Expunging a Criminal Record in Vermont (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Vermont · Last updated August 19, 2026
There is no general federal expungement of a state conviction, so clearing a Vermont record runs through Vermont's own statute, 13 V.S.A. 7601 and following. Vermont offers two distinct forms of relief: expungement, which annuls and destroys the record so you are treated as if you were never arrested or convicted under 13 V.S.A. 7606, and sealing, which removes the conviction from public view but keeps a non-public record for limited future use under 13 V.S.A. 7607. A major revision that took effect July 1, 2025 narrowed expungement to conduct that is no longer a crime and shifted most convictions toward sealing. You petition the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court in the county where the case was handled, and the Vermont Crime Information Center updates the state repository. Waiting periods, eligible offenses, and excluded offenses are the harm-critical facts to confirm before you file.
Find out where you stand in Vermont
What are you trying to clear?
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What record-clearing relief does Vermont offer, and what is it called?
Vermont offers two remedies under 13 V.S.A. 7601 and following. Expungement annuls and destroys the record, so you are treated as if never arrested or convicted (13 V.S.A. 7606). Sealing hides the conviction from public view but keeps a non-public record for limited future use (13 V.S.A. 7607).
Can you expunge or seal a felony conviction in Vermont?
Yes, many non-violent felonies can be sealed in Vermont after a seven-year waiting period once the sentence, probation, restitution, and court costs are complete, if there are no new convictions. Serious and violent felonies, listed sex offenses, and certain other crimes are excluded under 13 V.S.A. 7601. Expungement of a felony is now limited to decriminalized conduct.
What is eligible for sealing in Vermont and what is the waiting period?
Most misdemeanors and many non-violent felonies qualify for sealing under 13 V.S.A. 7601. The wait is 3 years after completing the sentence for a misdemeanor and 7 years for a felony, with 10 years for a misdemeanor DUI. Young adults who were 18 to 21 at the time of the offense may petition just 30 days after completion.
Does Vermont have automatic 'clean slate' sealing without a petition?
Not broadly yet. Vermont's July 1, 2025 revision (Act 60) is petition-based for most records and directed further study of clean-slate automation rather than switching on full automatic sealing. Some non-conviction and decriminalized records clear on a streamlined basis, but most eligible convictions still require you to file a petition.
Vermont's Two Remedies: Expungement That Destroys the Record and Sealing That Hides It
Vermont draws a sharp line between its two remedies under 13 V.S.A. 7601 and following. Expungement, under 13 V.S.A. 7606, annuls the record of the arrest, conviction, and sentence and orders it destroyed, so the person is treated in all respects as if never arrested, convicted, or sentenced. Sealing, under 13 V.S.A. 7607, removes the conviction from public access but preserves a non-public record that courts and law enforcement can still use in a future prosecution. A major revision effective July 1, 2025 (Act 60) reduced the offenses eligible for full expungement, limiting it largely to conduct that is no longer a crime, and correspondingly expanded the offenses eligible for sealing. For sealing, the standard waiting period is 3 years after the sentence, probation, restitution, and court costs are complete for a misdemeanor and 7 years for a non-violent felony, with a longer 10-year wait for a misdemeanor DUI and a shortened 30-day path for young adults who were 18 to 21 at the time of the offense. Listed serious, violent, and sex offenses are excluded. You file in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court in the county where the case was handled; if the government does not object and the criteria are met, the court can grant sealing without a hearing. Once an order issues, the Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC) updates the state repository, notifies the arresting agency and other record holders, and relays the change to the FBI. If a petition is denied, you generally must wait 2 years to refile unless the court allows sooner.
Relevant Laws
Expungement and Sealing of Criminal History Records (13 V.S.A. 7601 and following)
Vermont's expungement and sealing statute, Chapter 230 of Title 13. Section 7601 defines qualifying crimes and the record-clearing framework. A major revision effective July 1, 2025 (Act 60) narrowed expungement and expanded the offenses eligible for sealing.
Effect of Expungement (13 V.S.A. 7606)
Provides that when the requirements are met, the court orders the record of the arrest, conviction, and sentence annulled and destroyed, and the person is treated in all respects as if never arrested, convicted, or sentenced. This is Vermont's full-erasure remedy, distinct from sealing.
Effect of Sealing (13 V.S.A. 7607)
Governs sealing, which removes a conviction from public access but preserves a non-public record that courts and law enforcement can use in a future prosecution. After the 2025 revision, sealing is the primary remedy for most eligible convictions rather than full expungement.
No General Federal Expungement of a Vermont Record
There is no general federal statute to expunge a state conviction, so a Vermont record is cleared only under Vermont law through the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court. Vermont's own statute, not federal law, sets eligibility, waiting periods, and the effect of the relief.
Regional Variances
Vermont Expungement and Sealing Eligibility Table
Relief type and name (13 V.S.A. 7601 and following)
Vermont offers two remedies. Expungement (13 V.S.A. 7606) annuls and destroys the record so you are treated as if never arrested or convicted. Sealing (13 V.S.A. 7607) hides the conviction from public view but keeps a non-public record for limited court and law-enforcement use. Since July 1, 2025, sealing is the primary remedy for most convictions.
Eligible offenses
Most misdemeanors and many non-violent felonies are eligible for sealing under the qualifying-crimes list in 13 V.S.A. 7601. Non-conviction records and convictions for conduct that is no longer a crime (decriminalized offenses) can be expunged. The 2025 revision expanded the sealing list and narrowed the expungement list.
Waiting period by offense class
For sealing, the wait after completing the sentence, probation, restitution, and court costs is 3 years for a misdemeanor and 7 years for a non-violent felony, with 10 years for a misdemeanor DUI. Young adults who were 18 to 21 at the time of the offense may petition just 30 days after completion. Restitution must be paid and there can be no new convictions.
Excluded offenses
Listed serious and violent felonies, listed sex offenses, and certain other crimes named in 13 V.S.A. 7601 are excluded from sealing and expungement. Because the excluded list is specific and was revised effective July 1, 2025, confirm your offense against the current statute before you file. A denied petition generally cannot be refiled for 2 years.
Clean-slate / automatic status
Vermont's July 1, 2025 revision (Act 60) is petition-based for most records and directed further study of clean-slate automation rather than turning on broad automatic sealing. Certain non-conviction and decriminalized records clear on a streamlined basis, but most eligible convictions still require filing a petition in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Confirm eligibility and that the Vermont waiting period has run
Before you draft the petition days after startingCheck 13 V.S.A. 7601 to confirm the offense is eligible and not excluded, and confirm the waiting period has passed: 3 years for a misdemeanor and 7 for a felony for sealing (10 years for a misdemeanor DUI), or 30 days if you were 18 to 21 at the time. Restitution and court costs must be paid with no new convictions.
Obtain your Vermont criminal history from VCIC
Before you draft the petition days after startingRequest your criminal history from the Vermont Crime Information Center so you can list every docket, county, and disposition accurately. A complete record inventory prevents a missing case or a misstated charge that could delay or defeat the petition.
Prepare the correct Vermont petition (Form 130)
Before filing days after startingComplete the Vermont Judiciary Petition to Expunge or Seal a Criminal Record (Form 130), choosing expungement or sealing to match what the statute allows for your offense. After the July 2025 revision, most convictions qualify only for sealing, so verify the remedy before filing.
File in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court
When the waiting period is met days after startingFile in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court in the county where the case was handled. There is generally no fee; a fee applies to certain DUI sealing petitions, and you can file an Application to Waive Filing Fees if needed. The State's Attorney is served and may object.
Confirm the state repository is updated
After the order issues days after startingAfter the court grants relief, confirm the Vermont Crime Information Center and other record holders have updated or destroyed the records, since background-check databases can lag the order. An attorney can help if a petition is contested or if records still appear after an order is entered.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm eligibility and that the Vermont waiting period has run | Check 13 V.S.A. 7601 to confirm the offense is eligible and not excluded, and confirm the waiting period has passed: 3 years for a misdemeanor and 7 for a felony for sealing (10 years for a misdemeanor DUI), or 30 days if you were 18 to 21 at the time. Restitution and court costs must be paid with no new convictions. | - | Before you draft the petition |
| Obtain your Vermont criminal history from VCIC | Request your criminal history from the Vermont Crime Information Center so you can list every docket, county, and disposition accurately. A complete record inventory prevents a missing case or a misstated charge that could delay or defeat the petition. | - | Before you draft the petition |
| Prepare the correct Vermont petition (Form 130) | Complete the Vermont Judiciary Petition to Expunge or Seal a Criminal Record (Form 130), choosing expungement or sealing to match what the statute allows for your offense. After the July 2025 revision, most convictions qualify only for sealing, so verify the remedy before filing. | - | Before filing |
| File in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court | File in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court in the county where the case was handled. There is generally no fee; a fee applies to certain DUI sealing petitions, and you can file an Application to Waive Filing Fees if needed. The State's Attorney is served and may object. | - | When the waiting period is met |
| Confirm the state repository is updated | After the court grants relief, confirm the Vermont Crime Information Center and other record holders have updated or destroyed the records, since background-check databases can lag the order. An attorney can help if a petition is contested or if records still appear after an order is entered. | - | After the order issues |
Frequently Asked Questions
For most offenses there is no filing fee to petition to expunge or seal in Vermont. A fee applies to certain DUI sealing petitions. If you cannot afford any required fee, you can file an Application to Waive Filing Fees with the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court, and the court can waive it based on inability to pay.
In Vermont, expungement under 13 V.S.A. 7606 annuls and destroys the record so you are treated as if never arrested or convicted. Sealing under 13 V.S.A. 7607 removes the conviction from public view but keeps a non-public record that courts and law enforcement may still use in a later prosecution. Sealing is not a full erasure.
Yes, in limited situations. A sealed Vermont record is hidden from ordinary public and employer background checks, but under 13 V.S.A. 7607 a non-public record remains and can be used by courts and law enforcement in a future prosecution. Full expungement destroys the record entirely. Certain agencies, licensing bodies, and immigration authorities may still access information in some cases.
Generally yes. After Vermont expungement, you are treated in all respects as if you were never arrested or convicted, so you may answer that you have no such conviction. After sealing, the conviction is removed from public access for most purposes. Because narrow exceptions exist for certain background checks, an attorney can help you confirm how to answer.
Timing varies by county and by whether the State's Attorney objects. If the government does not object and the criteria are met, a Vermont court can grant sealing or expungement without a hearing, which is faster. A contested petition requires a hearing and takes longer. After the order, the Vermont Crime Information Center updates the state repository, which can add further time.
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