Town Clerk Overview
The Town Clerk’s office provides a variety of essential municipal services to residents and visitors. The office handles:
- Vehicle registrations and renewals
- Dog licenses
- Vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates)
- Voter registration
- NH wetlands permits
- Recycling center decals and Transfer Station bags, stickers, or punch cards
- Marriage licenses and certified copies of vital records
- Limited genealogy searches and local information
The Town Clerk’s office is an agent for the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles, enabling local processing of most vehicle transactions directly in Lyme. Because State processing is required for some specialty plates, residents may be referred to a DMV substation for certain registrations.
Office hours and closures follow the State schedule.
Office Staff
- Town Clerk — Emily Shepard
- Deputy Town Clerk — Karen Borgstrom
Office Location and Contact
- Phone: (603) 795-2535
- Fax: (603) 795-2117
- Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
- Address: One High Street, PO Box 342, Lyme, NH 03768
Register Your Dog Online
Lyme residents must license dogs annually. Dog license renewals and new licenses can be completed online through the Town Clerk’s portal by entering an existing license number to view and update records. The Town Clerk provides access to online dog licensing through the municipal website.
Dog Licensing Requirements
Dogs must be licensed annually with proof of rabies vaccination. Licensing helps ensure pet safety and compliance with state and local regulations. Late fees may apply after licensing deadlines.
Register Your Vehicle Online
Vehicle registrations, renewals, and estimates for new registrations are available through the Town Clerk’s online services. The Clerk’s office processes most registrations except certain commercial or specialty plates that require travel to a DMV substation. Residents should confirm required documents for each specific transaction by contacting the office before visiting a substation.
Vehicle Registration Requirements
To register a vehicle, residents typically provide:
- Proof of ownership (title or documentation)
- Current insurance information
- Identification
- Applicable fees
Registrations are renewed annually; late renewals may incur penalties.
Vehicle Registration Information
The Town Clerk processes registrations as an agent for the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles. Residents can renew plates and register vehicles locally. Some transactions may take longer due to State processing systems, and not all specialty plates (e.g., certain commercial or IRP plates) are processed locally.
Vital Records
The Town Clerk issues certified copies of vital records, including:
- Birth certificates
- Death certificates
- Marriage certificates
Requests can be made at the Lyme Town Clerk’s office. Residents may also use the State’s official portal for vital record requests (for New Hampshire certified copies).
The New Hampshire Secretary of State Vital Records page provides information on requesting and correcting vital records statewide.
Certified copies may have associated fees and may require proof of identity or direct interest in the record.
- https://www.eb2gov.com/scripts/eb2gov.dll/Vitals/Main?Source=VR&towncode=556
- https://www.sos.nh.gov/vital-records-0
Vital Records Request Guidelines
Certified vital records are official legal documents. Copies can be obtained from the Town Clerk in the municipality where the event (birth, death, marriage) occurred or through the State vital records system. The CDC’s New Hampshire Vital Records page notes that records may also be available through State systems that allow retrieval from participating local town clerks.