The County Clerk’s Office is known as the “Keeper of the Records” and is one of the oldest offices in the State of New Jersey. The County Clerk is referred to as a “Constitutional Officer”, elected by the voters of the County for a five year term.

The County Clerk’s Office is responsible for recording all Deeds, Mortgages, Assignments, Releases of Mortgages, Financing Statements, Maps, Military Discharges, Vacation of Roads, Certificates of Incorporation, Mechanics Liens, Trade Names, Building Contracts, Hospital and Physicians Liens, etc. These documents are indexed, filed and digitally imaged. They are also microfilmed as part of a disaster recovery plan. The microfilm is stored off-site at the Hunterdon County Records Retention Center. The older records are in the process of being redacted to protect the public from identity theft. Once the redaction process has been completed, the plan is to make the records available through an online process.All records from 1785 to date have been recorded and are available upon request. The Record Room of the County Clerk’s Office is open daily Monday through Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm to the public. Knowledgeable staff is always available to answer questions and offer assistance.

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The County Clerk's Office issues a County Identification Card for persons who are U.S. Citizens and Residents of Hunterdon County.

To obtain a County ID card, please fill out the application and bring the application to the Clerk's office along with the required documentation. The fee to obtain a County ID is $10.00 for applicants up to the age of 59 and $5.00 for applicants age 60 and older.

Hunterdon County ID Cards are valid for five years from the date of issue.

If you belong to a non profit group and would like the Clerk’s Office to come to your organization for an ID program, please contact the Clerk at (908)788-1214.

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The County Clerk’s office administers Notary Oaths for a fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00)For more information regarding how to obtain or renew a Notary Commission visit www.state.nj.us/treasury/revenue/dcr/programs/notary.html.Please call 908-788-1221 or email countyclerk@co.hunterdon.nj.us for additional information and requirements.

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PASSPORT FEE INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 13, 2010 : Click here for more information... updated 07/13/2010

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• Please use our Check List When Applying for a Passport
• Payment to the US Department of State is REQUIRED to be made by check or money order.
• Applications MUST be completed in BLACK INK.
• Effective February 1, 2008 U.S. Passport Applications for Children Age of 15 and under Will Require BOTH Parents Signatures. Click here for additional information. A Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16 form is also REQUIRED.

As directed by Federal Regulation 22CFR51-28 each minor child (15 and under) applying for passports must apply in person effective February 1, 2008.

The fee for a passport is one-hundred ten dollars ($110.00) for an adult (16 and Over) and eighty dollars ($80.00) for a minor (15 and Under). A fee of twenty-five dollars shall be paid to the Clerk’s office for executing the application. The passport fee was raised July 13, 2010. Passports are valid for ten years (10) for an adult and five (5) years for a minor under sixteen (16) years.

The County Clerk’s Office takes Passport photographs. The cost is ten dollars ($10.00) for the two (2) pictures.

GUIDELINES FOR EXPEDITING A RENEWAL APPLICATION: If you are renewing your passport by mail and are leaving within twenty-five (25) working days or less, you may use an expedited procedure for an additional fee. Send the following items with your renewal form (DS-82):

1) Your most recent passport
2) Two (2) regulation passport photos (2” X 2”)

Note: The Clerk’s Office will take your passport photo for $10.00 for the two (2) pictures.

Send the following check made payable to “U.S. Department of State”:

• $110.00 (Renewal Fee)
• $60.00 (Expedited Fee)
• $14.96 (Express Mail Fee)

These fees can be combined into one check totaling $184.96. If expediting more than one passport-a SEPARATE check is required for each passport application.

The Passport Agency has requested that you use Express Mail through the local Post Office and write “EXPEDITE” on the outside of the envelope when mailing your application to them. The address and phone number is:

National Passport Processing
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, Pa 19190-0955

1-877-487-2778 National Passport Information Center

Passport applications may be checked online at http://travel.state.gov.

Proof of departure is not required, but it is suggested that you submit it with your Expedited Application.

See all the passport related forms we have available on-line for your convenience.

U.S. PASSPORT CARD

Effective February 1, 2008, United States citizens may apply for a U.S. Passport Card. The Passport Card may only be used for land and sea travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. The Passport Card provides a less expensive, smaller, and more convenient alternative for those who travel to these destinations. To learn more about the Passport Card please visit the U.S. Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html.

VITAL RECORDS

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm is a valuable tool for obtaining copies of vital records such as birth certificates and marriage certificates.

See all the passport related forms we have available on-line for your convenience.

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The County Clerk solemnizes marriages and civil unions by appointment only. A marriage or civil union license must be obtained prior to the ceremony as provided for in R.S. 37-13. If you reside in New Jersey, the marriage or civil union license must be obtained in the municipality in which either party resides. If you live outside New Jersey, the marriage or civil union license must be obtained in the municipality in which the service will be taking place.

To check date availability, please call (908)788-1214 or email details to countyclerk@co.hunterdon.nj.us.

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The County Clerk does not have birth certificates on file. A birth certificate may be obtained from the Registrar in the municipality that you were born in. Birth certificates, along with marriage, death or divorce documents may also be obtained online at www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm.

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All small businesses must be registered in the County where they are conducting business. Most banks require a certified copy of the Trade or Business name to open a business bank account.

The Clerk’s office can only register sole proprietors or partnerships. LLPs’ (Limited Liability Partnerships), LLCs’ (Limited Liability Corporations) and corporations must register with the State of New Jersey.

Fees and requirements for opening a business

• Filing fee of $50.00 (cash, money order or V/MC only) to register a Trade Name
• Filing fee of $52.00 (cash, money order or V/MC only) to register and have it notarized by the Clerk’s office
• Must have a business name that is not presently being used by any other business
• Fill out three (3) Certificate of Trade or Business Name forms and have them notarized by a Notary or Attorney
• You will receive a “Certified Copy” back

Fees and requirements for closing a business

• Filing fee of $25.00 (cash, money order or V/MC only) for the Dissolution of a Business or Trade Name
• Filing fee of $27.00 (cash, money order or V/MC only) for the Dissolution of a Business or Trade Name and have it notarized here
• Fill out three (3) Certificate of Dissolution forms and have them notarized by a Notary or Attorney
• You will receive a “Certified Copy” back

Registering Corporations, Trademarks and Patents: Contact:
New Jersey Department of Treasury
Trenton, NJ
Business Call Center 866-534-7789
www.nj.gov/njbusiness

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The County Clerk’s office records Honorable Discharges and DD-214’s free of charge. Recording these important papers affords Veteran’s the security of knowing their discharges are permanently on record within Clerk’s office. This document may be required as proof of eligibility for benefits. When recording your DD-214, we now offer a County Veteran Identification Card (download application) that provides you with the Page/Book Number under which the document is filed. This card can be an easy reference that may be used at a future date to obtain a copy of your discharge papers if a situation arises where they can not be located quickly. All discharge documents filed with the Clerk’s office are considered confidential and can only be accessed by veterans or their family members. Veterans and their families are entitled to various benefits. To find out which benefits may apply to you visit www.va.gov. Under N.J.S.A. 54:4-8.10 et seq, Veterans or a surviving spouse/domestic partner are also entitled to claim a Property Tax Deduction. Download this form to claim your benefit.

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The process by which a document is recorded in the Recording Division is very interesting.

• A Deed, Mortgage or other legal document is submitted to the Clerk for recording and filing. The instrument is examined as to form dates, signatures, acknowledgment and location of property. The fee and applicable taxes are paid to and recorded by the County Clerk at the time of the filing. The recording date is stamped on the documents and the paper is then forwarded to index clerks who enter it into the permanent Index Books. Every deed is abstracted by the Clerk's division for the Tax Assessor of the municipality in which the property is located. The instrument is microfilmed and the copy is bound into a permanent volume. Also, a microfilm copy of every Deed, Mortgage and other documents filed in this office is prepared by the County Clerk and stored in vaults at National Storage Company in Boyers, Pennsylvania.  This will provide copies should any disaster befall the copies on file in the Clerk's Office. The original document is then returned to the owner.If you would like to learn more about Deeds, please view our "Homeowners Guide to Good Deeds".
• See our various Recording forms available online for your convenience

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