Registering a Vehicle in Vermont

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Vermont vehicle registration is bundled into a single counter transaction at the DMV: title application, registration, plates, and the 6% Purchase and Use Tax are processed together using form VD-119. New residents have 60 days from establishing Vermont residency to register, which is one of the more generous grace periods in the Northeast.

The 60-day deadline

Once you become a Vermont resident, you have 60 days to register any vehicle you own and intend to operate on Vermont roads. The clock starts on the date you take a Vermont job, sign a Vermont lease, register to vote in Vermont, or otherwise establish residency — whichever comes first. Driving past 60 days on out-of-state plates risks a registration violation and complicates insurance claims if you're in a crash.

Documents required

Bring or upload the following:

The certificate of title signed over by the previous owner (or a manufacturer's certificate of origin for a new vehicle).
A bill of sale showing the purchase price — Vermont uses this number for the Purchase and Use Tax unless the NADA average trade-in value is higher.
Odometer disclosure on the title or on form VG-116.
Lien information if the vehicle is financed.
A completed VD-119 Registration, Tax, and Title Application.
Proof of Vermont auto insurance meeting the 25/50/10 + UM 50/100 minimums.
A valid Vermont driver's license or state ID.

Fees and taxes

$35 — Vermont title fee.
$76 — 1-year passenger registration; $140 for 2 years (most popular).
6% — Purchase and Use Tax on the higher of bill-of-sale price or NADA average trade-in value.
$10-$15 — standard plate fee (specialty plates cost more).
$5 — lien recording fee, if applicable.

The 6% Purchase and Use Tax

Vermont collects a 6% Purchase and Use Tax on the higher of the actual purchase price or the NADA average trade-in value. This means buying a used car well below market value won't sharply reduce the tax — the DMV uses the NADA reference number as a floor. New residents who paid sales tax to another state at 6% or more get full credit; lower-rate states require Vermont to collect the difference. The tax is capped for vehicles above the high-end threshold under current state law.

Annual safety inspection

Every passenger vehicle registered in Vermont must pass an annual safety inspection at any state-licensed inspection station. Stations check brakes, steering, suspension, lights, tires, exhaust, glass, wipers, and seat belts. The current sticker affixes to the inside of the windshield and is checked at every traffic stop. Vermont does not run a statewide emissions program, so the safety inspection is the only periodic vehicle check the state requires.

License plates

Vermont issues two plates per passenger vehicle — one front, one rear — on the standard green-and-white "Green Mountain State" design. The state offers dozens of specialty plates for an additional fee, with proceeds supporting causes from veterans' affairs to conservation. Personalized vanity plates are available subject to availability and a content-review process at the DMV.

New residents moving to Vermont

If you're moving into Vermont with a vehicle already titled in another state, bring the out-of-state title (or a current registration if the title is held by a lender), a current odometer reading, proof of Vermont insurance, and the VD-119 application. The DMV transfers the title to Vermont, applies the Purchase and Use Tax credit (if any), and issues new plates. You'll need a passing safety inspection within 15 days of the new registration.

Buying from a Vermont dealer

Dealers handle the registration paperwork for you and submit it to the DMV on your behalf. You'll typically receive temporary plates and pick up the permanent registration and plates from the dealer or by mail within a few weeks. The 6% Purchase and Use Tax and title fee are usually itemized on the sales contract.

Buying from a private party

For a private-party sale, the buyer is responsible for completing the title transfer at the DMV within the 60-day window, paying the Purchase and Use Tax, and obtaining new plates. The seller should fill out the back of the title fully, complete a bill of sale (form VG-116 works), and remove the plates — Vermont plates stay with the seller, not the vehicle.