Town Clerk’s Office

The office of the Town Clerk’s office is responsible for the maintenance and safekeeping of the records for the Town of Ashford. Housed in the fire-proof vault or in the office of the Town Clerk all land records, Town Meeting minutes, Town Ordinances, birth/marriage/civil union/death records, land surveys, foreclosure registration election records, trade names, liquor permits, contracts, town reports, veterans discharge filings, Town board/commission/agency agendas and minutes, listings of Notaries Public, Justices of the Peace, election records, and other historical documents. In addition,  the Town Clerk’s Office is the place to go for absentee ballots, copies of vital records, dog licenses, marriage licenses, voter registration forms, and more.

• Sherri L. Mutch, MCTC, MMC, Town Clerk – Appointed by Selectmen
• Karen M. Zulick, CCTC, CMC, Assistant Town Clerk – Appointed by Town Clerk

Fees current as of August, 2021

AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT ACCEPT CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS-CHECKS, MONEY ORDERS OR CASH ONLY!

• Liquor Permit Filing: $ 20.00
• Misc. Document Filing: $ 10.00
• Map Filing & Indexing: $ 20.00
• Subdiv. Map Filing & Index: $ 30.00
• Notary Public Oath & Comm.: $ 20.00
• Notary Public Character Certification: $ 5.00
• Marriage License Fee: $ 50.00
• Removal, Transit and Burial Permit: $ 5.00
• Cremation Permit: $ 5.00
• Trade Name Certificate Filing: $10.00

Code (Town Ordinances & Regulations)

https://ecode360.com/AS4125

Dog Licensing:

Click here to renew Dog License(s) Online 

Pursuant to Connecticut General Statute the owner of each dog over the age of six (6) months must license their dog(s) with the Office of the Town Clerk in the town of residence no later than the 30th of June each year.

• For first time licensing, or if your dog’s rabies vaccination has expired, you must include a valid rabies certificate in order to license your dog(s). To obtain the discounted license fee for spayed or neutered animals you must include a copy of the spay/neuter certificate.
• The licensing fee is $19.00 for each unaltered dog or $8.00 for each spayed or neutered dog. There is a $1.00 per month late fee assessed for overdue licenses. Failure to license your dog(s) is punishable by a fine in the amount of $75.00 per dog.
• Licenses may be obtained in person at the Ashford Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours. You may also obtain licenses through the U.S. Postal Service. Please print the Dog License Application and return it with full payment to the Town Clerk, 5 Town Hall Road, Ashford CT 06278, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your dog tags.
• Checks must be marked payable to “Town of Ashford”. Please complete a separate application for each dog you must license.

Dog License Application(pdf)

Elections:

Voter Registration:

Check your voter registration status at: https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx

Absentee Ballots and Voter Registration

• Register to Vote OnLine or change information on your voter registration
• Voter Registration Form (downloadable)
• Absentee Ballot Application ED-3-Rev-2022-Final

Land Record Copies, Recordings and Title Searches:

The charge for recording a land record that does not involve a nominee (MERS) is $60.00 for the first page of the document and $5.00 for subsequent pages within the same document. Releases and Assignments of Mortgage for which Mortgage Electronic Registrations Systems (MERS) is the grantor are $159.00.  All other documents involving MERS are $159.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each subsequent page within the same document.

The State conveyance tax amount is $0.0075 x consideration and Municipal conveyance tax is $0.0025 x consideration.  Please see the State of Connecticut Revenue Services Department for additional details, as these amounts may vary.

A signed Connecticut State OP-236 Form must accompany every transfer deed or easement of real property.  Click HERE for an online fillable form.

Fraud Alert:

Sign up for fraud alert of recorded documents.  Fraud Alert – SearchIQS

Recordings:

We accept recordings in person, via mail, including couriers (Fed-Ex, UPS, etc.) We do  have a drop box, and recordings may not be left there. To set up eRecording to submit recordings you may contact CSC, Simplifile or ePN.

https://www.erecording.com/

https://www.goepn.com/

https://simplifile.com/services/e-recording/

https://www.indecomm.com/

Title Searches:

As of August 2, 2021 our land records vendor is Info Quick Solutions, Inc. (IQS) and  are available online at: https://www.searchiqs.com/CTASH  Land records index and images maybe viewed for free, and maybe printed for $2.00 per page with “No Subscription Fee”

Sporting Licenses:

• Licenses may now be purchased online directly from the Department of Environmental Protection at:
• https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Online-Services/Online-Services-Home   

Payment is by credit card.

Trade Names:

State of Connecticut Statute Section 35-1(a) requires any person doing business in Connecticut, except as provided by statute, under any name other than name of the person or persons conducting or transacting such business, must register a trade name certificate with the Town Clerk’s office in the town where the business is or is to be conducted or transacted.

• The fee for filing a Trade Name Certificate is $10.00

Certificate of Adoption of Trade Name (pdf)

Veterans Discharge Papers:

• Any veteran may file their discharge papers with the Town Clerk’s office free of charge. Original DD214’s or certified copies of DD214’s are acceptable.
• After filing their DD214, any veteran who served in the military during a time of war as defined in Connecticut General Statute may apply for a property tax exemption on their home or automobile in the Assessor’s Office Document List.

Vital Records:

Birth Certificates:

• Copies of birth certificates are on file in the Town Clerk’s office in the town of occurrence, in the Town Clerk’s office in the town of residence of the mother at the time of birth, or visit the State of Connecticut Department of Vital Statistics website. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/departments-and-agencies/dph/hisr/vr/birth-cert-request-form_state-rev-12-2021-1-22.pdf
• You may obtain a certified copy from any of these sources.
• The fee is $20.00 per copy.

All requests for birth certificates must be made in writing. If you are requesting a birth certificate by mail, please include the following:

• Full name and date of birth of individual named on the certificate
• Parents’ full names when birth occurred (including mother’s maiden name)
• Proof of identification (copy of your current driver’s license or any other photo ID)
• If photo ID is not available, copies of two of the following may be used: Social Security card, written verification of identity from employer (on letter head), automobile registration, copy of utility bill showing name and address, pay stub with name on it, checking account deposit slip stating name and address.
• Please be sure to include address where the certificate is to be sent, and all requests must be signed.

Birth Certificate Copy Request Form (pdf)

Death Certificates:

• Copies of death certificates are on file in the Town Clerk’s office where an individual died, the Town Clerk’s office where an individual resided before their death, or visit the  website  https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/departments-and-agencies/dph/hisr/vr/death-certificate-request-form_state-1_2023.pdf
• In order to obtain a certified copy of a death certificate, you must provide the name and date of death of the individual
• The fee for certified copies is $20.00

Death Certificate Copy Request Form (pdf)

Marriage License/Certificates:

• Individuals getting married in Connecticut must obtain their marriage license no more than 65 days before their wedding from the Town Clerk’s office in the town where the wedding is to take place.
• Please fill out the worksheet and email it to us prior to coming in. Complete the Marriage License Worksheet below.
• Both parties must apply for the license in person.
• Both parties must show photo ID.
• The fee for a marriage license is $50.00.
• The fee for a certified copy of a marriage license is $20.00  Complete Certified Copy form below.
• Changing your name for land record purposes? Complete the Change of Name due to marriage form below.
• Same sex marriages became legal in Connecticut on November 12, 2008.

vs-3 Marriage Worksheet Revised 01_22 (pdf)

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/departments-and-agencies/dph/hisr/vr/town-certified-copy-of-marriage-record_with-back-side-2.pdf

Change of Name Certificate (pdf)

NOTICE

Unlawful Restrictive Covenants

Connecticut Public Act 2021, No. 21-173 (the “Act”) defines an Unlawful Restrictive Covenant as “a covenant or other provision in an instrument affecting the title to real property that purports to restrict ownership or occupancy of such real property on the basis of race.” The Act declares Unlawful Restrictive Covenants to be VOID.

Effective July 1, 2021: PA 21-173 Section 1 (c) Any owner of real property who identifies an unlawful restrictive covenant in an instrument recorded on the land records that relates to real property owned by such person may file either an affidavit pursuant to section 47-12a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, or a form described in subsection (f) of this section, with the town clerk in the municipality where the real property is located, identifying the existence of such unlawful restrictive covenant. There is no fee to file the completed form or affidavit with the Town Clerk.

Affidavit Restrictive Covenant – Final 10.2021

Unlawful Restrictive Covenant Form – Final 10.2021

Contact Information