Overview

As an elected official, the county clerk serves as a state constitutional officer when officiating in the capacity as clerk to State Supreme Court and County Court. That position carries the responsibility for custodial care of the official civil and criminal records of those courts which are on file in this office. The county clerk is also the chief recording officer and custodian of the county’s public land records.

Documents & Services

Documents filed, deposited, and recorded in the clerk’s recording office include:

Business certificates (DBA’s) Corporation certificates Deeds Judgments Liens Lis pendens foreclosures Mortgages

Oaths of office Pistol permit records Signature files of notaries Survey and subdivision maps UCC filings Veterans’ discharges

Other services provided include the execution of U.S. Passport applications, processing of Notary Public renewals, and pistol permit applications.

Motor Vehicles

The county clerk also serves as the local agent for the state commissioner of motor vehicles and thus the position carries the management responsibility for the County Motor Vehicle Offices. Section 205 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law sets forth the specific guidelines for the processing of motor vehicle-related transactions and the methodology used for county reimbursement, currently based on a percentage of gross receipts.

State and local sales taxes are collected for all casual sales according to procedures outlined by the Department of Taxation and Finance. Written tests are administered for commercial and passenger driver’s license permits and endorsements.

Satellite Office

The bureau’s satellite office, located in the City of Geneva, serves the eastern portion of Ontario County and, with a few exceptions, provides the same services as the main office in Canandaigua.