Vehicle Registration

VEHICLE REGISTRATION 

What do I need to register my new car?

  1. NH Driver’s License
  2. Certificate of Title, Manufactures Certificate of Origin, or a NH Title Application
  3. Proof of Residency if you are registering for the first time in Durham (see residency requirements)
  4. Transactions are done in person at the clerk’s office.

What do I need to renew my car registration?

  1. NH Driver’s License
  2. Renewal notice or an old NH registration
  3. You can renew registrations in person, by mail or online (additional fees apply).  Renewal reminder notices are sent the month prior to your expiration by mail or e-mail.  Renewal registrations may be done up to four months in advance.

NH Driver’s License Required

NH State Law requires drivers who are establishing residency to obtain their NH driver's license within 60 days (RSA 263:35). Town policy requires a NH driver’s license to register a vehicle in Durham unless you are a member of the U.S. Military or if you qualify for a non-resident affidavit. Please contact the Durham Town Clerk’s Office if you have special circumstances that prevent you from obtaining a NH driver's license before registering your vehicle.  

Residency Requirements

Each registrant must prove residency to the clerk when they first move to Durham, even if they already have a Durham address on their driver’s license. One of the following must be presented:

  1. RENTER: Lease agreement: signed, dated and in effect or a notarized statement from property owner/property manager. 
  2. UNH STUDENT: Letter from UNH housing or WEBCAT showing dorm or apartment assignment.
  3. RENTER/OWNER: Recently dated utility bill indicating full name and physical address.
  4. HOMEOWNER: Signed real estate closing statement, OR another document indicating closing has taken place. New homeowners must be living in home at time of registration.
  5. CHILD OR SENIOR LIVING WITH PARENT/RELATIVE: Signed letter from relative and verification that the relative owns the property.  If the relative is renting, then a signed residency statement from property owner/manager is required.

Registration Fees

There are two fees that you will be paying; state and local. The local fee is based on the original list price (MSRP) of the vehicle and the year it was manufactured.  The rate for the current model year is $18/$1000 of the MSRP.  The rate drops annually in $3 increments: $15, $12, $9, $6, and ending at $3.  Vehicles are registered in the birth month of the owner. Initially the fees will be pro-rated from the date of registration to the birth month.  The second fee is a state fee and is based on the weight of the vehicle.  Most vehicles fall in the $43.20 or $55.20 weight category.   Registrations and safety inspections are done annually.

Battery electric vehicles, as defined in RSA 236:132, I, shall be assessed a surcharge of $100. Plug-in hybrid vehicles, as defined in RSA 236:132, V, shall be assessed a surcharge of $50.

Accepted Payment Methods

Payment is required at the time of service. Acceptable forms of payment are personal checks, cash, money orders, debit cards and credit cards (a physical card must be present). For debit and credit cards, a processing fee of 2.99%, with a minimum fee of $2.50, will be collected. The processing fees are paid directly to our third-party processor and are not retained by the Town of Durham. 

BOAT REGISTRATIONS 

The Durham Town Clerk’s Office is a boat agent for the State of New Hampshire. A $5 agent fee will be collected in addition to other boat registration fees when processed by our office. 

Renewals: If you have a renewal notice from the State of NH, please locate the "DMV COPY." Add $5 to the fee listed on your renewal notice; if paying by check, please make it payable to the Town of Durham. Submit your signed renewal notice and payment to our office through the mail or by leaving them in our drop box. You may also renew your boat registration in the clerk’s office with a copy of last year’s boat registration and your driver’s license.

New Boat Registrations: To register a new boat, please provide a bill of sale for the boat and proof of the HIN-Hull Indentification Number.  Acceptable proofs of HIN are the prior owners boat registration, a manufacturers certificate, or a HIN verification form (available in the clerk's office).