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1. Where can I get a copy of a birth or death certificate or a copy of my marriage license?

Unfortunately, birth or death certificates as well as marriage licenses are not filed in the Rensselaer County Clerk's office. Copies of birth or death certificates may be obtained either through the New York State (NYS) Department of Health or the town or city clerk's office where the person was born and/or died. Marriage licenses are also issued by city or town clerks and may be obtained from the office of the clerk who originally issued the marriage license.

State Department of Health Contact

New York State Department of Health
Corning Tower
Albany, NY 12211
Phone: 518-474-2121

Town & City Clerk Contacts

Additionally, we have provided a listing of the town and city clerk's numbers in Rensselaer County:

• City of Troy: 518-270-4634
• City of Rensselaer: 518-462-4266
• Berlin: 518-658-2633
• Brunswick: 518-279-3461
• East Greenbush: 518-477-7145
• Grafton: 518-279-3565
• Hoosick: 518-686-4571
• Nassau: 518-766-2343
• North Greenbush: 518-283-4306
• Petersburgh: 518-658-3777
• Pittstown: 518-753-4222
• Poestenkill: 518-283-5100
• Sand Lake: 518-674-2344
• Schaghticoke: 518-753-6915
• Schodack: 518-477-7590
• Stephentown: 518-733-9195

2. How can I get a copy of my deed?

There are two ways in which you can get a copy of your deed from the Rensselaer County Clerk's office! First, you can come to our office, which is located at 105 3rd Street (corner of Congress and 3rd) in Troy and obtain a copy for $0.50 per page.

You can also submit a written request to:
Rensselaer County Clerk Record Department
105 3rd Street
Troy, NY 12180

In the request please give us your name, location of the property (town) and the approximate year that you purchased the property. Mail requests cost $1 per page, and must have a check submitted with your request. Your check can be made out to the Rensselaer County Clerk with a "not to exceed five dollars" notation made. We will fill in the amount and return a receipt with your request. Mail in requests are processed and returned the same day that our office receives them.

3. How do I get a passport?

Passport applications are currently accepted by appointment only. Please call 518-270-4080 to arrange an appointment for junior passport and new passport applications. You cannot renew an adult passport at the County Clerk's office.

Passport Appointments

Monday through Friday
11 am to 3 pm

Please allow half an hour per appointment. You will need:

• Check to send to U.S. Department of State
• Cash/check for County Clerk Passport Application fee
• Photo ID
• Birth certificate with both parent's name listed and/or past expired passport

Please call 518-270-4080 with any questions.

4. What newspapers may be used to publish notices of limited liability corporations (LLC)?

The Rensselaer County Clerk does not designate the daily and weekly papers for publication of LLCs in the county. Section 206 of the NYLLC law designates publication of a corporation or a LLC for a period of six weeks in a daily and weekly newspaper.

The daily newspapers for Rensselaer County as designated by the Rensselaer County Legislature are:

• Eastwick Press: 518-203-757
• Troy Record: 518-270-1200

The weekly papers for Rensselaer County are either based in the County or service the County either as an official town/city newspaper as determined by the local municipality:

• Advertiser: 518-455-5503
• Express: 518-664-3335

5. Are there any other services that you provide that I should be aware of?

Our office provides, among other important services:

• Criminal searches
• Pistol permit applications
• Notary public renewal processing
• Court records and judgment filing
• SCAR petition filings

If you have any questions regarding the information listed or any other general County Clerk related issue, please contact the Record Room at 518-270-4080 or the Department of Motor Vehicles at 518-270-2600.

6. Do you have satellite DMV offices? Where are they?

The Rensselaer County Clerk's office has one satellite DMV office for residents' convenience. The satellite's location and hours of operation can be found at:

• Hoosick Falls Satellite Office

Rensselaer County DMV has opened a second full service office located at the Rensselaer County Office Building, 99 Troy Road East Greenbush NY 12061.  

The office is open weekdays from 8:30am -4:00pm.

7. Is it difficult to obtain a DBA (Doing Business As)?

Not at all! Anyone interested in starting a business in Rensselaer County can register a business name in our office located at 105 3rd Street in Troy. Be sure to bring a photo ID and either cash or a check when registering your business. We will search your business name on our computer database to make sure that it is not being used by anyone else in Rensselaer County. We will notarize your signature with proper ID, which will enable you to file your DBA.

The cost for filing a DBA is $25 with a $4 fee for a certified copy if you are planning to open a bank account for your business. We also have informational booklets from the state that will assist you in applying for your Tax ID number, which is issued through the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

If a business is a partnership (more than one person) then all of the partners need to be present in order for our office to notarize the signatures and file the document. If you are planning to incorporate, then you need to go to the New York Department of State. Discontinuance of DBAs can be done anytime in our office with the proper ID for no charge.

Forms

Obtain the documents and forms you need for your DBA by visiting our DBA Forms page.

8. Can I get a photo id card at your office?

The Rensselaer County Clerk has ceased issuing photo IDs effective January 2, 2020. Anyone interested in obtaining photo ID will need to contact the Rensselaer County Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or the New York State DMV.

9. What are your hours of operation?

The Rensselaer County Clerk's office is made up of the Records Room Department located at 105 3rd Street in the city of Troy and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which is located at the Pattison Office Building found at 1600 7th Avenue also in the city of Troy.

To view the current hours of operation, we recommend visiting:

• County Clerk Directory
• DMV Directory

10. What are your phone numbers?

You can reach our offices by phone by calling:

• Department of Motor Vehicles: 518-270-2600
• Record Room: 518-270-4080