Clerk's Office Services

Issuance of Dog Licenses

New York State requires that all dogs over the age of 4 months be licensed in the town where the dog is harbored. All dog licenses must follow the town's local law. Licenses must be renewed annually. A valid, up-to-date rabies vaccination is required. When you license your dog for the first time, you must present documentation of rabies vaccination and spayed/neuter (if applicable). The license fee for a spayed/neutered dog is $3.50, and an unspayed/unneutered dog is $11.50. Purebred/Kennel licenses are also available (see Dog Control Law for rates and requirements).

Issuance of Transfer Station Refuse Permits

All town residents are required to display a town-authorized permit to dispose of garbage at the Westford Transfer Station. Permits are available at the Town Clerk's office and are free to Residents (taxpayers and renters) who provide proof of the Town of Westford's physical address (e.g., tax bill, utility bill, etc.). Applicants who do not meet these eligibility requirements will not be issued a permit and will be charged a bag fee.

Issuance of Marriage Licenses

A New York State marriage license can be obtained from the Town Clerk's Office. Both parties must apply in person and provide appropriate proof of age in the form of a government-issued birth certificate or naturalization papers and proof of identity in the form of a driver's license, passport, or employment photo ID. If it is not the first marriage, applicants must present proof of dissolution of any previous marriages with a divorce decree or death certificate. Marriage licenses are not valid during the 24-hour waiting period after issuance but are valid for 60 days after that. The fee for a marriage license is $40.00.

Parking Permits for the Disabled

The NYSDMV authorizes the Town Clerk to issue a Permanent or a Temporary Parking Permit for people with disabilities depending upon the Medical Certification. Permanent Disabilities are certified by the applicant's medical doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), Physician Assistant (PA), Nurse Practioner (NP), a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM for disabilities related to the foot)) or Optometrist (OD, for blindness). Temporary Disabilities are only certified by a medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO). Applications must appropriately describe the reasons for the mobility problem necessitating the permit to be issued. The application must have a doctor's original signature. When properly completed, the application must be presented at the Town Clerk's Office with the applicant's driver's license or non-driver ID card.

Freedom of Information Law

The Town Clerk is the Records Access Officer of the Town and serves as custodian of all Town of Westford records. This responsibility includes the storage and disposition of inactive records, as well as maintaining permanent archives. Requests for documents available under FOIL should be submitted to the Town Clerk's Office in writing. There are FOIL request forms available. All applicants will receive some form of response within five business days. If the request can be fulfilled within that time frame, the applicant will be notified that it is completed and provided with the total costs due. If additional time is required to fulfill the request, the applicant will be supplied with an estimated availability. If the request is denied, the applicant will receive a written explanation of why and information regarding the appeals process.

Tax Collector

The Town Clerk is also the Collector of the Town and County General Property Taxes for the Town of Westford. Tax bills are mailed at the end of December, and property owners have the entire month of January to pay without penalty. Bills paid after that incur penalties: February 1st through 28 = 1%, March 1st through 31 = 2%, April 1 - 30 = 3% plus a $1.00 postcard notification fee. After April 30th, all unpaid tax bills are returned to the Otsego County Treasurer, and additional penalties accrue as time goes on. 

Tax bills and receipts may be accessed online at www.taxlookup.net. Bills and receipts may be viewed and printed from this website. However, payments cannot be made online. 

The Tax Collector will accept payments in cash, check, or credit/debit card according to the following conditions: 

1. Send checks or money orders payable to the Town Tax Collector and mailed through the USPS to P.O. Box 43, Westford, NY 13488. 

2. If you are sending a parcel via UPS, FedEx, or other parcel service, please add 1812 Co. Hwy. 34 to the address. 

3. At the Tax Collector's Office, Checks, Money Orders, Cash, and Credit/Debit card payments are accepted between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays and 5 p.m.-8 p.m. on Thursdays at 1812 Co. Hwy. 34, Westford, NY 13488. 

Please note that any additional fees added to your payment that are not related to published penalty charges (e.g., credit or debit card) are charged by banks and credit card companies, not the town or county.