Welcome to Winchester

The Office of the Town Clerk provides many services to the community of Winchester. As the primary provider of information, the Town Clerk’s Office serves as the Chief Election Official, Official Recording Officer, Public Records Officer, Licensing Official, Clerk of Town Meeting, Town Hall Records Administrator, Registrar of Vital Statistics, Registrar of Voters and Conflict of Interest Liaison Officer. It is the mission of the Town Clerk’s Office to provide excellent customer service to the general public along with fostering educational opportunities to those citizens who may be interested in the structure of our town government. Please contact the Town Clerk if you have any questions. We are always happy to assist you.

Commissioners to Qualify Oath of Office

If you have been appointed as a Justice of the Peace or Notary Public by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and need to take your oath of office you may come to Winchester's Town Clerk's Office, rather than having to go into Boston.

Please call ahead to assure that two commissioners are present.

New Residents

For new residents to the town, the Town Clerk's office must have you register all members of your household, including children under the age of 18 years old on the Town Census. This is a Massachusetts General Law and doing so allows you to register to VOTE, license your DOG(s), should you have a pet and to apply for a Transfer Station permit.

Access the forms below, fill out and send in with the appropriate fee(s) indicated on each application.

• Census Form (PDF)
• Transfer Station permit application (PDF)
• New dog license

Open Meeting Law

Read through the top 10 changes in the Open Meeting Law (PDF).

New Public Records Law - January 1, 2017

In July of 2016, Governor Charlie Baker signed a bill, Chapter 121 of the Acts of 2016, "An Act to Improve Public Records". The Bill takes effect as of January 1, 2017. The Record Access Officer for the Town of Winchester, also known as the RAO, is Town Clerk, MaryEllen Lannon, CMC. Public Records request should be sent to the Town Clerk.

• Updated Public Record Law
• A Guide to Massachusetts Public Records Law (PDF)
• Making a Request for Public Records
• Appeal a Denial of Access to Public Records
• Electronic Records Management Guidelines (PDF)
• Public Records Appeal Status
• Public Records Access, 950 CMR 32 (PDF)

Elected Boards and Appointed Committees information

• Listing of Boards and Committees in town (PDF)
• Conflict of Interest memo (PDF)
• Conflict of Interest Summary and Acknowledgement (PDF)
• Parliamentary Procedures (PDF)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Departments

• Attorney General
• Office of Campaign and Political Finance
• Secretary of the Commonwealth - Elections Division
• State Ethics and Conflict of Interest

Town of Winchester Publications

• Home Rule Charter 2001 (PDF)
• Code of Bylaws 2013 (PDF) **
• Winchester Zoning Bylaw (PDF)
• Winchester Zoning Bylaw Map (PDF)

** For up to date information please call the Town Clerk at 781-721-7130 or email townclerk@winchester.us