Vehicle Registration

ALL MOTOR VEHICLE TRANSACTIONS DONE IN PERSON WILL REQUIRE A PHOTO ID!

How to Register a Vehicle: If you are a new resident in New Hampshire, you must register your vehicle within 60 days of moving to the state unless the state you came from has a lesser regulation (Massachusetts allows only 30 days, Florida only 10 days). Proof of identity and proof of residency in Brookline are required.

Titled Vehicles: Any vehicle 2000 or newer must be titled in New Hampshire before it can be registered. NH dealers prepare title applications for new and used cars and provide a town clerk’s copy (a blue or white paper) that you present when you come to our office. New cars purchased out-of-state come with a certificate of origin, which is surrendered to the Town Clerk in place of a title. Used vehicles purchased from an out-of-state dealer come with the existing title, complete with sales signatures on the back, which is surrendered to the Town Clerk. Vehicles purchased through private sales must also come with the existing title filled out on the back, which is surrendered to the Town Clerk. The cost to title a vehicle is $25, payable to NH-DMV. The town clerk charges a fee of $2.00 to process a title application.

Exempt Vehicles: A vehicle of 1999 or older and trailers 3,000 pounds or less are exempt from title requirements. To do the initial registration of an exempt vehicle, you must, however, bring a bill of sale and one of the following: the previously issued New Hampshire registration; the former owner’s title; or a completed TDMV 19-A form (available at the Town Clerk’s office).

New Registration: Vehicle owners in New Hampshire pay a registration fee: the town portion of the registration is based upon the value of the vehicle brand new but stripped, and the state portion of the registration is based upon the weight of the vehicle and the kind of plate issued. The Town Clerk in Brookline can do the state portion of the registration and collect the state fees for automobiles, motorcycles, trailers, and trucks with a gross weight of 26,000 pounds or less. We issue plates for those registrations. Beyond that, we can do only the town portion, and the owner must visit an NH-DMV substation to complete the registration.

Transferring Plates: A plate from a vehicle registered in your name may be transferred to another vehicle registered in your name. Please retain your prior valid registration to surrender to the Town Clerk. It will be sent to the state with the new registration document. Do not give your registration to the buyer of the vehicle or the dealer to whom you traded it for a new one. Credit for the months remaining on your old registration will be given, when applicable

Renewals: Registrations expire on the last day of the owner’s birth month. The owner receives a reminder by mail and is therefore responsible for remembering to renew the registration. State law requires that one must present their Motor vehicle registration or the renewal notice received by mail to register your car with our office. If necessary, we will provide you with a certified copy of your registration for a $17.50 fee.

Leased Vehicles: The registration of a leased vehicle expires under the primary driver's birth month. The leasing company is listed second.

Inspections: Renewals- You have 10 days into the following month of expiration to have your vehicle inspected.

Newly registered vehicles & vehicles to which the ownership has been transferred must be inspected within 10 days of the date printed on your registration. If a new vehicle is purchased at retail from a licensed dealer, the vehicle must be inspected within 20 days after the date of transfer.

Boat Registrations: The Brookline Town Clerk is an authorized boat agent for the State of NH. 

You do not have to be a Brookline resident to register your boat with us. Any boat that has a motor or Sailboat over 12’ in length also needs to be registered. Boat registrations follow the calendar year and expire on December 31st of the current year.  When you complete your boat registration in town, the town fees collected will remain in Brookline. If you mail your renewal forms directly to the State of NH, the town fees will not be forwarded to us and will remain with the State of NH.   

Registering a new boat: To register a new boat you must provide us with a detailed bill of sale or a properly executed title. Certificates of origin are accepted when accompanied by a receipt or bill of sale. Previous registrations are only accepted if properly signed over to the buyer. The buyer/new owner must appear in person with a valid driver’s license and must be at least 18 years of age

Renewing your boat registration: To renew your boat registration you need to provide us with the old registration or the signed renewal notice sent to you by the State of NH

If you are registering a vehicle in person, we accept cash or checks payable to: the Town of Brookline. We do not accept credit cards in the building. If you are renewing your registration online, we accept credit cards or ACH payments.