Vermont is one of the greatest tourist destinations in the country.  As a result, thousands of out-of-state motorists come to Vermont each year to take in the sites that Vermont is so well known for. On a less enjoyable side, Vermont police officers also know when high volume tourist seasons are and will often deploy increased patrols on Vermont roads to see if they can catch motorists violating Vermont traffic laws.

So, what effect does a ticket and the issuance of points have on an out-of-state driver’s ability to operate their motor vehicle?

By looking at the clear language of the statute, an issuance of points in Vermont may transfer to other states, when the motorist reaches the 10 point or higher threshold to trigger a license suspension.

When a sufficient number of points has been acquired, the commissioner shall suspend the license of an operator or the privilege of an unlicensed person, or nonresident to operate a motor vehicle, upon not less than 10 days’ notice, and upon hearing, if requested for verification of the conviction records. The suspension shall be for 10 days for an accumulation of 10 points, 30 days for 15 points, 90 days for 20 points and for a period increasing by 30 days for each additional 5points; except the suspension period for a conviction for first offense of sections 1091, 1094, 1128, and 1133 of this title shall be 30 days; for a second conviction 90 days and for a third or subsequent six months, or the suspension period under the point values, whichever is greater. If a fatality occurs, the suspension shall be for a period of one year in addition to the suspension under the point values. For purposes of this section, a month shall be considered as 30 days and one year shall equal 365 days.  

See 23 VSA 2506.

Although each state varies in how their DMV communicates with Vermont’s DMV, the issuance of points can pose significant problems to an out-of-state driver’s right to operate a motor vehicle.  Given that many tickets can result in 5 points or more, the accumulation of 2 tickets over the course of 2 years can pose a significant problem for those who have less than clean driving records.  This fact makes it even more important for motorists to fight a traffic ticket in an effort to see if the points can be eliminated or reduced after the conclusion of a Vermont traffic ticket hearing.

Don’t let that Vermont traffic ticket put you at risk of loosing your license.  Contact Vermont Traffic Ticket Attorney, Evan Chadwick for a free initial case analysis.