How to file to clear a record in Vermont

How to ask a Vermont court to clear your record, what it costs and which forms to use.

Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.

Short answer

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.

Main remedy
Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor)
Cost
No filing fee (Vermont Judiciary; 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e)).
Forms
10

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

Checklist: what to gather before you file

Records that are not eligible in Vermont

  • Sealing of a conviction (qualifying misdemeanor): 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.
  • Sealing of a conviction (qualifying felony): Any felony not on the qualifying list.
  • Sealing of a qualifying DUI misdemeanor: 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.
  • Sealing for offenses committed at ages 18-21: A record that includes both qualifying and non-qualifying offenses cannot be sealed under this rule.
  • Sealing for crimes committed before age 25 (33 V.S.A. § 5119(g)): 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: 13 V.S.A. §§ 7601(4)(A), 7602(a)(2), 7602(c), 7604, 7605, 7608; 13 V.S.A. §§ 7601(4)(B), 7601(5), 7602(d); 13 V.S.A. §§ 7602(e), 7607(c)(4); 32 V.S.A. § 1431(e); 13 V.S.A. § 7609; 33 V.S.A. § 5119(g)

What you can say afterwards

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

In nearby states

  • Massachusetts: No fee (Mass.gov, Request to seal your criminal record).
  • Connecticut: No court fee for any petition under this section.
  • Maine: The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk.

Your next steps in Vermont

  1. Gather your papers

    You need your case numbers, court papers and proof you finished your sentence. Checklist: what to gather before you file.

  3. Turn in the petition

    After you file, the prosecutor may respond and the court decides.

Free legal help in Vermont

Questions about filing in Vermont

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.

What is the filing fee 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).

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).

Is there free help to clear a record in Vermont?

Vermont Legal Aid / Legal Services Vermont (VTLawHelp.org), Vermont Legal Aid Bennington Legal Advice Clinic (includes expungement) and Brattleboro BIPOC Legal Aid Clinic (Vermont Legal Aid and Root Social Justice Center).

More for Vermont