Government services

Where to get licenses, information or other help

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Death and taxes

- Assessments for residential and commercial properties are handled out of the second floor of the Carter office building. Call 301-880-2900.

- Dead animal removal on county roads is handled by the county's department of public works and transportation, which is located on St. Andrew's Church Road. The number is 301-863-8400. For removal of dead animals on state roadways, call the State Highway Administration at 301-475-8035.

- Property taxes are paid to the treasurer located in the Patuxent Building at the governmental center. The treasurer's number is 301-475-4472.

Licenses

- Alcoholic beverage licenses can be applied for at 41650 Tudor Hall Road, first floor. Call 301-475-7844, opt. 6.

- Boat tags and commercial watermen's licenses for Maryland can be obtained at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources office in Calvert County, along Route 231 by the Benedict bridge at 6904 Hallowing Lane. Call 410-535-3382 or 866-688-3823.

- Building permits are initially requested through the department of land use and growth management at the Patuxent Building, 23150 Leonard Hall Drive in Leonardtown. This will be the first of a number of approvals needed from different governmental agencies. The permits office number is 301-475-4200, ext. 1500, and its counter opens for business at 8:30 a.m. on weekdays, closing at 2 p.m. on Monday and Thursday and open until 4:30 p.m. the rest of the week.

- Business licenses for some occupations, such as construction, restaurants and traders can be obtained on the first floor of the county circuit courthouse in the office of land, licenses and records. Call 301-475-7844, ext. 4576.

- Some home-occupation licenses can be obtained at the department of land use and growth management. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1500.

- Marriage licenses are issued by the clerk of the court in St. Mary's County courthouse. Clerk of the court can be reached at 301-475-7844, ext. 4.

- The Loveville branch of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration offers a range of services, offering both driver licensing and vehicle registration services, title work and drivers tests. The office is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed on weekends. Drivers road tests are by appointment only. Call 888-212-4709, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to schedule.

Law and order

- Animal wardens work out of the emergency communications building at 301-475-4200, ext. 2115.

- The county's circuit courthouse is in downtown Leonardtown at 41605 Courthouse Drive. The clerk of the court can be reached at 301-475-7844, ext. 4.

- District court is on the second floor of the Carter office building. The number is 301-880-2700.

- Domestic-relations master is in the county circuit courthouse. Call 301-475-7844, ext. 4120.

- Parole and probation is located in the basement of the Carter office building. The office can be reached at 301-475-2750.

- Traffic tickets can be paid at district court in the second floor of the Carter office building. The district court's number in Leonardtown is 301-880-2700.

Information and services

- St. Mary's County Department of Human Services addresses health, mental health, housing, training, employment and transportation needs across all segments of the population. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1681.

- 4-H can be contacted through the University of Maryland extension service. The local office's number is 301-475-4477.

- Agriculture extension educators from the University of Maryland work in the Dr. William Marek Building on Peabody Street in Leonardtown. Call 301-475-4484.

- Bus service information is available by calling the St. Mary's Transit System at 301-475-5100.

- County agriculture and seafood information can be obtained by calling 301-475-4200, ext. 1405.

- County government information in general can be obtained from the public information office on the third floor of the Potomac Building at 23115 Leonard Hall Drive, or by calling 301-475-4200, ext. 1340.

- The Department of Aging and Garvey Senior Activity Center is located at 41780 Baldridge St. in Leonardtown. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1050. The Loffler Center Activity Senior is at 21905 Chancellor's Run Road. Call 301-737-5670. The Northern Senior Activity Center is at 29655 Charlotte Hall Road at 301-475-4002, ext. 1001.

- Economic and community development services are handled from the second floor of the governmental center. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1401.

- Employment services through the county's human resources department are available on the third floor of the Potomac Building at the governmental center. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1100.

- The Housing Authority for the county is in Lexington Park off Lexwood Drive, called The Gateways, at 21155 Lexwood Drive. The phone number is 301-866-6590.

- Land records can be located on the first floor of the county circuit courthouse. Call 301-475-7844, ext. 4580. They can also be found online at mdlandrec.net and plats.net.

- Passports can be applied for through the Lexington Park Post Office. Call 301-862-2380.

- Social services is located on the first floor of the Carter office building, and can be reached at 240-895-7000. A satellite office is also in Lexington Park and can be reached with the same number.

- Sports programs for children and adults are run by the department of recreation and parks located in the Patuxent Building at the governmental center. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1800. For a recorded announcement of events, call 301-475-4571.

- St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce can be reached at 301-737-3001 and is located at 44200 Airport Road in California.

- The St. Mary's County Historical Society's main office at Tudor Hall is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the research library center at Tudor Hall is open noon to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Both the museum and office can be reached at 301-475-2467 and the research center's number is 301-475-9455. Visit the Web site at http://home.md.metrocast.net/~smchs/.

- Tourism information is available at 301-475-4200, ext. 1401.

- Voter registration can be handled by the board of elections on the first floor of the old sheriff's office at 41650 Tudor Hall Road. The board of election's number is 301-475-7844, opt. 5.

- Wills can be filed in the St. Mary's County circuit courthouse with the register of wills. Call 301-475-5566. Diane B. McWilliams is the register of wills.