Vermont
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Vermont — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Vermont
The Vermont Judiciary runs a Divorce & Parentage self-help page, plus an Access and Resource Center at 802-879-1185. Start there before anything else.
Vermont Judiciary — Divorce & Parentage
The Judiciary's self-help landing page for divorce and parentage cases.
vermontjudiciary.org — divorce & parentage →Find a divorce lawyer
Vermont Bar Association — Find a Lawyer
Lawyer Referral Service with free referrals; initial consult of up to 30 minutes for no more than $25: 1-800-639-7036.
vtbar.org — find a lawyer →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
VTLawHelp.org
Vermont's one-stop legal-help site from Legal Services Vermont and Vermont Legal Aid.
vtlawhelp.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-649-5285 — Vermont Department for Children and Families, 24/7. (Phone reporting only — no online form.)
dcf.vermont.gov — helplines →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Domestic Violence helpline 1-800-228-7395; Sexual Violence helpline 1-800-489-7273.
vtnetwork.org — get help →Unpaid wages in Vermont
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Vermont.
Where to go
Vermont Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
$14.42 (2026)
Changing your name in Vermont
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Vermont.
How it works
petition the probate division of the superior court in your county
Typical court fee
$150
Newspaper notice required?
yes — once weekly for 2 successive weeks
Small claims court in Vermont
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Vermont.
Maximum claim
$10,000 ($5,000 for consumer credit and medical debt claims)
Filing fee
$65 (claims up to $1,000) or $90 (over $1,000)
Can you bring one?
yes, allowed but not required
Clearing your criminal record in Vermont
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Vermont stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement and sealing
What qualifies
qualifying nonviolent misdemeanors and some nonviolent felonies; dismissed charges sealed automatically
Waiting period
5 years after sentence completion for expungement; dismissed charges auto-sealed after about 60 days
Child support in Vermont
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Vermont.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' incomes combined, split proportionally) VT Office of Child Support (OCS) online calculator and guideline worksheet
When it ends
age 18 or high school graduation, whichever is later
Lemon law in Vermont
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Vermont's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new vehicles
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts (first during warranty) or 30+ calendar days out of service during the express warranty term
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle, at the consumer's option
Tenant rights in Vermont
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Vermont.
Notice before eviction
14-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment; 60 days to end a month-to-month tenancy without cause (90 days if tenancy lasted 2+ years)
Deposit limits & return
No statewide cap; return within 14 days; written itemized statement required
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair minor defects and deduct up to half a month's rent after 30 days' written notice; rent withholding allowed for major code violations
DUI / DWI in Vermont
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Vermont handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.16
Typical penalties
Up to 2 years in jail, up to $750 fine, 90-day license suspension (no mandatory jail)
How far back DUIs count
Lifetime
Gun laws in Vermont
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry — no permit required and Vermont has no permit system at all
Carrying openly
Generally allowed
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Universal background checks required, including on private transfers Waiting period: 72 hours.
Extreme risk protection
Yes. Courts can temporarily order firearms removed from someone found to be a danger.
Reciprocity
Vermont issues no permits; anyone who may lawfully possess a firearm may carry without one, so reciprocity is not a factor
Filming the police: your rights in Vermont
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (No state statute; one-party rule applies by default under federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d))
Buffer-zone law — in effect
none in effect (a 25-foot first-responder buffer bill, H.697, was debated in early 2026 but held for further drafting, not enacted)
The Vermont Supreme Court in State v. Geraw (2002) barred secret recording where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g., inside a home), but on-duty police in public have no such expectation. The Vermont League of Cities and Towns advises that recording may take place in any public space, including police station lobbies.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Vermont
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Vermont
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Vermont
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Vermont
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Vermont
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →