Vermont
Vehicle Resource Center
With more than 400,000 drivers in Vermont, there's a huge number of people who all have to follow the state's driving laws. Many of those drivers own vehicles as well, and owning a vehicle in Vermont requires renewing registrations, getting inspections, maintaining insurance, and more.
Ownership and Maintenance
Vehicle ownership in Vermont largely means filing the right paperwork, keeping up insurance, and renewing registration. Each of these tasks comes with a specific procedure that must be followed closely.
Every vehicle must have both safety and emissions inspections annually for legal operation. The inspections can be completed at one of more than 1,100 inspection stations throughout the state. Each vehicle has an inspection sticker with an expiration date. Owners are expected to have their vehicles inspected before the expiration date is reached.
Get more details about inspection requirements from this Vermont government page.
Every vehicle owner in Vermont is expected to maintain an active insurance policy on the vehicle. The insurance is meant to cover any damages that occur during an accident. The policy must include minimum coverage amounts set by the state to meet the state's requirements for valid insurance.
A Valid Insurance Policy
Valid coverage includes each of the following coverage amounts at a minimum:
If these minimums are met, the insurance policy counts and the vehicle is said to be insured.
Get more specific details about all of Vermont's insurance requirements at this insurance website.
Each year, vehicle owners must renew their registrations. Fortunately, the renewal process is simple, can be completed online, by mail, or in person, and is something that owners can learn to do easily.
Renew By Mail
Send in the registration renewal notice to the included envelope, along with a check for the total fee amount listed on the notice.
Renew in Person
Visit a Vermont DMV Office or one of the compatible town clerks that handles registration renewals. When meeting in person, sign the renewal notice and present it along with the renewal fees.
A Lost Renewal Notice
For anyone who didn't receive a renewal notice or lost the notice, it's necessary to fill out the registration application form and pay the fees calculated for the renewal.
Vermont drivers must renew their licenses every four years to keep them current. Some drivers can renew online or by mail, while others must renew in person.
Photos Must Remain Current to Renew Online or By Mail
Only drivers who will have current photos by the end of their license duration can renew online or by mail. Photos must be renewed once every nine years, so only drivers who don't yet have photos more than five years old are good to use these methods.
Renew Online
Drivers can renew online in record time and get an updated license easily. Begin the process by visiting the online renewal page. Now, provide driver's license information and other identification data before paying the renewal fee to complete the process.
Renew By Post
To renew by post, complete Form VL-021 or send the renewal notice along with payment to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. The renewal address is the following:
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05603-0001
Once the renewal process is complete, a temporary ID will be provided, and the final license will be mailed to the address on file. It could take several weeks to arrive.
For more information about the Vermont license renewal process, see the Department of Motor Vehicles website.
Registration Renewal:
There is a $91 or $167 fee for registration renewal for 1 or 2 year renewals.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling Vermont vehicles, owners must follow special requirements. By following state procedures, everyone is well protected.
Remove the License Plates
One of the first things any seller should do is remove the license plates from their vehicle before selling it. Take off the plates so the buyer cannot mistakenly leave with them. Return the plates to the DMV once the vehicle is sold.
Provide a Clean Certificate of Title
Sellers must verify their vehicle has a clean title and is free of any liens. If a lien is present, it should be removed from the vehicle before it is sold. If no title is available, it's important to submit a Replacement Title Application and get a fresh title for use during the sale.
Cancel Vehicle Insurance
Call the insurance provider and cancel the insurance policy once the vehicle is sold to the buyer. Canceling insurance is an excellent way to save money on monthly maintenance costs.
Research the Vehicle Carefully
Buyers should avoid buying vehicles they are unfamiliar with. The first step should always be to research the car to verify it's high-quality. Use a Vehicle VIN Check or Vehicle History Search from GoodCar to verify the vehicle is the right option. These checks look at ownership history, open recalls, specifications, features, odometer readings, title brands, accident history, and more.
Get a Bill of Sale
Print the official Bill of Sale form and bring it to the deal to get a record of the purchase. Get the seller to fill out the form and keep the document for use when titling and registering the vehicle. The form doubles as an Odometer Disclosure statement, and it's advisable to have the seller fill out all the sections.
Title and Register the Vehicle
Complete the registration and title form, pay the fees, and provide the documents mentioned above to title and register the vehicle.
New Certificate of Title
New titles cost $42 when issued.
Vehicle Sales Tax
Vehicle purchases come with the requirement to pay a 6% tax to the state. This is necessary when titling and registering the vehicle.
Transfer Registration and Plate
Transferring a registration is $20, and obtaining a new license plate is $29.00.
Laws and Regulations
Vermont relies on a collection of strict laws to control how drivers operate in the state. Every driver should be aware of the laws and understand them well for success.
Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Vermont comes with serious fines and more substantial punishments as well. There are DUI laws meant to prevent that problem from occurring often. Under the laws, drivers who are found guilty of driving while intoxicated can have their license suspended, face significant fines, and be put in jail.
To legally qualify to receive a DUI, drivers must have a BAC of 0.08 or higher. BAC stands for blood alcohol concentration and is typically measured using a breathalyzer. When a driver tests with a high BAC, they can be charged with DUI immediately and face serious penalties. Repeat DUI offenders face more significant punishments and can end with significant jail time and long-term license suspensions.
Get more information about DUI penalties from the Vermont DUI page.
Everyone in a moving vehicle is expected to wear an appropriate safety belt in Vermont. The state law requires everyone to be buckled, and all children under eight must be restrained using a child safety seat. Drivers with passengers not properly buckled face fines of $25, then $50, then $100 for repeat violations.
Child Safety Seat Recommendations
While there are no strict child seat requirements, all children should be buckled into an appropriate seat.
Rear-Facing Car Seat
Infants should always start in a rear-facing car seat and remain in the seat until they are too large to use it any longer. These seats can be good for up to 40 or 50 pounds in some instances. Follow the weight limit of the seat to determine when to move your child.
Forward-FAcing Car Seat
As children get older and outgrow their rear-facing seats, they should move to a forward-facing car seat. These seats are often good until up to 60 pounds, and children should remain in them until they outgrow their limits once again. Most children can reach the age of 5 or 6 before graduating to a booster seat.
Booster Seat
This is the final child safety seat, and children should remain in it until they are at least 4'9" tall. At that height they can safely use a standard lap and shoulder seat belt. Even past the age of 8, children should remain in a booster seat if they are under the recommended height of 4'9" to help keep them safe.
Get more seat belt specifics from Occupant Protection on the Vermont Government website.
Tinting windows on Vermont vehicles is a simple way to protect the interior and provide privacy to passengers. Vermont has unique tint laws that state that any tint can be used on rear windows, and no tint is allowed up front. Only non-reflective tint can be applied above the AS-1 line on a windshield, and no other front windows can have any tint. These regulations make it simple to see when a vehicle is in violation, and violators can be ticketed and asked to remove the tint.
Under the Vermont Lemon law, new vehicle purchases are protected against significant defects. If the vehicle shows a significant defect that came from the factory, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to repair the issue. The law is meant to protect private-use vehicles and only applies to most consumer-grade vehicles rather than heavy equipment that would be used for commercial purposes.
The Lemon law in Vermont applies to vehicles covered under the manufacturer's express warranty. If the vehicle is covered, the manufacturer must repair any major defects when they are identified. If the consumer informs the manufacturer of the defect within the warranty period, the manufacturer is expected to repair it adequately.
Making a Lemon Law Claim
A Lemon law claim requires a manufacturer to completely replace a vehicle or refund the purchase price if the company does not effectively repair the defect after three or more repair attempts. As the case goes to arbitration, the manufacturer has one final attempt to repair the issue before the case is finally processed. If the repairs are adequate, the case goes away; however, if the issues persist, the manufacturer must replace or refund the vehicle.
Get more details about the Vermont Lemon law from this official government page.
Useful Things to Know
Vermont Driver's Manual
Learn the state's driving laws, prepare for the written driving exam, and brush up on driving data using the Vermont Driver's Manual: Online Vermont Driver's Manual
EV Charge Stations
Find Vermont EV charge stations as an electric vehicle owner and always know where to go to charge the vehicle in public: Vermont EV Charging Station Locator
Vermont Car Crash Trends
Vermont is above average when it comes to driver safety and has fewer car accident fatalities per 100 million than the US average, according to IIHS data. Even though Vermont is safer than the average state, there were still a significant 74 fatalities from 69 accidents in 2021. As a driver, it's important to understand the cause of accidents in the state. Get the full picture with Vermont car crash statistics from GoodCar.
DMV Locations
Find the nearest DMV conveniently with this search: Vermont DMV Locations
Vermont Resources
Get the Latest Vermont Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Vermont vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.