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Town Clerk

The Town Clerk’s Office serves as the repository of the town’s vital records. It conducts all activities related to the Annual Street Listing, voter registration, elections, and Town Meeting.

The office administers oaths to all public officials and issues dog licenses and fuel tank registrations. It records vital events, such as births, deaths, and marriages, and issues certified copies of those records.

The Town Clerk’s Office also provides notary public services and oversees compliance with the Conflict of Interest Law and Open Meeting Law for employees and board members. In addition, the office serves as the Town’s Public Records Officer and carries out many other daily responsibilities.

How do I submit a Citizen’s Petition for the Town Meeting Warrant?

Voters may “insert” articles in the warrant before the Select Board “closes” the warrant. To insert an article in the warrant for the annual Town Meeting, at least 10 registered voters of the town must sign a written request. This is called a Citizen’s Petition. Please speak with the Town Clerk to obtain the appropriate petition form. If you’d like assistance or want to check the legality of a petition, please contact the Town Manager. The petition then gets submitted to the Town Clerk for certification of the signatures obtained. Learn about when petitions are due on the Election Calendar located in the links at the top right of this page.

What documents are needed to conduct business in Williamstown?

Doing Business As or “DBA” forms are required if you are conducting business in Williamstown under any title other than the complete real name of the owner, whether individually or as a partnership; and if a corporation is doing business in Williamstown in a name other than the corporate name (Must be filed by a corporate officer.) >>>READ MORE AND DOWNLOAD FORMS

Who needs to file campaign finance forms and how is that done?

All town candidates, school committee candidates, and other candidates on the municipal level must file campaign finance forms with the Town Clerk’s office. >>>READ MORE AND DOWNLOAD FORMS

What is Open Meeting Law and other information for municipal board and committee members?

The Open Meeting Law requires that most meetings of public bodies be held in public, and it establishes rules that public bodies must follow in the creation and maintenance of records relating to those meetings. We’ve also compiled useful tips and ethics considerations for board and committee members. >>>READ MORE

What Conflict of Interest and Ethics requirements must municipal employees and board and committee members meet?

The state has mandated that each municipal employee, Board and Committee Member (full-time, part-time, paid and unpaid, and elected official) is required to complete the online Conflict of Interest and Ethics “Training” every other year and submit a “Receipt of Summary” every year.>>>ACCESS ONLINE TRAINING

Do dogs need to be registered with the town?

Yes. If you have a dog friend living at home, you’ll need to register your dog with the town annually. Dogs must be registered on or before March 31st of each year to avoid paying a late fee. If you moved to Williamstown after the deadline, don’t worry. Contact the Clerk’s Office to get set up. >>>REGISTER YOUR DOG

How do we obtain a marriage license?

According to Massachusetts law, you must jointly file intentions to marry, and you may do so with the city or town clerk in any community in the state. You both must apply in person for a marriage license.>>>LEARN MORE

When are the important election and Town Meeting dates?

An updated annual Election Calendar with important dates for submitting nomination papers, filing a petition, and voting will be posted near the top of the Town Clerk’s department page.

 

What is Town Meeting and how does it work?

Williamstown has an “open” town meeting, which means that all registered Williamstown voters are eligible to participate. Some towns in Massachusetts have a “representative” town meeting and elect their Town Meeting members. Attending Town Meeting gives you the opportunity to vote on all key decisions, including local expenditures for schools, roads, police, water/sewer, etc. >>>READ MORE

Where can I find election results?

Election results are posted on the Town Clerk’s department page.

Email the Town Clerk Department

Using this form will send a message to the designated department contact.

2026 Election Calendar
Election Results
Business Certificate Forms
Campaign Finance
Open Meeting Law + Board and Committee Tips
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Requirements
Dog and Kennel Licenses
Marriage License Information
Board of Registrars
Town Code
Citizen’s Petition
Phone
(413) 458-3500
Address:

31 North Street, First Floor
Williamstown, MA 01267

Hours

Mon-Fri, 8:30am-4:30pm

Staff
Nicole E. Beverly, CMMC, Town Clerk
(413) 217-0356
Rita M. Karhan, Assistant to the Town Clerk
(413) 458-3500
Call Us!