calendar year. The fee is $250.00 for the first person applying from a company or organization and $100.00 per person for each additional person from the same company or organization. Each person from a company or organization must apply for his/her own permit. Those renewing a permit from the immediate previous year will pay $150 for the first applicant and $100.00 for each additional applicant. Fees are payable by cash, check, money order, Master Card or Visa. Permits are not transferable. A peddler's permit issued by the Town of Colonie is not valid on town-owned property (parks, etc.) or within the Village of Colonie , or on any property displaying a “No Solicitation” sign. A permit may be revoked if the rules are not followed, or if the Town receives complaints from residents. Peddler's Permit Application and Law
Where can I get a copy of my divorce papers?
URL: http://www.colonie.org/clerk |
