Motor Vehicle Transactions

     Renewal registrations can be done up to 4 months early so you never need to wait until the last minute. Plan ahead and take advantage of one of the many quick and easy ways that you can process your renewal without ever having to disrupt your daily schedule. Renewals can be done online, by mail, drop-box or in-person. Also- ANYBODY can process your renewal for you as long as they have your registration with them when they come to Town Hall. New to you, plate transfers & changes, and first-time Allenstown registrations cannot be done online but they may be done by mail, drop-box or in-person. Please contact us for detailed instructions.

*Allenstown does not mail out paper registration renewal reminder notices, but you can sign up to receive an e-mail reminder.

           Registration estimates can be obtained by clicking on the E-reg button below. If you are using your last years registration to gauge what this years cost is going to be, note that motor vehicle registrations have 2 totals displayed on them, a state fees total and a municipal fees total. You must add these two totals together to see what you paid last year.

         Plate and address changes can NOT be done online. Only straight renewals without any changes can be processed online. *Please note that registrations done online are mailed to the address that is on file with DMV and prints on the registration, unless you request that we mail it elsewhere.

Check the availability of a vanity plate that you are interested in getting by clicking here. Vanity plates cost an additional $40 per year.

     Most new vehicles that are sold by a NH dealership are issued 20-day plates so that you have adequate time to research and plan for your vehicles full year registration. If there are any issues experienced when you go to register your vehicle, this 20-day period allows for ample time for any issues to be addressed. Please don’t wait until day 20 to register your vehicle. If anything should arise that prevents you from being able to register, 20-day plates are not extendable.

 *20-day plates can be obtained for vehicles bought by private sale at DMV by bringing your bill of sale to DMV. Our office can NOT issue 20-day plates.

        All renewal registrations are processed for a full year. Please note that a registration must be expired for a FULL year to avoid that years registration costs. If you initiate a renewal at anytime before it is 1 full year expired, you will be charged the full year registration price. Even if you are only renewing the registration for 1 day in the year. (Ex. Your reg expired 7/31/22 and you renew it on 7/30/23. Your registration will now expire on 7/31/23 and you will pay for a full 2023 year registration for the 1 day. You would need to wait until 8/1/23 to register it without paying for the 2023 registration year.) Also, a registration that has been expired for more than a year is considered a "new" registration and can not be done as a renewal online.

         First time registrations done within 4 months of your birth month will automatically be processed to expire in your birth month of the following year. Ex. You are born in July and come to register a "new" car in May of 2023. Your new registration will expire in July of 2024, 15 months later. We do not have the ability to change registration periods.  

         ***There are no refunds for registration costs paid due to your getting rid of vehicles after registering them. You may receive a partial credit from the costs that you paid to register a vehicle that you no longer own by transferring those plates onto a new-to-you vehicle. All monies previously paid are never credited however, and a transfer registration will still ALWAYS incur new additional registration fees. The primary name on the registration being transferred MUST match the primary owner on the "new" vehicle, in order to receive this credit. You will also need to have the original copy of the registration that goes to the plates that you would like to transfer. We can sell you a duplicate if you have lost it, but it does cost $18.

        There is no need to cancel a registration if you are no longer driving a vehicle and you can keep or return your metal plates as you prefer. There is no required action in NH, either way.

NH Division of Safety - Department of Motor Vehicles

Click here to renew your vehicle registration

          The most common registration processing instructions are below, including instructions for new residents. If you have any special circumstances, such as: buying out a lease, special license plates, establishing a family trust for your vehicles, etc.  then please contact the Clerk’s office for more specific instructions. Any required DMV forms can be obtained through the NH DMV website link.

                    First time vehicle registration process for year 2000 or newer and/or campers/trailers weighing over 3000 lbs   (vehicles requiring a title)

Please provide us with:

1.The ORIGINAL title for the new vehicle (back completed by both you and the seller as appropriate, be sure to include mileage) OR the CTA form if bought from a NH car dealership. Please be sure the color of the vehicle is stated.

2. Your ID.

**If you would like to move plates from an existing registration over to the new vehicle, please provide the ORIGINAL paper registration that currently goes with those plates. The primary name on the existing registration and one of the listed owners on the new car paperwork must match.               

Newly created titles are generally received in the mail within 8 weeks from DMV. 

                    First time vehicle registration process for year 1999 or older and/or campers/trailers weighing under 2,999 lbs  (title exempt)

Please provide us with:

1. The previous owner’s NH registration, OR the certificate of origin OR the completed  VIN verification form,

 2. The bill of sale,

3. Your ID,

 **If you would like to move a plate from an existing registration over to the new vehicle, please provide the ORIGINAL paper registration that currently goes with that plate. The primary name on the existing registration and one of the listed owners on the new car paperwork must match. 

                     New Allenstown resident, from out-of-state, registration process

Please provide us with:

1.  A piece of mail that has been sent to you at your Allenstown address,

2. The title for your vehicle if you have it OR your out-of-state registration,

3.  Your ID

4. The loan company's mailing address

                 * All of your NH registrations will expire and need to be renewed in your birth month going forward after your initial registration. You can register "new" vehicles any time of year.

New Allenstown resident, from in-state, registration process

Please provide us with:

1.  A piece of mail that has been sent to you at your Allenstown address,

2.  The out of town registration you would like to renew,

3.  Your ID 

4. The completed address change form (we have them in-house and online)