Vital Records: Birth, Death, Marriage Certificates
Certified copies of birth, death and marriage records are available from the Office of the Town Clerk in Townsend Town Hall and the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The fee for vital records available at Townsend Town Hall varies.
Birth Certificates
The Townsend Town Clerk will have birth records of anyone born to parents who were living in Townsend at the time of the birth, as long as the birth occured in Massachusetts.
- A long form birth certificate is available for $10.00. The long form is required for passports, immigration and other legal purposes.
Marriage Certificates
The Town Clerk will have marriage records of any couple who filed their intentions in Townsend.
- A copy of a marriage certificate is available for $10.00 and can be used for most purposes such as passports and the Real ID.
Death Certificates
The Clerk will have death records of any death that occurred in Townsend or their residential address is in Townsend as long as the death was in Massachusetts.
- The fee for a copy of a death certificate is $10.00.
Copies of vital records may be obtained in person or by mail. Cash and checks are accepted for payment. For further information, call 978-597-1704
The State Registry of Vital Records and Statistics
If you are not sure where the record you seek is filed locally, you may contact the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The Registry maintains a central index and has copies of records for all births, deaths and marriages which occurred in the state.
Certified copies may be obtained through the Registry in person, by mail or by phone. Regardless of how you request copies, you should be prepared to provide the name of the subject(s) of the record, the date of the event and, if known, the city or town where the event occurred.
The mailing address for the Registry is located at
Registry of Vital Records and Statistics1st Floor 150 Mt. Vernon StreetDorchester, MA 02125-3105For phone orders, call (617) 753-8600.
For additional information, please visit the Townsend Town Clerk at 978-597-1704