Clearing a criminal record in Vermont
In Vermont it is called sealing or expungement: sealing hides the record from the public. Some misdemeanor and felony convictions may be cleared, and Vermont also clears some records automatically.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026. · Free letter and checklist ↓
Can my record be cleared in Vermont?
Sealing; expungement (only for conduct that is no longer a crime) — Sealing hides the record from the public: the court file becomes confidential and the public is told "no criminal record exists," but police, prosecutors and a few others can still use it. Expungement removes the record and destroys the court file, and since July 1, 2025 it is only for convictions for conduct that is no longer a crime.
Vermont has 7 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor)
Most misdemeanor convictions
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Qualifying misdemeanor conviction | 3 years Wait at least 3 years after you finished your sentence. | Completing the terms and conditions of the sentence |
- Not eligible
- Listed crimes; sexual exploitation of children; violating an abuse prevention, stalking, sexual assault or child-contact order; abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult; voyeurism; cruelty to animals or children; cruelty by a custodian; mistreating persons with impaired cognitive function; failure to comply with sex offender registry rules; hate-motivated crimes; female genital mutilation; violating an extreme risk protection order; offenses requiring sex offender registration; offenses in a motor vehicle by a commercial driver's license holder.
Law: 13 V.S.A. §§ 7601(4)(A), 7602(a)(2), 7602(c), 7604, 7605, 7608; 13 V.S.A. § 5301(7), mostly violent and serious crimes
Source: Official text
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying felony)
Only these felonies: burglary not into an occupied dwelling (or into an occupied dwelling if you were 25 or younger and had no weapon); listed property felonies (forgery, false pretenses, identity theft, grand larceny, embezzlement, receiving stolen property, retail theft, unlawful mischief, unlawful trespass, computer crimes and others); drug possession, cultivation, sale or transport felonies; and any offense for which the Governor granted an unconditional pardon.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Qualifying felony conviction | 7 years Wait at least 7 years after you finished your sentence. | Completing the terms and conditions of the sentence |
- Not eligible
- Any felony not on the qualifying list.
Law: 13 V.S.A. §§ 7601(4)(B), 7601(5), 7602(d)
Source: Official text
Sealing of a qualifying DUI misdemeanor
A qualifying misdemeanor DUI conviction
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Qualifying DUI misdemeanor | 10 years Wait at least 10 years after you finished your sentence. | Completing the terms and conditions of the sentence |
- Not eligible
- Not available if you hold a commercial driver's license or permit. A sealed DUI can still be used to enhance the penalty for a later DUI.
Law: 13 V.S.A. §§ 7602(e), 7607(c)(4); 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)
Source: Official text
Sealing for offenses committed at ages 18-21
Qualifying crimes (misdemeanor or felony, as defined above) committed when you were 18 to 21 years old
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Qualifying crime committed at age 18-21 | See the rule You can ask once 30 days have passed after you finished your sentence. | Completing the terms and conditions of the sentence |
- Not eligible
- A record that includes both qualifying and non-qualifying offenses cannot be sealed under this rule.
Law: 13 V.S.A. § 7609
Source: Official text
Sealing for crimes committed before age 25 (33 V.S.A. § 5119(g))
Any Vermont conviction for a crime you committed before you turned 25
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Crime committed before age 25 | 2 years Wait at least 2 years after your final discharge. You also must not have been convicted of a listed (serious or violent) crime in the 10 years before you apply. | Final discharge from the sentence |
- Not eligible
- Not available if, in the 10 years before you apply, you were convicted of (or adjudicated delinquent for) a listed crime under 13 V.S.A. § 5301(7), or if such a case is pending.
Law: 33 V.S.A. § 5119(g)
Source: Official text
Sealing when there was no conviction
Arrests and citations with no probable cause found at arraignment, charges dismissed before trial (with or without prejudice), and acquittals
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Dismissed, acquitted or no probable cause | See the rule The court seals the record on its own within 60 days after the case ends, unless either side objects. | Final disposition |
Any arrest or citation without conviction (petition) | No waiting period You can also petition at any time; the court grants it if sealing serves the interests of justice or the prosecutor agrees. | Any time |
Law: 13 V.S.A. § 7603
Source: Official text
Expungement (conduct no longer a crime)
Convictions for conduct that is no longer prohibited by law
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Conviction for conduct that is no longer a crime | No waiting period No waiting period once you have finished any sentence or supervision and paid restitution and surcharges. | Completing the sentence or supervision |
Law: 13 V.S.A. §§ 7602(a)(1), 7602(b), 7606
Source: Official text
When can I file? Waiting periods in Vermont
Pick your kind of case and the date the waiting period runs from. We add the waiting period from the law; nothing else.
How to file in Vermont
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor)
Ask the prosecutor (State's Attorney or Attorney General) to agree (stipulate). File a Petition to Seal Criminal History in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court where you were convicted. If the prosecutor agrees, the judge decides without a hearing. If not, the court holds a hearing; the prosecutor must show sealing would be contrary to the interests of justice. Victims can give a statement. All restitution and court surcharges must be paid (unless surcharges were waived). If denied, you must wait 2 years to try again unless the court allows sooner.
- Cost
- No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary; 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)).
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying felony)
Same as misdemeanor sealing: seek the prosecutor's stipulation, file the petition in the Criminal Division where you were convicted, and attend a hearing if the prosecutor objects. Restitution and surcharges must be paid.
- Cost
- No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary; 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)).
Sealing of a qualifying DUI misdemeanor
File a Petition to Seal Criminal History in the Criminal Division where you were convicted. Restitution and surcharges must be paid; the court grants it unless the prosecutor shows sealing is contrary to the interests of justice.
- Cost
- $90 filing fee to seal a DUI record under 23 V.S.A. § 1201(a); no fee for other sealing or expungement petitions.
- If you can't pay
- Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs (600-00229).
Law: 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)
Sealing for offenses committed at ages 18-21
File a Petition to Seal Criminal History. Restitution and surcharges must be paid or waived; the prosecutor can try to show sealing is contrary to the interests of justice.
- Cost
- No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary).
Sealing for crimes committed before age 25 (33 V.S.A. § 5119(g))
Apply to the court that has the case (the court can also act on its own). All parties get notice and the court holds a hearing. The court must seal the records if the conditions are met and it is satisfied that you are rehabilitated.
- Cost
- No filing fee.
Sealing when there was no conviction
Usually automatic. If either side objects, the court holds a hearing. You may also file a petition at any time.
- Cost
- No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary).
Expungement (conduct no longer a crime)
File a Petition to Expunge Criminal History in the Criminal Division. The court must grant it if the conditions are met. The court file is destroyed once every charge on the docket is expunged.
- Cost
- No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary).
Court self-help
Free help in Vermont
- Vermont Legal Aid / Legal Services Vermont (VTLawHelp.org)
- Vermont Legal Aid Bennington Legal Advice Clinic (includes expungement) · 802-318-4169
- Brattleboro BIPOC Legal Aid Clinic (Vermont Legal Aid and Root Social Justice Center) · 802-885-5181
- Local Community Justice Centers (named by the Vermont Judiciary as able to help)
National help
Free letter and checklist
Letter: ask for a copy of your own record
A request to the state records office (Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC), Vermont Department of Public Safety) with your name, date of birth and mailing address.
Checklist: what to gather before you file
Case numbers, court papers, proof you finished your sentence, forms and fees for Vermont.
Clearing a record in Vermont by topic
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor) in Vermont
Which records each remedy covers, who is not eligible and what changes afterwards.
Waiting periods in Vermont
How long you wait for each kind of case, and a date helper.
How to file in Vermont
The steps, the cost, fee waivers, the forms and court self-help.
Automatic relief in Vermont
- Law
- Automatic sealing of non-conviction records
- What is cleared
- When no probable cause is found at arraignment, the charge is dismissed before trial (with or without prejudice), or you are acquitted, the court seals the record within 60 days after the case ends unless either side objects in the interests of justice. Convictions are not sealed automatically. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed automatically 2 years after final discharge unless the State's Attorney objects, and dismissed cases against minors are sealed right away.
- Started
- Current version in effect since July 1, 2025. Before that date, acquittals and dismissals with prejudice were expunged within 60 days instead of sealed.
Law: 13 V.S.A. § 7603(a); 33 V.S.A. § 5119(a), (h); 2025 Act 60
Marijuana records in Vermont
Convictions for conduct that is no longer a crime, such as possession of small amounts of cannabis, can be expunged with no waiting period. Vermont Legal Aid reports that old misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions were automatically expunged, with orders mailed to the last known address; if you did not get one, contact the criminal court in the county of conviction (vtlawhelp.org). Felony cannabis possession or cultivation can be sealed after 7 years.
Law: 13 V.S.A. § 7602(a)(1), (b); 13 V.S.A. § 7601(4)(B)(iii)
Juvenile records in Vermont
If you were adjudicated delinquent on or after July 1, 1996, the court seals the records automatically 2 years after your final discharge unless the State's Attorney shows a later listed-crime conviction or lack of rehabilitation. A dismissed case against someone under 18 (charged on or after July 1, 2006) is sealed right away. Adult convictions for crimes committed before 25 can be sealed 2 years after discharge.
Law: 33 V.S.A. § 5119(a), (g), (h)
Pardons in Vermont
- Who decides
- Governor of Vermont
- How
- Download and complete the Pardon Application and mail it to the Pardon Coordinator, Office of the Governor, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609-0101 (paper copy by mail: 802-828-3333). Pardons are rare. An offense for which you received an unconditional pardon becomes eligible for sealing.
Law: 13 V.S.A. § 7601(4)(B)(iv)
After your record is cleared in Vermont
After sealing or expungement you are treated as if you had never been arrested, convicted or sentenced. On job, license and other applications you may be asked only about records that have not been sealed or expunged, and state agencies must tell you of your right not to disclose them. The public is told "NO CRIMINAL RECORD EXISTS." Exceptions for sealed records: police, prosecutors and the Attorney General can still use them for criminal justice purposes, they are available for firearm background checks and law-enforcement hiring, and a sealed DUI counts for a later DUI penalty. Anyone who knowingly accesses or discloses a sealed record without authorization faces a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
Law: 13 V.S.A. §§ 7606(b), 7607(b)-(c), 7611
Get your own record in Vermont
Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC), Vermont Department of Public Safety · 802-244-8727
Get a Vermont conviction report online through the Vermont Criminal Conviction Record Internet Service (VCCRIS) for $30 per report (name and date of birth; shows convictions only). For a notarized copy, request it from VCIC by mail (5-7 business days) or in person in Waterbury. You can also request court records from each county court with the Criminal Record Check Request form (200-00331).
Letter: ask the state records office for a copy of your record
Good to know in Vermont
- Act 60 of 2025 (S.12), effective July 1, 2025, rewrote the law: expungement now applies only to conduct that is no longer a crime, while many more offenses can be sealed (Vermont Judiciary; Act 60).
- There is no court filing fee to seal or expunge, except a $90 fee to seal a DUI.
Law: 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)
- If you committed a crime before age 25, you can ask to seal it 2 years after discharge; if you were 18-21, you can ask 30 days after finishing the sentence.
Law: 33 V.S.A. § 5119(g); 13 V.S.A. § 7609
Changes in 2024–2026
Act 60 (2025, S.12), effective July 1, 2025: limited expungement to convictions for conduct no longer prohibited; made most other eligible convictions sealable instead (misdemeanors after 3 years, listed felonies after 7 years, qualifying DUI after 10 years); added a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for unauthorized disclosure of sealed records; added automatic expungement of municipal violation records 2 years after a judgment is satisfied (for violations on or after July 1, 2025); and required a statewide police policy on sealed records by December 15, 2025.
Questions about clearing a record in Vermont
What is clearing a record called in Vermont?
Sealing; expungement (only for conduct that is no longer a crime). Sealing hides the record from the public: the court file becomes confidential and the public is told "no criminal record exists," but police, prosecutors and a few others can still use it. Expungement removes the record and destroys the court file, and since July 1, 2025 it is only for convictions for conduct that is no longer a crime.
Can convictions be cleared in Vermont?
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor): Most misdemeanor convictions. Sealing of a conviction (qualifying felony): Only these felonies: burglary not into an occupied dwelling (or into an occupied dwelling if you were 25 or younger and had no weapon); listed property felonies (forgery, false pretenses, identity theft, grand larceny, embezzlement, receiving stolen property, retail theft, unlawful mischief, unlawful trespass, computer crimes and others); drug possession, cultivation, sale or transport felonies; and any offense for which the Governor granted an unconditional pardon. Sealing of a qualifying DUI misdemeanor: A qualifying misdemeanor DUI conviction. Sealing for offenses committed at ages 18-21: Qualifying crimes (misdemeanor or felony, as defined above) committed when you were 18 to 21 years old. Sealing for crimes committed before age 25: Any Vermont conviction for a crime you committed before you turned 25. Sealing when there was no conviction: Arrests and citations with no probable cause found at arraignment, charges dismissed before trial (with or without prejudice), and acquittals. Expungement (conduct no longer a crime): Convictions for conduct that is no longer prohibited by law.
How long do I have to wait in Vermont?
Qualifying misdemeanor conviction: 3 years, counted from completing the terms and conditions of the sentence; Qualifying felony conviction: 7 years, counted from completing the terms and conditions of the sentence; Qualifying DUI misdemeanor: 10 years, counted from completing the terms and conditions of the sentence; Qualifying crime committed at age 18-21: You can ask once 30 days have passed after you finished your sentence, counted from completing the terms and conditions of the sentence.
Does Vermont clear records automatically?
When no probable cause is found at arraignment, the charge is dismissed before trial (with or without prejudice), or you are acquitted, the court seals the record within 60 days after the case ends unless either side objects in the interests of justice. Convictions are not sealed automatically. Juvenile delinquency records are sealed automatically 2 years after final discharge unless the State's Attorney objects, and dismissed cases against minors are sealed right away.
How much does it cost to clear a record in Vermont?
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor): No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary; 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)). Sealing of a conviction (qualifying felony): No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary; 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)). Sealing of a qualifying DUI misdemeanor: $90 filing fee to seal a DUI record under 23 V.S.A. § 1201(a); no fee for other sealing or expungement petitions. Sealing for offenses committed at ages 18-21: No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary). Sealing for crimes committed before age 25: No filing fee. Sealing when there was no conviction: No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary). Expungement (conduct no longer a crime): No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary).
Can a marijuana record be cleared in Vermont?
Convictions for conduct that is no longer a crime, such as possession of small amounts of cannabis, can be expunged with no waiting period. Vermont Legal Aid reports that old misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions were automatically expunged, with orders mailed to the last known address; if you did not get one, contact the criminal court in the county of conviction (vtlawhelp.org). Felony cannabis possession or cultivation can be sealed after 7 years.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Vermont?
If you were adjudicated delinquent on or after July 1, 1996, the court seals the records automatically 2 years after your final discharge unless the State's Attorney shows a later listed-crime conviction or lack of rehabilitation. A dismissed case against someone under 18 (charged on or after July 1, 2006) is sealed right away. Adult convictions for crimes committed before 25 can be sealed 2 years after discharge.
What can I say after my record is cleared in Vermont?
After sealing or expungement you are treated as if you had never been arrested, convicted or sentenced. On job, license and other applications you may be asked only about records that have not been sealed or expunged, and state agencies must tell you of your right not to disclose them. The public is told "NO CRIMINAL RECORD EXISTS." Exceptions for sealed records: police, prosecutors and the Attorney General can still use them for criminal justice purposes, they are available for firearm background checks and law-enforcement hiring, and a sealed DUI counts for a later DUI penalty. Anyone who knowingly accesses or discloses a sealed record without authorization faces a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
How do I get a copy of my criminal record in Vermont?
Get a Vermont conviction report online through the Vermont Criminal Conviction Record Internet Service (VCCRIS) for $30 per report (name and date of birth; shows convictions only). For a notarized copy, request it from VCIC by mail (5-7 business days) or in person in Waterbury. You can also request court records from each county court with the Criminal Record Check Request form (200-00331).