City Clerk's Office

Who: Mary Cote, Acting City Clerk Mail: P.O. Box 489 (Zip Code 03247) Where: City Hall, 45 Beacon Street East, First Floor. When: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Phone: 603/527-1265; Fax 603/524-1766 email: cityclerk@city.laconia.nh.us

A car on Main Street, Laconia, c. 1920.

Function:

The City Clerk’s office performs a wide variety of functions involving record-keeping and fee collection as well as issuing certain permits and licenses. The City Clerk’s office also assists other city and state departments by providing a central location for many such department services. The Clerk’s office is a motor vehicle municipal agent for the State of New Hampshire. The City Clerk is also responsible for preparing and overseeing all municipal elections as well as overseeing all state and federal elections for the City of Laconia.

Examples of functions and records typically handled by the City Clerk’s office are:

• Adoption records (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• AquaTherm permits
• Birth certificates (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• Burial permits
• City Council Meeting Minutes (the Clerk attends all meetings except Executive Sessions and records, transcribes and files the minutes)
• Death certificates (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• Delayed Birth records (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• Dog licenses (in cooperation with the Animal Care & Control Officer)
• Dredge & Fill applications
• Dump Stickers, Passes and Coupons (for use at the Transfer Station & Brush Dump)
• Elections – see section on elections (except that the voter checklist is prepared by the Supervisors of the Checklist)
• Home Birth records (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• Legal files: agreements, articles of agreement, deeds, leases, letters of credit, writs
• Legitimization records (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• Marriage licenses
• Motor Vehicle registrations for the State of New Hampshire: passenger vehicle, trailer and motorcycle plates issued (boats are registered at local marinas)
• Motor Vehicle prepared with New Hampshire registrations as appropriate
• Paternity records (typed and forwarded to the State of New Hampshire)
• U.C.C. (Uniform Commercial Code) forms: filed, maintained and available for the public’s reference
• Voter registration

In addition, the City Clerk reconciles daily transactions of the City. Payments received and deposited daily include money from all departments within City Hall (including Police, Fire, School, and Parks & Recreation), for all leases (including the Airport), and any other money received by the City for deposit. The City Clerk also reconciles the applicable City bank statements.

The City Clerk also processes fees paid for the above-listed services. Examples: The fee for a Marriage License (Intentions) is $45.00. The fee for any Certified Vital Record is $12.00 for first copy and $8.00 for each additional purchased at the same time. You can order a certified birth certificate by telephone directly from the State of New Hampshire at 603/271-4650 by using your credit card. The cost of the certificate ordered, the overnight mailing fee (if requested) plus a service fee will appear on your next VISA® or MasterCard® statement. You will need the following information:

1. Type of Certificate

2. Full name at birth, date and place of birth

3. Full name of father and mother's maiden name

4. Daytime phone number and address where to send the birth certificate

5. How you want certificate mailed