~ For any payments made to the town, only CASH AND CHECKS are accepted. ~
~ No credit or debit cards are accepted at this time.~

Services offered:
(please click on title to go to that section)

Boats & OHRV’s:
Boats and Off Highway Recreational Vehicles (OHRV’s - e.g. snowmobiles, trail bikes, & ATV’s) are not registered at the Town. Register boats at your marina or the Department of Safety. OHRV’s can be registered at the NH Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord or at any NH OHRV Agent.

Payments:
If you want a receipt for payment, please bring or mail the top portion of your bill with a self-addressed stamped envelope. It will be validated and returned to you.

Escrow Accounts:
If your taxes are in escrow, it is your responsibility to send a copy of your tax bill to your mortgage company, and to ensure payment. The Tax Collector does not automatically send tax bills to mortgage companies.

Assessing, Abatements, Current Use, Credits, Exemptions & Tax Appeals:
By law, the Town Clerk/Tax Collector does not have any role in assessing or levying taxes. If you have any questions on assessing, abatements or appeals, please contact the Assessing Office at 228-1187, extension 15. For questions about abatements, credits, exemptions, current use, sewer hook-ups, “Intent to Cut” forms and gravel excavation fees, please contact the Administrative Assistant at 228-1187, extension 10.

DOG LICENSES:

Dog licenses are available at the Town Clerk’s office. The State of New Hampshire requires all dogs be registered by April 30th of each year. In order to avoid fines, please remember to register your dogs before the end of April.

Necessary Documentation:

• Current veterinary certificate with proof of rabies injection (i.e. rabies tag no. and expiration date); and,
• Proof of neutering/spaying, if applicable.

Fees:

• $9.00 – Male or Female
• $6.50 – Spayed or Neutered
• $6.50 – Puppy
(Dog must be under 7-months-old at time of registration)
• $2.00 – Senior Owner Fee
(To qualify seniors must be over the age of 65 and only one discounted license is available to each Senior.)

HUNTING & FISHING LICENSES:

Hunting and fishing licenses are available through the Town Clerk’s office. Gift certificates must be purchased at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord. For more information, please view the following links:

• License and Fee Information
• Lifetime License and Fee Information

In order to obtain certified copies of Vital Records, you must complete an application to the New Hampshire Department of State’s Division of Vital Records Administration (DVRA) and pay a search fee. The current fee is $12, plus any additional expenses incurred with US Certs or other provider for credit card transactions or expediting receipt. This fee is payable whether or not a record is found. Additional copies of the same record issued at the same time are $8.00.

Effective January 1, 2005 all individuals requesting a certified copy of a record (Pursuant to RSA 5 C-16) must present positive identification, including, but not limited to, a driver’s license, passport or other picture identification, or in the absence of acceptable picture identification shall complete the form Documentation Evidence for Individuals not Possessing an Acceptable Picture Identification.

Orders by Credit Card & Expedited Shipping
To order certified copies of vital records online with a credit card please use the US Certs link. An additional fee for processing is charged for this service. Expedited shipping is also available for an additional charge through this provider.

Orders through the Mail
To order through the mail with a check, please use the New Hampshire Department of State Division of Vital Records Administration (DVRA) link. All requirements and forms can be found on this web page.

Necessary Documentation & Information:

• Proof of age/picture ID
• a certified copy of the death certificate of a former spouse, if the applicant is widowed;
• a certified copy of the divorce or dissolution decree, if the applicant is divorced; and/or
• a certified copy of annulment, if the applicant’s previous marriage was annulled.
• The bride and groom both need to provide the following information:

Full Name
Address
Social Security Number
Race (optional)
Ancestry (optional)
Years of Education (optional)
Date of Birth
State of Birth
Father's Full Name and State of Birth
Mother's Full Name (Maiden) and State of Birth

Fees:
The cost of a marriage/civil union license is $45.00. See “After the Ceremony” for the fees for certified copies of the final certificate.

After the Ceremony:
Once the officiant has filed the license with this office after the ceremony, certified copies of the certificate are available for $12.00 for the first one and $8.00 for subsequent copies issued at the same time. These copies are not automatically generated, one of the participants must return to a Town Clerk’s office to apply for the certified copy. If name changes are preferred after the ceremony, you should present certified copies of the certificate to any agency where the name changes are to be recorded (DMV, Social Security Office, etc.). Bow Town Clerk's office can provide certified copies of certificates for marriages/civil unions that occurred in Bow, NH as well as for marriages or civil unions that occurred in any city or town in the State of NH after 1990 or 2008, respectively.

Divorce:

Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate:
Bow Town Clerk's office provides certified copies of divorce certificates to immediate family members for divorces that occurred in any city or town in the State of NH after 1990.

Fees:
• $12.00 – First copy/Search
• $8.00 – Each additional copy issued at the same time on the same record.

Birth Records:

Application for Copy of Birth Record:
Bow Town Clerk's office provides certified copies of birth records to immediate family members for births that occurred in Bow, NH as well as for births that occurred in any city or town in the State of NH after 1988.

Fees:
• $12.00 – First copy/Search
• $8.00 – Each additional copy issued at the same time on the same record

Death Certificates:

Application for Copy of Death Certificate:
Bow Town Clerk's office provides certified copies of death certificates to immediate family members for deaths that occurred in Bow, NH as well as for deaths that occurred in any city or town in the State of NH after 1990.

Fees:
• $12.00 – First copy/Search
• $8.00 – Each additional copy issued at the same time on the same record.

VOTING & ELECTION INFORMATION:

How to Register to Vote:
Residents of Bow who will be 18 years of age or older on election day and are a citizen of the United States, may register to vote at the Town Clerk’s office up to 10 days before any election. Please remember that you must be a citizen of the United States to vote, even on Town elections. On Election Day, you may register at the Town polls at the Bow Community Building/Fire Station, 2 Knox Road. There is no minimum period of time you are required to have lived in the state before being allowed to register. You may register as soon as you have moved into our community.

Necessary Documentation & Information:
In addition to filling out the voter’s registration form, proof of age, domicile (legal address) and citizenship will need to be presented.

Please provide one of the following items as proof of age:
NH driver’s license/State ID card
Birth Certificate
Passport

Please provide one of the following items as proof of domicile:
NH driver’s license/State ID card with a Bow address imprinted
At least two pieces of official mail that has been received at the Bow address.

Please provide/complete one of the following items as proof of citizenship:
Birth Certificate
Passport
Complete and sign a citizenship affidavit provided by the town when you register.
Naturalized citizens must provide their naturalization documents with the date and the name of the court where naturalized.

 

Absentee Registration:
If you meet the state's voter requirements and qualifications and are unable to register in person because of physical disability, religious beliefs, military service, or because of temporary absence, you may register by mail. You should request an Absentee Registration Affidavit and a Voter Registration Card from the Town Clerk. The Absentee Registration Affidavit must be witnessed and then the affidavit, supporting documentation and the voter registration card are to be returned to the Town Clerk. Please be sure to note any Town Clerk’s office registration deadlines and allow time for mailing.

College Students:
If you are a student attending college, please click here for additional information.

Overseas Citizens and Armed Forces Registration:
Generally, all U.S. citizens 18 years or older who are or will be residing outside the United States during an election period are eligible to vote absentee in any election for Federal office. In addition, all members of the Uniformed Services, their family members, and members of the Merchant Marine and their family members, who are U.S. citizens, may vote absentee in Federal, state and local elections. The Federal Voting Assistance Program's web site and the 2008-2009 Voting Assistance Guide are good sources of information for citizens covered by this program. For an armed service voter, "legal voting residence" can be the state or territory where you last resided prior to entering military service or the state or territory that you have since claimed as your legal residence. For overseas citizens, "legal state of residence" for voting purposes is the state or territory where you last resided immediately prior to your departure from the United States. For more specifics on determining voting residency please consult the Voting Assistance Guide.

Political Affiliation:
When registering to vote, you are not required to register as a member of a political party, i.e. as a Republican or a Democrat; you may register as an “undeclared” voter. However, while all registered voters are allowed to vote in a general election, only party members can vote in a primary election. The law allows an undeclared voter to declare a party at the polls, vote the ballot of that party, and then change their party affiliation back to undeclared simply by completing the form available from the Supervisors of the Checklist at the polling place. Voters should be aware of their party status before a primary election. If you are unsure of your party affiliation, please call the Town Clerks office at 225-2683.

Changing Parties:
If you voted on a party ballot in a state or presidential primary, you are now a registered member of that party unless you CORRECTLY filled out a card at the polls to return to undeclared status. If you are a party member and wish to change your registration status, please initiate this change by applying to the Town Clerk’s office. Please be sure to call the Town Clerk’s office to inquire about any deadlines.

Absentee Ballots:
Absentee ballots are available from the Town Clerk 30 days prior to an election. Request the absentee ballot application in person from the clerk; submit a request in writing, which should include your name, voting address, mailing address and your signature; or print out one of the application found in the links below. Clerks may accept completed absentee ballots submitted in person until 5 p.m. the day before an election or until 5 p.m. on Election Day if received through the mail.

These forms open in as PDF files and may be printed.

Please Note: If you receive an error stating "There was a problem reading this document (109).", click the okay button until the message goes away (this may take 2 or 3 clicks).

Once the form is completed (do not forget to sign), mail to:

Office of the Town Clerk
Town of Bow
10 Grandview Road
Bow, NH 03304

Absentee Ballot Applications:

• Town Meeting
• Presidential Primary, State Primary, State General Election (use same application for all 3)
• Armed Services Primary
• Armed General
• On-Line Federal Postcard Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request (for Members of the Armed Services and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters)

Voting Machines:
The Town of Bow utilizes the AccuVote-OS voting system. On the AccuVote ballot, the voter fills in an oval which is placed next to a candidate's name. After voting, the voter places the ballot in an optical scanning machine which will read all votes cast on that ballot.

GENEALOGICAL / HISTORICAL RESEARCH:

Birth records prior to 1901 and death, marriage and divorce records prior to 1948 are available with unrestricted access. Individuals wishing to research these genealogical records may do so by visiting the State Genealogy Research Center at 29 Hazen Drive, Concord. Additional local research resources are listed in the following link. Bow Town Clerk’s office has an ongoing preservation program of our historic town records. Please note that the town is required by the State of New Hampshire to charge a $12.00 research fee for each name searched, whether or not a record is found. Additionally, if a copy of a record is found, only certified copies can be issued. No plain photocopies can be distributed. Please contact the Town Clerk’s office to find out more information on researching these wonderful town resources.

NH Secretary of State Election Division

Merrimack County Registry of Deeds