Vermont Public Records: How to Perform a Vermont Public Records Search

Both residents and non-residents in Vermont may request public records and have their queries replied to within two business days. 

Following Vermont Public Records Law, the Department of Public Service must enable public access to its records. 

It must be noted, however, that certain records are afforded exemption status by state law.

Certain agencies and departments provide online access to public records in Vermont. 

However, some other departments make it mandatory for requesters to send in formal Vermont public records requests through mail or telephone, or in person, for access to public data to be granted.

The first step to finding public records in Vermont is to know exactly where to look, and that's what we shall be considered in this guide.

Vermont Public Records Search: What You Need to Know

You have the choice to conduct a Vermont free public records search or to pay for each query. 

There are free public records websites, such as Background check, where you can perform a public records Vermont search, as well as a search in every other state. 

The Vermont free public records search, and the paid per search, each has their pros and cons. You can choose which service to use based on the data that you want to find, and the files that you want to access.

How to Find Vermont Criminal Records

A Vermont criminal record sometimes referred to as a rap sheet, documents the criminal histories of residents in the state. 

Online record repositories contain compiled copies of these records from various sources and are made public as Criminal Background Reports through online record repositories.

A thorough description of each subject's misdemeanors and felonies will be found here, along with any further arrests, indictments, or convictions that may have resulted from their suspected criminal involvement. 

Under state law, criminal records are accessible to the public. In fact, the state of Vermont readily makes criminal records available to residents on request.

How to Locate Vermont Criminal Records

Interested individuals can access and obtain Vermont criminal records by carrying out background checks on themselves or other Vermont residents, or by requesting concerned law enforcement agencies in person, via phone, or by mail. 

You should be aware, however, that the designated record custodian may request a fee to make the records available to you.

The official repository for criminal records in the state of Vermont is the Vermont Crime Information Center. It is to this agency that requesters of criminal history information must channel their queries:

Vermont Crime Information Center
45 State Drive
Waterbury, VT 05671-1300
How to Access Vermont Vital Records

In Vermont, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce certificates are categorized under the umbrella term of vital records. 

Although these records are regarded as public records under the Vermont Public Records Law, only a specific list of people may access vital records in Virginia. 

Among them are people directly named on the certificate, close family members, legal counsel with power of attorney, and people whose requests are backed by a certified court order.

Beyond that, interested persons who are shown to be eligible to request Vermont vital records must provide proof of their identities, such as an ID card, a driver’s license, or a passport.

To obtain a certified copy of a vital record in Vermont by mail, interested and eligible requesters must complete, download, and print the appropriate record application form. 

Next, they’re to mail the completed form, along with a $10 charge for each request to:

Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 70
Burlington, VT 05402

Applicants who submit their record information request in person may pay the request fee in cash at the department website. However, the agency only accepts checks or money orders for requests sent via mail. 

For in-person requests, interested individuals may visit the appropriate office and supply the necessary information for their records search request.

Vermont Court Records

Court records in Vermont contain detailed information relating to the trial of respondents who have been charged with criminal or civil offenses. 

Per Vermont Public Records Law, interested members of the public may access non-confidential court records. 

How to FInd Vermont Court Records

To obtain court documents in Vermont, first, you must find the court where the cases were filed. Records are typically kept by a clerk of court for each courthouse. 

In Vermont, court records are maintained both on paper and digitally. In this way, courts are able to provide access to records either in person at the relevant courthouse or remotely online. 

It should be noted that only case information is available online. For actual court records, requests must be made in person at the courthouse. 

There are minimal fees associated with obtaining court records from record custodians.

As an alternative, interested individuals may obtain electronic copies of case records on the website of the Vermont judiciary, known as VTCourtsOnine. 

It should be noted, however, that this platform only provides records of civil cases determined by Vermont Superior Records.

Requesters must pay a one-time fee of $12.50 to create an account in order to access VTCourtsOnline. 

Requesters are entitled to five free detailed docket searches, name searches, and case summaries with this fee. 

However, there is a $.50 fee to visit the docket page, which displays the most recent docket information. 

Requesters who have already created a VTCourtsOnline account may add more lookups at any time.

Vermont Inmate Records

The Vermont Department of Corrections is responsible for managing state-run prisons and keeping track of all inmates housed in the state's correctional facilities. 

Along with details on their offense, conviction, and incarceration, inmate records frequently provide physical descriptions of their subjects.

How to Find Vermont Inmate Records

The Vermont Department of Correction maintains a database of prisoner records and offers an online offender finder tool for quick prisoner lookup. 

In order to start a search for Virginia inmate records, interested members of the public can go to the department's website, find the offender search tool, enter the name and identification number of the inmate of interest, and then click the search button to start the process.