From carrying birth certificates to business certificates and dog licenses to marriage licenses, the office of City Clerk David A. Olson is a central location for many resident records and information. Located on the first floor of City Hall, the clerk keeps track of public information for Newton boards, commissions and residents. Appeals from the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals are also kept in this office.

Newton City Hall is barely more than a mile from the Newton Centre MBTA stop (Green Line, D Branch) and the Newtonville Commuter Rail station (Purple Line, Framingham/Worcester Line). The #59 MBTA bus also stops nearby at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue.