City Clerk's Office

City Clerk :  Tim Spanos
Phone : (978) 538-5750   Email

Colleen Kolodziej
Phone : (978) 538-5751   Email

Lisa Kent
Phone : (978) 38-5752   Email

Marilyn Limongiello
Phone : (978) 538-5753   Email

The City Clerk's Office is now updating the 2008 City census. If you have received your census, please return to the City Clerk's Office immediately. Residents can also leave their census at the following locations: Main Library, 82 Main Street; West Branch Library, 603 Lowell Street; South Branch Library, 78 Lynn Street, Community Life Center, 79 Central Street. If any resident has not received a census form, you may call the City Clerk's Office to inquire or download the 2008 census form and return it to the City Clerk's Office.

It is important to answer the census and be counted. Answering the census keeps you active on the voting list - please bear in mind that we have a very important Presidential election this November. The census also helps the City with various grant applications, if you are in the military you may be eligible for the bonus buy back program, proving your residence, and aids police and fire for 911 purposes.

Certified copies of birth, death and marriage records may be obtained from the Office of the City Clerk in person, during regular business hours or by mail. To request a vital record by mail, please forward a written request to the Office of the City Clerk with a check made payable to the City of Peabody. The written request must include the name of the party, date of birth, marriage, or death, and contact information of the requestor.

The fee for short forms is $4; the fee for long forms is $10. You must obtain a long form if you are applying for a passport or being used for other legal purposes. Short forms are generally used for social security purposes and sports. You can only pay by personal check, certified bank check, or money order - check can be made payable to the City of Peabody. (No debit or charge cards are accepted).

The birth record will be on file only if the child was born in Peabody or the parents were residing in Peabody at the time of the birth. In some cases, picture identification may be required to obtain a certified copy the record.

The death record will be on file if the person died in Peabody or lived in Peabody at the time of death.

The marriage record will be available as follows: If the marriage occurred prior to 1980, the record will be on file only if the person lived in Peabody at the time of marriage. After 1980, the record will be on file only if the parties filed their intention of marriage in Peabody.

You may call the City Clerk's Office or notify the City Clerk by e-mail of your change of address. Please indicate both your old address and new address, and all occupants that have moved. It is important to notify the City Clerk of your address change to insure that you are properly entered onto the voting list at your current address. Once your address is changed by the City Clerk's Office, a confirmation will be mailed to the voter indicating the new address and what polling place you will vote at.

Yes. The Office of the City Clerk provides genealogical researchers access to certain indexes, records and information. This access is available during regular business hours. Further research may be conducted at:
Vital Records Division of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Massachusetts State Archives National Archives-New England Region www.PeabodyMassArchives.org

To be eligible to register to vote in Massachusetts you must be a U.S. citizen, and a resident of Massachusetts, and 18 years old on or before the next election.

You may register to vote in person at any local City Clerk or Election Commission office or at any registration event or at a number of state agencies, including the Department of Transitional Assistance and the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

You may also vote by mail by completing, signing, and mailing a voter registration form to the Office of the City Clerk. Voter registration forms may be requested online at www.ma.gov/sec/ele/elestu/stuidx.htm. The completed form should then be mailed to:

City Clerk's Office
24 Lowell Street
Peabody, MA 01960

The City of Peabody is divided into six (6) wards, each containing three (3) precincts. After you register to vote you will be sent a confirmation notice which indicates your ward, precinct and polling location.
Helpful Link: WhereDoIVote.com

Senators
Representatives
Governor

Except for a few exceptional circumstances, both parties must appear in person at the Office of the City Clerk in order to obtain a marriage license. The couple must complete and sign under oath an Intention of Marriage. Information that is essential in completing this form is your social security number, your place of birth and your mother's maiden name. The fee for filing the Intention of Marriage is $25.00.

A pre-marital blood test is no-longer required in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts requires a mandatory three-day waiting period from the time the Intention of Marriage is filed before a Marriage License can be issued. A waiver from this period may be obtained from the Municipal Court. A marriage license must be used within 60 days from the date of filing the Intention of Marriage.

Massachusetts requires anyone who is conducting business under an alias (i.e. any other name than their own), including corporations, to file a business certificate in the community where their business is principally headquartered. This form, also called a "DBA" which stands for "doing business as", contains the name and address of the business and the names and residences of the principals of the business. This certificate must be signed in the presence of a designated clerk in the Office of the City Clerk or a Notary Public. The certificate is effective for four years and the filing fee is $20.00. The fee for filing an amendment is $10.00. (Business Certificate Form)

Filing a business certificate at the local level does not protect your name. If you have a business name or a symbol that you consider unique and valuable you may want to register it as a trademark or a service mark. Trademarks are any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination of these used to identify the goods of a business and distinguish those goods from the goods of others. Similarly, there are service marks that may be used to identify and distinguish a business which provides a service rather than goods. You are not required to register your trademark or service mark with any governmental agency. Trademarks are protected under common law. However, by registering your mark, you may gain certain exclusive ownership benefits under statutory law. You should contact the Specialized Section in the Corporations Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth for further information (www.ma.gov/sec/cor/coridx.htm).

Work permits for children, ages 14 through 17, may be obtained at the School Department. (978) 531-1600.

Parking fines may be paid at the Police Department.

A Dog License must be issued to the owner or a keeper of a dog at least six months of age or older. To license a dog, you must show proof of a current vaccination (just the rabies tag is insufficient) and proof of spay or neutering. The fee for a spay or neutered dog is $10.00 and a male or female is $20.00. You may license the dog in person at the City Clerk's Office or through the mail. Check can be made payable to the City of Peabody. You can download an application here.

A Yard Sale Permit (residential only) must be issued if any resident is planning on conducting a yard sale or garage sale. Permits can be obtained from the City Clerk's Office at any time prior to the event. Yard sales are limited to two (2) days per calendar year. The fee for a permit is $5.00 per day. A resident can also indicate a rain date. Signs are prohibited from being affixed to City property such as telephone poles, street signs, sidewalks, etc.

A fishing license can be obtained in the City Clerks Office. Any questions please call 978-538-5756.