Car Registration in Vermont

SUMMARY: How to Register Your Vehicle in Vermont

Vermont vehicle registration varies based on whether your vehicle was purchased new from a dealer or from a private party. You'll need your title, an odometer disclosure statement, and payment for your registration fee. You may also need to produce a bill of sale. If you don't have all of your required paperwork, the DMV will issue you a temporary registration.

If you recently moved to the Green Mountain state, or you've purchased a new or used car, you need to register your vehicle(s) with Vermont's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Below you will find the steps and documents you need in order to obtain a vehicle registration in Vermont.

New to Vermont?

After establishing Vermont residency, you must register your vehicle with Vermont's Department of Motor Vehicles within 60 days.

To apply for a Vermont car registration certificate, visit your local DMV office with:

  • A signature on the application certifying you have car insurance. It must meet the state's minimum coverage levels:
    • $25,000 for injury to one person.
    • $50,000 for injury to two or more.
    • $10,000 for damages to property.
  • A completed Registration/Tax/Title Application (Form VD-119).
  • A current odometer reading.
  • The car's title.
    • If the title is being held by a lienholder, you must appear at a full-time Vermont DMV location (it can't be a mobile office) with the name and address of the lien company and the vehicle's current out-of-state registration certificate.
  • Proof of the amount of tax paid on the vehicle.
  • Vehicle identification number (VIN) verification. This can be completed by a designated DMV agent or by a VT law enforcement officer.
  • Payment for all Vermont car registration fees (see Vermont Vehicle Registration Fees below).

IMPORTANT NOTE: You will have 15 days from the date you first register your vehicle in Vermont to have it inspected. Please see our "Vehicle Inspections" section below for details.

Registering a Vehicle in Vermont

Vehicles in Vermont can be registered for either 1 year or 2 years. The process differs based on whether you purchased your vehicle from a dealership or a private party, and whether you're registering a foreign vehicle purchased overseas (see Registering a Foreign Vehicle below).

Make sure you have an active car insurance policy when registering your vehicle.

Compare rates and buy your policy online: Visit the Insurance Center >>

Registering a Vehicle Purchased From a Dealership

If you buy your vehicle from a Vermont dealer, the dealership will submit your Vermont vehicle registration papers for you.

If you have purchased a vehicle from an out-of-state dealership, you will need to go in person to your local DMV office to complete your registration. The process differs only based on whether your vehicle is new or used.

  • Brand new vehicles must show a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO).
  • Used vehicles must show a signed-over title.

Visit your local VT Department of Motor Vehicles office with:

Note that you may also need to have a VIN verification performed if your vehicle is used and you are issued the out-of-state title.

Registering a Vehicle Purchased or Gifted from a Private Party

To register your vehicle purchased or given to you by a private individual, arrive at your local Vermont DMV office with:

  • Proof of auto insurance.
  • A completed Registration/Tax/Title Application (Form VD-119).
  • An Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form VT-005).
  • A signed-over title:
    • All owners must sign the title as sellers (on the back of title in assignment of ownership section. New owner information goes in the "transferred to" line on the title.
    • Any liens listed on title must be released.
    • If it's not a Vermont-issued title, obtain a vehicle identification number (VIN) verification. This can be completed through a designated DMV agent or by a VT law enforcement officer.
  • Payment for all VT vehicle registration fees (see Vermont Vehicle Registration Fees below).

If your vehicle has been gifted to you by an immediate family member, you are exempt from paying the vehicle tax collected at registration. You must submit a completed Certification of Tax Exemption(Form VT-014) along with all other paperwork listed above.

Registering a Foreign Vehicle in VT

The process for registering a vehicle purchased outside of the United States differs based on:

  • Whether the purchased vehicle is new or used.
  • Whether or not the vehicle was previously registered.

Head to your local DMV office with:

  • Proof of Vermont auto insurance.
  • The ownership document provided to you. This could be:
    • A Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, for new vehicles.
    • The foreign vehicle title.
    • The registration certificate for the area in which it was previously registered, if applicable.
  • A completed Registration/Tax/Title Application (Form VD-119).
  • An Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form VT-005).
  • Import documents verifying that the vehicle conforms to Vermont's emissions standards.
  • Vehicle identification number (VIN) verification. This can be completed through a designated DMV agent or a VT law enforcement officer.
  • Payment for all Vermont car registration fees (see "Vehicle Registration Fees in Vermont" below).

Temporary Vehicle Registration

In some cases, you may be issued a temporary 60 day registration. This will happen if:

  • You don't have the vehicle's title with you when you go to register.
  • Your VIN hasn't been verified and you don't have the vehicle with you to have a DMV technician verify it.
  • You have not provided an Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form VT-005) when required.
  • You're applying for vanity license plates, as opposed to standard license plates.

You will be required to sign a Temporary Plate Authorization Form at the DMV, acknowledging that your current registration is only a temporary 60 day registration, during which time you must bring the missing items to the DMV to obtain your permanent registration certificate. If you do not, your paperwork will NOT be returned to you, and your registration will NOT be issued.

If you're receiving a temporary registration because of vanity plates, you should receive your plates within the 60 day period, along with your permanent registration card.

You will NOT receive a temporary registration if:

  • You visit a Mobile Van Office without all required documents.
  • You've already received a temporary registration previously, and never completed the registration process.
  • You're transferring license plates that are expired.
  • You're making changes to your registration that require the vehicle's title, a signature, or a bill of sale.

Vehicle Registration Fees

  • Passenger vehicle:
    • $91 for 1 year.
    • $167 for 2 years.
  • Electric-powered vehicle:
    • $89 for 1 year.
    • $163 for 2 years.
  • Motorcycle:
    • $58 for 1 year.
    • $116 for 2 years.
  • Motor-driven cycle:
    • $36 for 1 year.
    • $72 for 2 years.
  • Vehicle registration transfer: $30.
  • Purchase and Use Tax: 6% of the purchase price or of the vehicle's average trade-in value (whichever is higher).

Full-time DMV offices accept cash, personal checks, travelers checks, money orders, credit and debit cards (Visa and MasterCard). VT Mobile DMV offices do not accept cash.

Active Military Vermont Vehicle Registration

Vermont Military Residents

If you're a resident of Vermont who is a military veteran, you're eligible for an exemption on your registration taxes (see "Vehicle Registration Fees" above for more information on fees). To claim your exemption, follow the steps listed above for Vermont registration, but also submit a statement from the Veterans Administration (VA) certifying your veteran status.

If you are a military resident of Vermont and you're stationed out of state, you may either register your vehicle in your current state, or contact your local DMV office to find out how to register a vehicle from out of state. If necessary, download and complete the Registration/Tax/Title Application (Form VD-119) and have it ready to mail in to an address specified by your DMV.

Non-Resident Military Stationed in Vermont

If you're an out-of-state military member stationed in Vermont, you may maintain your out-of-state vehicle registration plates. Only if you decide to establish Vermont residency would you have to register with the Vermont DMV.

Vermont Vehicle Inspections

All vehicles registered in Vermont require an annual safety inspection. Inspections must take place at a state-approved inspection station.

As part of the safety inspection, the following vehicles must also have an Onboard Diagnostics examination:

  • Model year 16 model years and newer gasoline-powered vehicles.
  • Model year 16 model years and newer diesel-powered vehicles.

You can learn more about this part of the exam on our Smog & Emission Checks page.

NOTE: If you recently completed a first-time vehicle registration with the VT DMV, you have 15 days from the registration date to have your vehicle inspected.

VT License Plates

The VT DMV offers a wide variety of license plates to choose from, including vanity plates. If you apply for vanity plates, you will receive a 60 day temporary vehicle registration while you wait for your plates to be made (see Temporary Vehicle Registration above for details).

Learn more about license plates in Vermont on our License Plates & Placards page.

Replace Lost VT License Plates

If your plates go missing or are damaged, you replace them by:

  • Completing a Replacement Plate Application (Form VD-016).
  • Writing a $15 check for each plate.
  • Mailing the completed application and check to the address listed on the application.

Please note that for lost or stolen license plates, you MUST be issued a new license plate number even if your plate was a vanity or specialized license plate.

Forms

VT-005
Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure Statement
Complete and submit this form to the Vermont DMV after the private sale of a vehicle. The buyer MUST sign the salvage section if the vehicle is salvaged or has been totalled.
VT-014
Gift Tax Exemption
Use this form to apply for a gift tax exemption when transferring a vehicle from one person to another without charge.
VD-119
Registration Tax and Title Application
Use this form to register and title your vehicle with the Vermont DMV.
VD-016
Replacement Plate Application
The Vermont DMV requires that you submit this form, along with the indicated fee, to replace your lost, stolen, faded, or damaged license plates.
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