• The Town Clerk is the licensing and sales agent for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
• Persons sixteen (16) years or older must have a fishing license in order to fish in New York State.
• Hunting licenses can be obtained by providing identification, a hunter training certificate or a previous hunting license.
• Identification such as a New York State driver’s license is required to obtain hunting and fishing licenses.
• Senior hunting and fishing licenses are available to persons seventy (70) years or older.
• Jr. hunting licenses are available for twelve (12) year olds who have taken the hunter training course and are accompanied by a parent or guardian. For first time Junior Hunting Licensees a copy of their birth certificate is required.
• Bow hunting licenses are available to persons providing proper identification, a current hunting license and a previous bow hunting stamp or bow hunting training certificate.
• Jr. Archery licenses are available to fourteen (14) year olds who have met all of the Jr. Hunter requirements and possess a Bow Hunter Training Certificate.
• Non-Resident licenses are available to persons who have met the eligibility requirements and produce photo identification.

Marriage licenses are issued by the Town Clerk, Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, and must be obtained at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the ceremony and are valid for up to sixty (60) days. There is a $40 licensing fee for marriage licenses. Two forms of identification, such as a driver¹s license, US passport, Baptismal Certificate or a birth certificate are required. At least one form of identification must have a current photo. Both parties must be present together in order to apply for a marriage license and must each take an oath. If either party was previously married, a Death Certificate or all Certified Divorce Decrees must be provided to the Town Clerk as evidence that the marriage has been legally dissolved. After the marriage ceremony is performed the completed license is returned to the Town Clerk by the official who performed the marriage. The Town Clerk will mail the Marriage Certificate directly to the couple.

Marriage ceremonies are performed by the Town Clerk by appointment.

Marriage Certificate Transcript Request Form

Additional certified copies are available to the couple for a fee of $10. Attached is the request form. Please send the form with a copy of the Bride or Groom’s Driver’s License to the Town Clerk’s Office.

Birth and Death records are available as far back as 1884; Marriage records are available dating back to 1883. These records are part of the Town Clerk’s data base and are simple to locate. The Town Historical Society may have additional historical information and can be reached by phone at 716-681-7719 or writing to:

Lancaster New York Historical Society
40 Clark Street
Lancaster, New York 14086

The Town Clerk issues licenses for Games of Chance (Bell Jar, Raffles, and Casino/Vegas Nights) and Bingo. Any bona fide non-profit organization can apply to New York State Racing & Wagering Board for an identification number and then apply to the Town Clerk’s Office for a license for each occasion.

All dogs in New York State must be licensed by the age of four (4) months. Proof of a current rabies vaccination indicating its expiration date is required.
Spayed and neutered dogs are licensed at a reduced fee upon presentation of a veterinarian’s certification.

License Fees:

• Spayed or Neutered dogs – $13
• Un-Spayed or Un-Neutered dogs – $20

License Fees for residents age 65 and older:

• Spayed or Neutered dogs – $5
• Un-Spayed or Un-Neutered dogs – $12

Dog License Application.pdf

All births that occur in the Town of Lancaster are filed with the Town Clerk and a birth certificate is issued. Our birth records date back to 1884. The fee for a certified copy of a birth certificate is $10.

All deaths which occur in the Town of Lancaster are filed with the Town Clerk. Death records date back to 1884. Certified copies are available to immediate family members for a fee of $10 per copy.

The Town Clerk attends all meetings of the Town Board and must keep a complete and accurate record of the official actions of the Town Board. Regular meetings are held at 7:00 PM on the first and third Mondays of each month and are preceded by a work session beginning at 6:30 PM. Meeting agendas are available in the Office of the Town Clerk by 4:00 PM on the Friday preceding the Monday Board Meetings. Agendas are also available at the Town Police Headquarters, 525 Pavement Road, Lancaster and the Lancaster Library, 5466 Broadway, Lancaster, and on our website under: Government, Town Board, Meeting Minutes and Agendas.

The Town Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk are available during regular business hours to notarize documents for Town residents. Photo identification must be presented and the person whose signature is to be notarized must sign the document in the presence of the Notary and must take an oath or make an affirmation as to the truthfulness of the information contained within the document. There is no charge for this service.

The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), Public Officers’ Law Article 6, provides that all records are accessible, except records or portions of records that fall within one of the nine categories of deniable records. Further information is available by contacting the Town Clerk. Requests must be submitted to the Town Clerk in writing, forms are available in the Office of the Town Clerk and online:

FOIL Request Application

The Town Clerk issues Temporary and Permanent Handicap Parking Permits. A Physician Form must be completed verifying that an individual is in need of a Handicap Parking Permit. This form or a letter from the physician on his or her letterhead must be presented to the Town Clerk as well as a Government issued photo I.D. License plates are issued through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

NYS DMV Handicap Parking Permit Application

Single households holding a sale of personal property of any kind where the public is invited onto a residential site must obtain a permit from the Highway Department. An application must be completed and submitted to the Highway Department at least one week prior to the sale date. The new law, effective June 16, 2014 requires that multiple residences desiring to hold a sale of property of any kind shall obtain a permit at least ten (10 ) days prior to the sale. There is no fee for this permit. This ordinance is designed to provide a mechanism to obtain information regarding the dates and locations for yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, auctions or other sales in order that the town may put in place the appropriate traffic control and public safety measures the Town Police department deems advisable. A sale at any one location shall be limited to no more than two times in a twelve month period and at least 30 days apart. A sale occasion may be no longer than three (3) consecutive days.

Application for Yard Sale Permit

The Town Clerk attends all meetings of the Zoning Board of Appeals and must keep a complete and accurate record of all official actions of the Zoning Board. Regular meetings are held at 7:00 P.M. on the second Thursday of each month. Meeting agendas are available at the Office of the Town Clerk and are published in the Bee Group Newspaper one week prior to the meeting and on our website at www.lancasterny.gov.

Applications for dumping permits are filed in the Office of the Town Clerk. The completed application is then forwarded to the Building Inspector and Town Engineer by the Town Clerk for their recommendations. Upon receipt of their written recommendations, the Town Clerk will present a resolution to the Town Board for approval or denial of said application.

Upon the completion of the construction of a public improvement (water line, storm sewer, etc.), the Town Engineer’s recommendation for its acceptance, and the Town Attorney’s notification that all documentation is in order, the Town Clerk prepares the resolution adopting the public improvement. All deeds, easements and maintenance bonds must be filed with the Office of the Town Clerk prior to the preparation of the acceptance resolution.

All applications for the display of fireworks must be filed in the Office of the Town Clerk at least ten days in advance of the date of the display and should comply with Chapter 3 of the Code of the Town of Lancaster.

The Office of the Town Clerk is responsible for submitting to the insurance company all reports of Town vehicle and/or property damage, employee disability claims, worker’s compensation cases and job related accidents including Volunteer Fire Fighters and Office of Emergency Management Volunteers. Incident reports must be filed in the Office of the Town Clerk as soon as practicable.

A Special Use Permit is required for any office or home occupation by a Town resident in his or her home and for commercial uses specified by the Code of the Town of Lancaster, including co-locating antennas on existing structures; sandbanks, gravel pits and stone quarries; warehousing and storage services; gasoline service stations; and motor vehicle washings. Applications are filed in the Office of the Town Clerk and complete applications will be sent to the Town Board for approval.

An application to amend the zoning district map can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office after the petitioner has met with the Building Inspector to determine the proper project zoning use group classification. A pre-submittal conference is required with the Town Clerk for review prior to the formal submittal.