Motor Vehicle Registrations:
New Registrations: The Castine Town Office has License Plates.  When you purchase a new car, whether through a dealership or a private sale, the Castine town office will process your whole transaction and issue plates (unless you want a vanity plate).  You will need:

• Vehicle information
• Title (signed) to the vehicle if it is 15 years or newer or Title Application (light blue) from the Dealer
• Bill of Sale or a previous State registration form or Dealer Sales Tax form (green) from the Dealer
• Proof of Insurance
• Current mileage
• Check or Cash (The Castine Town Office does not execpt Credit Cards)

A standard Maine License Plate (Chicadee) = $35/year
A Vanity Maine License Plate is an extra $25 per year.
All other Speciality plates (Loon, Lobster, Black Bear, UMO, etc.) are an extra $15 per year.

You will leave the Castine Town Office with new license plates for your vehicle, a one-year registration form and stickers for the license plates.

The only plates that we can not issue are Vanity Plates.  If you wish to have a Vanity Plate on your vehicle, you will have to FIRST come to the Castine Town Office and pay excise tax.  We will issue you an excise tax receipt and then send you to a State of Maine BMV Branch (Ellsworth or Bangor) to get Vanity Plates.

Renewal Registrations: Make sure you bring with you your proof of insurance, current milege and cash or check.

Hunting and Fishing Licenses:
The town office can issue State of Maine Resident and Non-Resident Licenses.
To purchase a Maine Hunting License you need to supply your previous year's license, or we need to have a copy in our office/compter, or you need to show proof that you have completed a State of Maine Hunter's Safety course. The same rule applies to purchasing a Maine Archery License.
License Fees:
Resident Hunting License - $23
Resident Fishing License - $23
Resident Archery License - $23
Resident Hunting/Fishing Combo License -$40
Resident Archery/Fishing Combo License -$40
Resident Expanded Archery License "Antlered" - $34
Resident Expanded Archery "Antlerless" - $14.
Junior Hunting or Fishing License - $9

Junior Licenses are issued for youngsters 10 to 15 years old (16-year olds must obtain an adult license and provide proof of completion of the State of Maine Hunter's Safety Course).

Other licenses are available at the town office. The State of Maine has designated the Castine "on-neck" area open for hunting during the Expanded Archery Season. The Season starts in early September and ends early December. FIREARM HUNTING IS NOT ALLOWED "ON-NECK" CASTINE.

Boat Registrations:
The town office processes renewal and new Boat registrations. Each boat registration is valid for one calendar year.
Renewal Registration:
You will pay a State Registration Fee, an Excise Tax and a $1 processing fee.
State registration fees:
up to 10 hp. - $10
11 hp. to 50 hp. - $15
51 hp. to 115 hhp - $21
115 hp. & over - $29.

You will receive a new registration form which expires December 31 of every year and permanent boat stickers for the year.

New Registrations:
You must pay a State Registration Fee, an Excise Tax , a $2 processing fee, and sales tax (currently 5% of the purchase price). You will need to have a bill of sale or the green dealer use tax certificate form from the boat dealership showing that they collected the sales tax.

Please bring paperwork in with you giving general information on the boat you are registering. You will receive a State computerized boat registration and stickers.  On this registration there will be a Maine registration number assigned to your new boat which will have to be displayed.  If you have purchased a boat that has been previously registered in Maine, please bring in the old registration form or the Maine registration numbers assigned to it. These registration numbers will be assigned to you in your ownership.

 Snowmobiles:
The Castine Town Office processes State computerized Snowmobile registrations and stickers just like the boat registrations.  Information for snowmobile renewal registrations and new registrations are the same as boat registrations (see above). Please bring paperwork in with you giving general information on the snowmobile you are registering.
Fee:  $33 State fee; $1 Processing fee.  New registrations are subject to 5% (of purchase price) Maine Sales Tax and a $2 processing fee.  If you purchased your snowmobile from a dealership please make sure you bring the green dealer use tax certificate form with you.

 ATV’s:
The Castine Town Office processes State computerized ATV registrations and stickers just like the boat and snowmobile registrations.  Information for ATV renewal registrations and new registrations are the same as boat and snowmobile registrations (see above). Please bring paperwork in with you giving general information on the ATV you are registering.
Fee:  $33 State fee; $1 Processing fee.  New registrations are subject to 5% (of purchase price) Maine Sales Tax and a $2 processing fee.  If you purchased your ATV from a dealership please make sure you bring the green dealer use tax certificate form with you.

Marriage Intentions:
You need to file a Marriage Intentions form in the town in which you reside. If you are an out-of-state resident, you can file intentions in any town in Maine but it would be better to file in the town you plan to be married in (like Castine). The bride and groom have to be physically in the presence of the town clerk to fill out the intentions form, or they can fill out the form and have it notarized. Signatures of both the bride and groom need to to be notarized.
Pay a fee of $30 ($15.00 each).
When you pick up the Marriage License Certificate, both bride and groom have to be physically in the presence of the clerk in order for the Marriage License Certificate to be issued. The Marriage License Certificate must have the bride and groom’s original signatures before it is issued.
Note: The married couple do not automatically receive a copy of their marriage license certificate when the ceremony is finalized. If you wish or need copies, you can obtain copies at the town office of either the place of marriage or the place of residency or contact the Augusta Office of Vital Records.
Fees:
Certified copy of Marriage Certificate: $10 each
Additional certified copies (if ordered all at once): $5 each
Marriage Intention Form

Birth and Death Certificates:
Certified copies of birth and/or death records are available in the town of the place of event or the person's resident town. Copies are also available by contacting the Augusta Office of Vital Records.
Fees:
Certified copies of birth/death records: $10 each
Additional copies of birth/death records (if ordered all at once): $5 each

Dog Licenses:
Dog registrations are mandatory under State law due to Rabies, and Rabie vaccinations must be current. Dog licenses are valid for the calendar year and are due by January 31.
Fees:
Neutered/Spayed dog: $6 per year
Non neutered/spayed dog: $11 per year
Late fee (after Jan 31): $15
If you live in Castine and have an unregistered dog, please come to the town office to register your dog when it is 6 months or older.

Voter Registration:
You register to vote in the town in which you reside. The State of Maine Statutes say your resident town is the town you physically live in and where you lay your head down to sleep each night. The Registrar of Voters is located at the town office and is available during office hours. You can register to vote on the day of election. If you are a student you can register to vote in your home town or in the town you are going to school in, you must be a full time student and receive mail in that town.

Burning Permits:
You need to obtain a permit to burn brush and/or debris on your property or any property in the Town of Castine. Burning permits are also necessary for campfires, bonfires, or barbeques on the backshore beach and along Castine shores and for any other activity involving fire. There is no charge for a burning permit.
If you have any questions regarding the need for a burning permit, or to obtain a permit, please contact the Fire Chief, Randy Stearns (326-4997), or the Assistant Fire Chief, Peter Vogell (326-9334), the Fire Station (326-8767) or the Town Office.