Email: townclerk@townofwesterlony.com
Location: 933 County Route 401, Westerlo, N.Y. 12193
Phone: 518-797-3111 Option 2
Fax: 518-797-5122
Hours: Effective May 2, 2022
Monday, Tuesdays & Wednesdays – 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
Thursdays – 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Or By Appointment
*Please be advised, appointments are required for Notary Services and Marriage Licenses*
*In case of inclement weather and for the safety of our employees, this office may open late or close. Please call the office before coming by.*
Town Clerk’s Office is closed on the following holidays:
Fishing licenses, hunting licenses and marriage licenses may be obtained at the office of the Town Clerk, 933 County Route 401; also, dog licenses, parking permits for persons with disabilities, certificates of residence, transfer station permits (residents only), birth/death/marriage certificates, copies of vital records, genealogy searches, Freedom of Information (FOIL) requests, free notary services and copies just to name a few.
Acceptable forms of payment: cash, check, money order, credit/debit card
**credit/debit cards are NOT accepted for NYS DEC transactions**
This section is currently being updated. Please check back soon.
DOG/FISHING/HUNTING LICENSE QUESTIONS
How do I license my dog? All dogs residing in the Town of Westerlo must be licensed in the Town Clerk’s office as required by New York State law. You must provide a copy of an up-to-date rabies certificate issued by a veterinarian. Spayed/neutered dogs are $8.00 ea and unspayed/unneutered dogs are $15.00 ea. You will receive a license tag at the time of registration and renewals will be mailed to you annually. *Please see the Dog Control page for additional important information.*
How do I get an annual or lifetime fishing/hunting license? You may go to any town to get fishing/hunting licenses in NYS. The Town Clerk’s office is happy to assist you with this during office hours. Please bring photo ID if possible and refer to the DEC website for any questions regarding rules, regulations, eligibility, age requirements and pricing for residents and non-residents of NYS. Hunting licenses go on sale August 1st. Please note: we cannot accept credit/debit card payments for any DEC transactions.
What do I do if I lost my fishing/hunting license? If you lose your license a replacement can be issued at any issuing agent location. Fees are dependent on what you need and are listed here. Please note: we cannot accept credit/debit card payments for any DEC transactions.
CERTIFICATE OF RESIDENCY, HANDICAP PARKING & TRANSFER STATION PERMIT QUESTIONS
How do I get a Certificate of Residency? Certificate of Residency applications for school are available in the Town Clerk’s Office to Westerlo residents only or you may download and print an application here. You must supply proof of residency showing current address (such as a photo ID) to prove that you have been a resident of NYS for the past year and lived in Albany County for at least 6 months. Forms will need to be notarized which we can do here and brought or mailed to the Town Clerk to receive your certificate. If you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk’s office.
How do I get a handicap parking tag? Permanent and temporary permits are available for free in New York State to Town residents with a doctor request. An application must be completed by you and your doctor and submitted along with a copy of your photo ID to the Town Clerk in the town in which you live. Temporary permits are issued for up to 6 months and permanent tags are good for 5 years. Handicap permits are not to be used by anyone other than the person it is issued to. If someone is driving you, the tag may be used as long as you are with them. Parking permit applications are available at most doctor offices, the Town Clerk’s office or you may download it here.
What do I do if I lost my handicap parking tag or if it was stolen? A lost or stolen tag form must be completed and filed in the Town Clerk’s office before a replacement tag may be issued. A new tag can be issued the same day. Please stop by our office for assistance.
How do I renew my handicap parking tag? If you have an application on file and your doctor has not changed, a renewal can be issued without filling out a new application. We will require a new application if your doctor has changed.
How do I get a Transfer Station Permit? Permits are available in the Town Clerk’s office during regular business hours and are issued to persons who own property with a RESIDENCE that produces garbage. Permits will NOT be issued to vacant land parcels or people bringing trash from other towns. You must supply proof of residency along with $25 payment for the annual fee. Applications are available here.
MARRIAGE LICENSES & VITAL RECORDS QUESTIONS
How do I acquire a marriage license? If you are getting married in the State of New York, a marriage license is required and may be obtained by any Town or City Clerk in the state regardless where in New York you are getting married. Both parties must appear at the time of application and supply proof of age and identity. If either party has been previously married, original documents of dissolution of marriage or death certificates must be supplied; copies will not be accepted. Please visit NYS Department of Health for additional information on getting married in New York State.
How do I obtain a copy of a marriage certificate? Only one Certificate of Marriage will be issued after a marriage takes place. If you require additional copies, you will receive a Transcript of Marriage which is equivalent. If your original marriage license was issued at the Town of Westerlo Town Clerk’s office, certified copies can be issued however, will only be released to one of the spouses (with proof of identification) or an Attorney. A search request application must be completed and filed in the Town Clerk’s office to obtain copies; the cost is $10.00 per certified copy. You may download an application here. Please contact the town in which the license was issued or Department of Health Vital Records to get copies not issued in the Town of Westerlo @ 877-854-4481.
How do I get a copy of a death certificate? Copies of death certificates are only available to certain people; spouses with a valid photo ID and to parents and children with valid photo ID and original birth certificates proving who they are in relation to the deceased or someone who has documented legal right or claim or a court order. To receive copies, an application must be completed and filed in the Town Clerk’s office; you may download the application here. The Town Clerk’s office will only have death records for people who died in the Town of Westerlo. Anyone who was transported to a hospital or other facility even if they were a Westerlo resident will be filed in the town or city in which they died. The cost is $10.00 per certified copy.
How do I get copies of birth certificate? Similar to obtaining death certificates, birth certificates are only available to certain people. Only the person named on the birth certificate or a parent named on the birth certificate is eligible to request a copy. A spouse, child or other person will require a NYS Court Order to obtain copies. You must be at least 18 years old to request copies. The cost is $10.00 per certified copy and must be submitted along with an application and photo ID to the Town Clerk’s office prior to issuance of any records. You may apply in person or by mail. For more information, please visit the Department of Health or contact the Town Clerk’s office.
How do I apply for a one-day marriage officiant license? You may download the application for a one-day marriage officiant license here. The instructions are on the back of the application. Please contact the Town Clerk’s office with any questions.
VOTING QUESTIONS
How do I register to vote? Voter registration forms are available at the Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours along with instructions and where it should be submitted. You may also download and print a voter registration form here. The form can be folded and mailed; mailing information is located on the back of the form. Please call us if you would like one mailed to you.
Where do I vote in the Town of Westerlo and am I registered? There are three (3) voting districts in the Town of Westerlo. The Westerlo Town Hall is designated as the official election location for all three (3) districts. You can find out if you are registered to vote in the Town of Westerlo here. You may also contact Albany County Board of Elections at 518-487-5060 for more information.
Where do I get an absentee ballot form? You may visit the Town Clerk’s office for an absentee ballot form or can download and print one here.
Where do I get a copy of the Political Calendar? For your convenience, political calendars are available in the Town Clerk’s office, can be mailed to you or you may download and print one here.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (FOIL) QUESTIONS
What is Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)? You have a right to information and documentation per FOIL. If you have questions or would like more information, please visit Department of State.
How do I request a FOIL? FOIL requests must be submitted in writing either in person, by mail or e-mail. You must be specific in your request. If you need help on how to send requests, please visit the Committee on Open Government. The Record Management Officer (RMO) must respond to your request within five (5) business days acknowledging receipt of your request and must provide an expected date by which the search should be completed, usually no more than 20 days. You will be contacted if additional time is needed.
How much does it cost to FOIL records? Unless the search takes more than two (2) hours, electronic documents are available at no cost. If electronic documents need to be printed in order to redact information or if paper copies must be made, there is a cost of $0.25 per page. You may not request that paper copies be electronically provided to you to avoid cost. Any searches over two (2) hours will be charged at the hourly rate of the lowest paid individual doing the search.
What if my FOIL request is denied? If your FOIL request is denied, a reason must be supplied to you in writing. If you are unsatisfied, you have a right to appeal to the FOIL Appeal Officer within 30 days. Appeals can be made in writing to the Record Management Officer (RMO) and will be submitted to the FOIL Appeal Officer for review.
MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS
What do I need to have something notarized? The Town Clerk office staff is available to notarize your signature on documents by appointment only. This service if offered free to Town of Westerlo residents however photo ID is required. A Notary has the right to turn people away such as for not presenting proper ID, a belief that a person is being coerced into signing or for incompetency; for example a person who is medicated, confused or disoriented.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.
933 County Route 401 • Westerlo, N.Y. 12193
Phone: (518) 797-3111
***Update 5/25***: At this time the Town has determined that there was no unauthorized access to the water supply. The advisory to not drink water has been lifted
Please be assured that your safety is our #1 concern.
Any further updates will be posted on the Town’s Facebook page, Town of Westerlo Government News, as well as on the website.