Access Free Vermont Criminal & Arrest Records

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Free Vermont Arrest Records & Criminal Records Search

Access Vermont Records: background checks, warrants, probation and parole, court records, and all criminal and arrest records.

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Find free Vermont criminal records through official channels in no time.

Vermont arrest records and subsequent criminal proceedings are readily available once you know what information is available and which agencies to check.

This resource provides everything necessary to learn more about another person and details how to find arrests, mugshots, criminal records, background check reports, probation and parole information, prisoner records, warrant status, nearby sex offenders and more in Vermont.

Accessibility to Criminal & Arrest Records in Vermont

Criminal records, sometimes referred to as rap sheets, are accessible to citizens of Vermont due to the state’s Vermont Freedom of Information Act—1 V.S.A. §§ 315-320 enacted as a result of the Watergate scandal.¹

This law has mandated a free and open scrutiny of records held by government agencies to ensure transparency and accountability.

Public records in the state refer to written information that is recorded, including criminal and arrest records, and there are no restrictions on using these public records or providing a statement of purpose to access such said records. Other publicly available records protected by the aforementioned statute can be reviewed in the tutorial on Vermont state records searches, along with the agencies that host court records, marital records, and bankruptcy records.

The Vermont Freedom of Information Act has borrowed many of its stipulations from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which is a federal law that allows U.S. citizens access to documents and records produced by the federal government, barring some exceptions such as medical files and law enforcement records.²

While criminal records are generally available to members of the public, there are some stipulations as to who can access certain criminal records. These records are those that are protected by the Vermont Criminal History Privacy Act, which limits citizens from accessing public criminal records of individuals who may have been arrested but not convicted of a crime.

Criminal history information can only be retrieved by the subject and owner of the record.³ This report will provide all arrest and disposition data—this will include pending, dismissed and acquitted charges. Conversely, criminal conviction reports that permit the viewing of conviction information submitted by the courts is available for public view.

The Difference Between Criminal Records vs Arrest Records in Vermont

There is a clear difference in criminal and arrest records in Vermont and the results that both searches yield—this is due to the varying circumstances under which each record set is produced by law enforcement agencies.

Arrest records in Vermont are produced when offenders are taken into custody for crimes they have been suspected of—inmates are booked in jail until such time a determination is made by the courts as to whether they are guilty or not. These records will therefore not have much in terms of court-related data, rather have information such as the arresting agency, any bond amount that is set and charges for the alleged crimes.

Conversely, criminal records are created not only as a result of offenders’ interaction with law enforcement but include data that is generated once they have been convicted and sentenced of a crime by the courts, thereby resulting in jail time. Criminal records will include information such as date of conviction, disposition dates or even release dates from prison.

Criminal records include but are not limited to:

• Full names
• Date of birth (DOB)
• Age
• Sex
• Race
• Case numbers
• Court information
• Addresses (former and present)
• Type of conviction
• Guilty pleas, if any
• Date of conviction
• Charges of the court (felony or misdemeanor charge)
• Date of release
• Mug shot (photograph)
• Former arrest records
• Date of disposition

Arrest records typically comprise:

• Names of the arrested individual
• Booking number
• Court case number
• Age
• Height
• Weight
• Race
• Address
• Gender
• Arresting agency
• Date of arrest
• Arrest location
• Cell Number
• Charges
• Warrant information
• Severity of the charge
• Bail amount
• Scheduled release date

How To View Vermont Arrest Records & See Who’s in Jail for Free

Citizens of Vermont can generally find out who’s in jail through several avenues, including:

• County sheriff’s offices
• Local city police departments
• In some instances, through county courts

Sheriff’s offices in different counties across Vermont and their city counterparts will often have online databases that can be scoured by members of the public who are looking to establish if someone was arrested. These are generally free for use to the public.

While courts can be used to find recent Vermont arrest records, they should not be the place to start for these searches. More than often, offenders will have been in custody for some time once criminal records are created at the courts.

Check Recent Arrests via the County Sheriff’s Offices & Jails Throughout Vermont

Vermont has 14 counties within its borders with each of these having a sheriff’s office overlooking the county jurisdiction. Generally, the sheriff’s office maintains rosters that can be accessed online to find out what someone was arrested for and a mugshot database that can be viewed.

However, this does not apply to Vermont which means that citizens can choose to either visit or call sheriff’s offices to find daily arrests.

The table below provides a list of all 14 sheriff’s offices. All links are denoted with a (*) which means that they don’t point to a search tool but only contact information that can be used to find out someone’s charges in jail.

County Inmate Search Tool or Contact Page	County Jail or Sheriff’s Office Phone Number	Shows Mugshots?
Addison County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)388-2981	X
Bennington County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)442-4900	X
Caledonia County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)748-6666	X
Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)863-4341	X
Essex County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)676-3500	X
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)524-2121	X
Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)372-4482	X
Lamoille County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)888-3502	X
Orange County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)685-4875	X
Orleans County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)334-3333	X
Rutland County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)775-8002	X
Washington County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)223-3001	X
Windham County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)365-4949	X
Windsor County Sheriff’s Office*	(802)457-5211	X

How To Find Recent Arrests Through Police Departments & Municipal Jails Within Vermont

If searches in county jails don’t yield any results, interested parties can look to city police departments within the state to find out if someone was arrested.

Like the sheriff’s offices, these also unfortunately do not maintain online rosters that can be used to quickly and easily find out if someone is in jail. Nevertheless, citizens can contact these police departments either by calling them or visiting and getting this information at no cost.

Some city police departments that are located in Vermont include:⁴

• Northfield Police Department
• Norwich Police Department
• Montpelier Police Department
• Pittsford Police Department
• Morristown Police Department
• Randolph Police Department
• Fair Haven Police Department
• Hardwick Police Department
• Hartford Police Department
• Hinesburg Police Department
• Killington Police Department
• Ludlow Police Department

How To Get Ahold of Someone in a Vermont Jail & Post Their Bail

It is possible to establish contact with offenders in jail from outsiders, whether they are family or friends, and bail them out of jail if a bond amount has been set by the judge.

Contacting an Inmate—In Vermont, citizens can contact inmates located in County jails primarily by:

In person Visitations—The Sheriff’s offices will generally allow inmates to be visited by those that are on approved lists. Typically, certain days will be set aside for these visitations that have time limitations— dress codes must be followed as well as searches conducted on visitors to prevent contraband from entering the jails.

Rules will vary between different jails and it is best to contact the sheriff’s office or city police departments to make a determination of what their protocols for visits are.

Phone Calls—Most jails will allow inmates to make collect calls out to family and friends on the outside. Inmates are not usually allowed to receive calls. Some jails allow unlimited days when an inmate can make a call, others may restrict it to particular days. These calls are, for the most part, monitored, and like visitations, there is a limit to their duration.

Bailing Out an Inmate—A bail bond in Vermont is generally either secured or unsecured and is a sum of money or property that must be paid or promised to be paid to the court to secure the release of an offender from jail while they await their trial.

These bail bonds are a type of bail and are for individuals who have the inability to meet bail requirements.

To bail out an inmate and obtain a bail bond, defendants will need to contact a bail bond agent.

These agents are individuals or companies that offer surety bonds as a form of promise to bear the burden of debt obligation.⁵ The offender will be required to shell out a percentage of the total bail amount (typically 10% of total bail amount) and the agent will pay the court the full amount guaranteeing the appearance of the offender in court. This fee is generally non-refundable.

Citizens should use this list of approved bail bond agents in Vermont to locate an agent. The agents should communicate their fee structure.

Failing to attend court will have a repercussion of a forfeiture of the bail and additional criminal charges may be added to the charges that the defendant is already facing. Therefore, it is imperative that defendants attend all court hearings.

How To Run a Vermont Criminal Records Search

Interested parties can obtain Vermont criminal records from several government agencies comprising local, state and federal jurisdictions, which are outlined below:

• Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC) which is a division of the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
• Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) database to retrieve federal and appellate court records. PACER is free to use, however making copies of records will incur a nominal cost.
• Interested parties can also obtain criminal records through county courts that have information on ongoing court cases through the Vermont Judiciary.
• Performing a national background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Running a Criminal Record Search Through the County’s Court Case Access or Clerk of Court

County courts can be a source of Vermont arrest records for citizens when searching through court records. Court records can be retrieved by the public due to the state’s Vermont Rules for Public Access to Court Records.⁶

They are open to citizens for inspection and making copies with certain exemptions such as when records have been redacted and/or removed for legal reasons.

Criminal records can be retrieved from all of the 14 county court houses that are located in the state. In Vermont, the judiciary comprises an appellate court (Superior Court)—there are 14 divisions of the Superior Court corresponding to each county.⁷ The court of clerk would be the point of contact for citizens who are looking to retrieve these records.

The Vermont Judiciary does not provide a statewide search for criminal records, these searches must be done through the county court where the charges were filed.⁸ If the case began in one court but was moved to another, then a request will need to be made at the court where it was transferred to.

Citizens can find the different Vermont Superior Court Locations using this link.

It should be stated that the process for searching for criminal records in the Vermont Judiciary is distinct from other types of court records.

Written Requests: The process for obtaining criminal records from the courts is outlined below:

1. To perform a criminal record, interested parties should complete a Criminal Record Check Request & Reply form.
2. Knowing the docket number is not necessary. However, the requester should at minimum furnish the name and date of birth (DOB) for the subject of the record.
3. All requests for a criminal record division search are made in writing and are to be delivered to the court’s public service counter or mailed in. Mail in requests will require a self-addressed envelope and enclosed payments. Requests by fax, email and phone are not acceptable.
4. The person requesting must pay a $30.00 fee in advance for the court staff to perform a search. This fee does cover the copying of docket pages and/or other documents. Break down for the fees is as follows:
   • Search Fee—$30.00 for each name being searched
   • Photocopies—$0.25 per page (minimum charge of $1.00)
   • Certification—$5.00
   • Microfilmed Records— The Clerk’s Office will advise on this.
5. The court will typically take 3 business days ONCE they receive the request. Results can be faxed back if a fax number is included on the form.
6. If no record is found, the court will provide a written statement confirming that no record was located for the names provided.

In Person Requests: There are certain courts that have a public terminal computer that can be used to conduct a criminal record search.

However, the docket number will need to be known. Contact the courthouse directly to find out if they have terminals that can be used.

The table below provides the addresses and telephone contacts for all county courthouses in Vermont as a resource in addition to the link above. This table makes it easier to quickly find the information needed:

County	County Courthouse Address	Phone Number
Addison County	7 Mahady Court Middlebury, VT 05753	(802)388-7741
Bennington County	200 Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington, VT 05201	(802)447-2727
Caledonia County	1126 Main St, Suite 1 St. Johnsbury, VT 05819	(802)748-6600
Chittenden County	32 Cherry St., Ste. 300 Burlington, VT 05401	(802)651-1950
Essex County	75 Courthouse Drive Guildhall, VT 05905	(802)676-3910
Franklin County	36 Lake Street St. Albans, VT 05478	(802)524-7997
Grand Isle County	PO Box 7 North Hero, VT 05474	(802)372-8350
Lamoille County	154 Main Street Hyde Park, VT 05655	(802)888-3887
Orange County	5 Court Street Chelsea, VT 05038	(802)685-4610
Orleans County	217 Main Street Newport, VT 05855	(802)334-3325
Rutland County	9 Merchants Row Rutland, VT 05701	(802)786-5880
Washington County	255 North Main St, Suite 1 Barre, VT 05641	(802)479-4205
Windham County	30 Putney Road, 2nd Floor Brattleboro, VT 05301	(802)257-2800
Windsor County	82 R. Road Row White River Junction, VT 05001	(802)295-8865

How To Obtain Criminal Record Copies in Vermont

There are many reasons members of the public might want to check and obtain a copy of someone’s criminal record in Vermont, including renting a property, during the hiring process or when looking to lend money to an individual.

Whatever the reason, citizens of Vermont may obtain copies of criminal records through multiple government agencies, including:

• Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC)—As mentioned briefly before the Vermont Criminal Conviction Record Internet Service which is a division of the Vermont Criminal Conviction Record Internet Service.
• Vermont Judiciary—It is also possible to obtain copies of criminal records through the courts which was outlined in the section above.

Retrieve Copies of Criminal Records via the Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC)

The Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC), under the administration of the Department of Public Safety, is the primary repository for criminal data in the state of Vermont—data is supplied to the VCIC by law enforcement agencies and the Vermont Judiciary.⁹

As depicted in the image below, the VCIC also has interesting crime data that’s easily explorable.

Background checks are generally done for personal and professional reasons in Vermont. Additionally, there are two types of requests that can be performed through the VCIC:

• Certified (notarized) copies of criminal checks, which can be done in person or by mail.
• Non-certified copies of criminal checks

Personal Criminal Record Requests That Do Not Require Notarized Copies

Members of the public who do not need a notarized copy of their criminal records will need to visit the Vermont Conviction Report Internet Service (VCCRIS) site.¹⁰ These checks can be done either through online or walk-in requests.

Online Request: This service provided by the Vermont Conviction Report Internet Service (VCCRIS) gives requesters the ability to purchase criminal conviction records that are NOT certified or notarized.

1. Fill out the agreement section by filling out the requester names and email addresses and checking the usage of the agreement for retrieval of records.
2. Provide the requester information, which includes the purpose of the request, such as personal review, child custody, licensing etc. and full names of the individuals to be checked, including aliases.
3. Make payment for the record request check. These checks cost $30.00 per record request and are nonrefundable regardless of whether the check returns a record or not. Payment is made by credit card (cards (Visa, Discover & MasterCard),)
4. Results are returned instantaneously and give the user the ability to view, save and print the criminal records.
5. The records can also be verified by the Vermont Crime Information Center at no charge by inputting the validation code in the Criminal Conviction Record Validation Service.

In accordance with Vermont state law 20 V.S.A. § 2056(c), the results of these criminal convictions cannot be disclosed to anyone other than the owner of the record except:

• Employees that have proper designations.
• Agencies that have a documented need to know the contents of the record.

Walk In Requests: Additionally, these types of checks can be also done by personally visiting VCIC VT Crime Information Center’s main office in Waterbury, VT. between 8.00AM and 4.00PM with the last requests being completed at 3.30PM.

Any request after this time will be processed the next day.

The fee for these checks is also $30.00 per copy for every record check and can be paid via credit cards (Visa, Discover & MasterCard), bank checks, cash and money orders. The exact change is required for payments, and personal checks are not accepted.

Two forms of ID from the primary list or one form of identification from the primary list and one from the secondary list are required. Primary list and secondary list ID’s include valid driver’s license or ID issued by a U.S. state or possession and a credit card with name and signature of the owner or a student ID card respectively.¹¹

How To Look for Probation or Parole Information of Someone in VT

Citizens looking to find Vermont probation records or access parole information on someone in VT will need to contact the Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) – Agency of Human Services.

An offender’s status is public information in Vermont— the Vermont Automated Notification (VAN) Service is the DOC’s confidential Victim Notification and Information Service available to citizens at no charge.¹²

To illustrate just how many people are on probation and parole, the following image shows the combined total of probationers and parolees in Vermont, along with their ethnicities.

As per Vermont state law 28 V.S.A. § 201, probation is defined as a process where a defendant that has been found guilty of a crime either by plea or verdict is released by the court without confinement but subject to conditions set forth by the court and supervision of the commissioner.¹³

Conversely, parole is the release of an inmate to the community by order of the parole board before the completion of the offender’s sentence under the administration and control of the commissioner.¹⁴

Vermont does not have a parolee database. Therefore, the easiest way to determine the custody and/or supervision status of an offender and perform a probation search is to call toll-free 866-976-8267 (VANS) or register online at VINElink.

Alternatively, to obtain more information about offenders on parole or probation, contact the County Probation & Parole Offices using this link; telephone, addresses, fax and contact persons are provided to help in verification of information.¹⁵

The administrative contact information is found below:

Probation & Parole
NOB 2 South, 280 State Dr.
Waterbury VT 05671-2000
Phone: (802)-241-2442

Records Officer:
 (802)-241-0069

How To Seal or Expunge a Criminal Records in VT

Expunctions and sealings have similar effects on a person’s criminal history in Vermont—Individuals will need to contact the district court that presided over the case and made the conviction.

Upon a successful sealing or expunction, the VCIC will remove any charges on an individual’s criminal history when directed by a court order or by the Governor’s office in cases of a pardon.

An expungement is a request issued via court order and signed by a judge in which information that pertains to a defendant or charges be removed from the repository records.

Sealings differ from expunctions in that the record information is not permanently destroyed, rather access to the record is restricted for particular criminal justice purposes. The individuals whose record is sealed shall be viewed in all respects as having never been arrested, convicted and sentenced for the offense—in essence, nulling the effect of the aforementioned statuses.¹⁶

The VCIC can only purge information from its repository, the mugshot database and the AFIS fingerprint, but can only notify the FBI that the record needs to be deleted from the national database—this process could take up to 6 months.¹⁷

To initiate the expunction and/or sealing, follow the steps below:¹⁸

1. The petitioner may need to review their files some of which may reside in public records. In this case, the clerk will have to make a request to send the file to court which will result in a charge to retrieve the record. Failure to pay for these fees will delay the petition, hence the applicant can send a written request to the court to review the file and include a money order or check payable to the Vermont Superior Court.
   They should include their phone number to be notified when the file arrives.
2. Restitution and fines must be paid before the court determines eligibility for expunction and/or sealing.
3. To file a petition for sealing and/or expunctions, the petitioner will need to fill out the Petition To Expunge or Seal Criminal History form. They should list the charges they wish to have sealed/expunged, complete the record of convictions, and state whether they want a sealing or expunging of the record. The petitioner will then outline the reasons why they believe their record should be expunged/sealed.
4. The petition will need to be served at the District Court that issued the conviction.
5. The respondent in these cases is the prosecutor, and they will be served a copy of the petition.
6. If the respondent does not reject the petition, the application will be granted without a hearing. If they oppose the petition, there will be a scheduled hearing in which the petitioner (defendant) must attend all sessions or risk having the case dismissed.
7. If there is a victim in the crime, the prosecutor will make an effort to obtain their input.
8. Upon granting the petition, the court will issue a certificate, which is proof that the expunction and/or sealing is successful.
9. If the petition is denied, no other petition can be brought until 2 years elapse unless the court orders otherwise.

How To Search for Prisoners in a Vermont State Facility or Federal Penitentiary

Vermont has 6 correctional facilities designated as state prisons that are managed by the Vermont Department of Corrections—however, the state has no federal prisons.¹⁹

When offenders have been convicted of federal offenses, they will be sent to facilities that are located out of state which are maintained by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Federal Prison Search: To find inmates that may be located in out of state federal facilities, interested parties will need to contact the Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP).

The BOP maintains a public records repository of inmates that have been incarcerated in its facilities since 1982; it has a Federal Prisoner Search Tool that can be used to find federal offenders in any facilities in the country.

This tool is free to use, allowing users to quickly locate inmates using either the BOP number or name.

Vermont State Prison Search: The Department of Corrections which is under the administration of the Vermont Agency of Human Services manages the state’s prison and is the point of contact for citizens looking to obtain state prisoners.

The DOC maintains an online directory for all its prisoners which can be searched using the Vermont State Prisoner Offender Tool that is free to use by the public and requires no registration.

This search tool can find either released inmates or those still serving their sentences and is queried using:

• First name
• Last name

How To Look Up Warrant Status for Yourself or Someone Else in Vermont

Interested parties can find warrant lists from several government agencies and private parties as well; these include:

• Vermont DPS, in partnership with the Vermont State Police
• U.S. Marshall and/or the DEA
• Third parties

Warrant Search Through the Vermont Department of Public Safety: Citizens can find out if there is a warrant out for their arrest by performing a public record request search through the Vermont Police Reports Public Record Service, which is a partnership of the Vermont DPS and Vermont State Police Request for Public Records and Police Reports Internet Service.

Results are not instantaneous but are mailed, and requesters receive a status on their request. Their search type will be “Police Report.”

When conducting background checks through the VCIC as discussed before, warrant information will also be displayed as part of the criminal records—this is another way to use this resource to find this information.

Warrant Search Through the DEA/ U.S. Marshals: Citizens can obtain information on active warrants by using either…

• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) — The U.S. DEA maintains a U.S. DEA Search Tool for fugitives that have warrants which is free to use.
• U.S. Marshall— U.S. Marshall has a Warrant Information System that can be used to obtain information on warrants. Citizens should Contact the Warrant Division for more information.

Warrant Search via Third-Party Vendors: Finally, members of the public can use third-party vendors to obtain warranty information.

The service does carry a charge but it makes the process easier and also makes it more a private affair since there is no direct dealing with government agencies. However, sometimes these services may not be up to date or have accurate government data.

Additional guidance on looking up warrant information can be obtained by reviewing the steps for searching records of wanted individuals in Vermont.

A Breakdown of Background Checks in Vermont

Background checks in Vermont are carried out for various reasons, including:

• Personal Review
• Employment
• Licensing
• Housing
• Civil court proceeding
• Child custody
• Foreign travel/Immigration
• In pursuit of the Governor’s pardon
• International adoption

Vermont allows its citizens to conduct background checks on themselves to assess the completeness of the record. They may do this instantly through the Vermont Conviction Report Internet Service (VCCRIS) site for themselves and other individuals. This report does not yield a certified copy and no consent form is needed when done for someone else.

Members of the public can report any errors in their Vermont criminal records by using the Report a Record Error Service.

However, to lodge an official record appeal that disputes the accuracy of criminal records, individuals will have to do this in writing but only for their criminal record.²⁰

All criminal history record appeal requests will need to be appealed in writing:

Vermont Crime Information Center
Attention: Director, VCIC
45 State Dr.
Waterbury, VT 05671-1300

Certified and notarized checks are done for individuals who may need them and for employers that will require notarized copies of official records as opposed to the non-certified copies that can be obtained online as discussed earlier.

Several professional bodies in Vermont such as municipalities, schools, board of nursing, etc. mandate some professions such as caregivers, doctors, and volunteers to complete background screenings to ensure they don’t have Vermont arrest records. Certain occupations that require licensure from the state such as real estate appraisals and nurses will also be required to check if someone has a criminal record.

These background checks are essential to ensure that citizens receive the highest quality of service whilst ensuring communities stay safe by preventing unscrupulous characters from overseeing vulnerable members of society, such as minors and the elderly.

The links in this table point to background check processes that employers in the respective government agency have to pass in order to obtain employment and/or licensing. This list is not comprehensive, but provides a summary of government agencies that require checks for the professions and issuance of licenses.

Agencies That Require Background Checks	Screening Reasons
State of Vermont – Agency of Education	Administrators Teachers Counselors Support staff such as bus drivers, cleaners, cooks etc. Volunteers
Vermont Agency of Human Services	Full-time employees Part-time employees Temporary employees Contract workers Volunteers Foster parents Adoptive parents Assisted living professions Administrator
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation	Chiropractic Midwives Dental examiners Dietitians Electrologists Mixed martial arts Motor vehicle racing Residential contractors Engineering Veterinary medicine Wastewater and/or water system designers Well drillers Pollution abatement facility operators Private investigative and security services Radiologic technology Real estate appraisals Foresters Auctioneers Physical therapists Real estate brokers & salespersons Audiologist Barbers and cosmetologists Boxing Funeral service Hearing aid dispensers Land surveyors Landscape architects Massage Therapists Accountancy Acupuncturists Property inspectors Psychoanalysts Psychological examiners Alcohol and drug abuse counselors Psychotherapists Applied behavior analysis Architects Athletic trainers Bodyworkers Touch Professionals Occupational therapy Opticians Pharmacy Social workers Naturopathic physicians Public notaries Optometry Osteopathic physicians Nursing Nursing home admins Speech-language pathologist Tattooists Body piercers

Employment background checks in addition to abiding by Vermont laws will need to conform to guidelines that are in place with the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) Summary of Rights and the Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Employee Rights.

The guidelines include those set forth by the EEOC that prohibit employers from running background checks and using this information to undermine equal employment opportunities to employers.

Additionally and as an example, the FCRA obliges employers to obtain consent from employees before conducting any background checks from potential employees. The FCRA also gives employees the right to review the results of their checks and rectify any mistakes—they may also appeal any hiring decisions made as a result of these checks.

Notarized Background Checks for Employers & Professional Bodies in VT

Notarized copies of criminal conviction reports that are required by employers and professional bodies cannot be obtained online but rather through mail or appearing in person at the Vermont Crime Information Center office in Waterbury, VT.

Mail In Requests: Written requests for a complete Personal Criminal Record Check will require the Request for Personal Criminal Record Check form.

1. Pursuant to Vermont state law 20 V.S.A. § 2056f, all written requests for complete Vermont criminal records need to be notarized with a raised notary seal affixed on the document.²¹ If a raised seal is not available, attach a memo indicating this.
2. Include a self-addressed envelope that is stamped.
3. Enclose a money order or a cashier’s check for $30.00 payable to the Department of Public Safety. Personal or business checks are not accepted.
4. All documents should be mailed to:
   • Criminal Records Section
     Vermont Crime Information Center
     45 State Dr.
     Waterbury, VT 05671-1300
5. Processing of requests received via U.S. mail will take 5-7 business days. Incomplete forms will be returned unprocessed.

Walk-In Requests: Walk-in requests have the same requirements as the mail-in requests, except that requesters will need two forms of positive ID.

Citizens can obtain notarized record checks completed in roughly 10 minutes. These are requested at the address below:

Criminal Records Section
Vermont Crime Information Center
45 State Dr.
Waterbury, VT 05671-1300

Fingerprint-Based Searches Requested by Employers

Employment-based searches will need consent from job applicants, and those who require fingerprinting can visit a Vermont Identification Center or a local law enforcement agency to check if they offer these services. Law enforcement agencies can request fingerprint cards from the FBI.²²

The completed signed authorization form will need to be brought to the appointment as these identification centers will typically submit the form along with the fingerprints to the VCIC.

It is prohibited to leave the enforcement agency with open fingerprint cards, therefore individuals should bring a large envelope to seal the fingerprints in. It costs up to $35 to have fingerprints taken at identification centers.

Completed fingerprint cards and signed authorization forms should be mailed to the following address:

Vermont Crime Information Center
45 State Dr.
Waterbury, VT 05671

There are certain records that do not appear in criminal record checks in Vermont; these include:²³

• Out-of-state charges
• Juvenile records
• Expunged records
• Motor vehicle offenses such as DWI, C&N, DLS, and vehicular homicide arraigned before September 1, 1995.

VCIC criminal history will document the following:

• Arrests
• Citations
• Custody
• Supervision
• Arraignment etc.

How To Find Out if Someone Is a Registered Sex Offender in Vermont or in Another State

Vermont created the Vermont Sex Offender Registry at the VCIC due to Vermont state law 13 V.S.A. § 167, which authorizes law enforcement agencies to release registry information when the requester can successfully articulate a concern about their safety or that of the community.^24,25

The state of Vermont maintains a Vermont Sex Offender Registry Search Tool that can be used to find information on individuals who have been convicted of sex crimes at no cost. The database also allows users to register for alerts sent via email when sex offenders move into their communities

This felony registry and people finder can be queried using:

• Offender name
• City or town
• County

Citizens’ Rights Regarding Criminal & Arrest Records (Overview of Vermont Laws)

Vermont allows its citizens to access public records such as arrest records and criminal records due to its Vermont Freedom of Information Act—1 V.S.A. §§ 315-320 and the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) —but certain laws also curtail this access to protect the privacy of its citizens.

In Vermont, criminal history information can only be retrieved by the subject and owner of the record which will include current arrests and disposition data such as pending, dismissed and acquitted charges. Criminal conviction reports that show conviction information of offenders can, however, be viewed by the public.

Pursuant to 9 Vt. Stat. Ann. § 2480e, employers must secure the written consent from job applicants before any Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) can conduct a background check and under 9 Vt. Stat. Ann. § 2480b, CRA’s must disclose all information gathered to the individual upon their request.^26,27

In addition to VT laws, other federal laws, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act’s (FCRA) Summary of Rights and the Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Employee Rights, preserve the rights of citizens.

FCRA—The FCRA makes it that employers cannot conduct employment background checks without consent. What’s more, they control the steps that employers must take should they not decide to proceed forward with hiring candidates as a result of information revealed on background checks, including criminal records.

EEOC—The EEOC enforces Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits all forms of discrimination at all levels of employment, including the hiring process.²⁸ Accordingly, the EEOC has guidelines on how employers must make an assessment of any criminal convictions of prospective employees as it relates to job duties of the positions before making hiring decisions.

Ban the Box Laws—Pursuant to 21 Vt. Stat. Ann. § 495j, Vermont is a ban-the-box state, which makes it illegal for employers to inquire about a job applicant’s criminal history or any arrest report they may have on the initial application. This is reserved for later during the interview or if a conditional offer for employment is made.²⁹

Expunged Records—As per 13 Vt. Stat. Ann. § 7606, criminal convictions that have received an approval for expungement may not be reported. Additionally, employers cannot inquire about expunged records. Moreover, employees are not obligated to disclose them.

Vermont criminal records can be found in several government agencies, with some being spread over multiple jurisdictions, which can make the process of finding and retrieving them confusing and sometimes frustrating.

Navigate through these government agencies effortlessly to locate Vermont arrest records in all counties in VT, thus saving precious time and money.