The Vermont Statutes Online
The Vermont Statutes Online does not include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly. We expect them to be updated by November 1st.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 23: Motor Vehicles
Chapter 037: Driver License Compact
§ 3901. The compact
The Driver License Compact, hereinafter called “the compact,” is entered into with all other jurisdictions legally joining, in the form substantially as follows. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3902. Findings and declaration of policy—Article I
(a) The party states find that:
(1) the safety of their highways is materially affected by the degree of compliance with state and local laws relating to the operation of motor vehicles;
(2) violation of state law or municipal ordinances is evidence that the violator engages in conduct that is likely to endanger the safety of persons and property;
(3) the continuance in force of a license to drive is predicated upon compliance with laws and ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles, in whichever jurisdiction the vehicle is operated.
(b) It is the policy of each of the party states to:
(1) promote compliance with the laws, ordinances, and administrative rules relating to the operation of motor vehicles by their operators in each of the jurisdictions where operators drive motor vehicles;
(2) make the reciprocal recognition of licenses to drive and eligibility for licensure more just and equitable by considering the overall compliance with motor vehicle laws, ordinances, and administrative rules as a condition precedent to the continuance or issuance of any license by reason of which the licensee is authorized or permitted to operate a motor vehicle in any of the party states.
§ 3903. Definitions—Article II
As used in this compact:
(1) “Conviction” means a conviction of any offense related to the use or operation of a motor vehicle that is prohibited by state law, municipal ordinance, or administrative rule; or a forfeiture of bail, bond, or other security deposited to secure appearance by a person charged with having committed any such offense, and which conviction or forfeiture is required to be reported to the licensing authority.
(2) “Executive head” means the governor.
(3) “Home state” means the state that has issued and has the power to suspend or revoke the use of the license or permit to operate a motor vehicle.
(4) “Licensing authority” means the commissioner of the department of motor vehicles.
(5) “State” means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3904. Reports of conviction—Article III
The licensing authority of a party state shall report each conviction of a person from another party state occurring within its jurisdiction to the licensing authority of the home state of the licensee. The report shall clearly identify the person convicted; describe the violation specifying the section of the statute, code, or ordinance violated; identify the court in which action was taken; indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered, or the security; and shall include any special findings made in connection with the report. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3905. Effect of conviction—Article IV
(a) The licensing authority in the home state, for the purposes of suspension, revocation, or limitation of the license to operate a motor vehicle, shall give the same effect to the conduct reported, pursuant to Article III of this compact, as it would if the conduct had occurred in the home state, in the case of convictions for:
(1) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle;
(2) driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or narcotic drug, or under the influence of any other drug to a degree that renders the driver incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle;
(3) any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;
(4) failure to stop and render aid in the event of a motor vehicle accident resulting in the death or personal injury of another.
(b) As to other convictions, reported pursuant to Article III, the licensing authority in the home state shall give such effect to the conduct as is provided by the laws of the home state.
(c) If the laws of a party state do not provide for offenses or violations described in precisely the words employed in subsection (a) of this Article, the party state shall construe the descriptions appearing in subsection (a) of this section as being applicable to and identifying those offenses or violations of a substantially similar nature, and the laws of the party state shall contain such provisions as may be necessary to ensure that full effect is given to this Article. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1; amended 2017, No. 83, § 161(4).)
§ 3906. Applications for new licenses—Article V
Upon application for a license to drive, the licensing authority in a party state shall determine whether the applicant has ever held, or is the holder of, a license to drive issued by any other party state. The licensing authority in the state where application is made shall not issue a license to drive to the applicant if:
(1) the applicant has held a license, but the same has been suspended by reason, in whole or in part, of a violation and if the suspension period has not terminated;
(2) the applicant has held a license, but it has been revoked by reason, in whole or in part, of a violation; and if the revocation has not terminated, except that after the expiration of one year from the date the license was revoked, the person may make application for a new license if permitted by law. The licensing authority may refuse to issue a license to the applicant if after investigation, the licensing authority determines that it will not be safe to grant to the person the privilege of driving a motor vehicle on the public highways;
(3) the applicant is the holder of a license to drive issued by another party state and currently in force unless the applicant surrenders the license. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3907. Applicability of other laws—Article VI
Except as expressly required by provisions of this compact, nothing contained in the compact shall be construed to affect the rights of any party state to apply any of its other laws relating to licenses to drive to any person or circumstance, nor to invalidate or prevent any driver license agreement or other cooperative arrangement between a party state and a nonparty state. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3908. Compact administrator; interchange of information—Article VII
(a) The head of the licensing authority of each party state shall be the administrator of this compact for his or her state. The administrators acting jointly, shall have the power to formulate all necessary and proper procedures for the exchange of information under this compact. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall furnish to the appropriate authorities of any other party state, any information or documents reasonably necessary to facilitate the administration of Articles III, IV, and V of this compact. The Commissioner shall not be entitled to any additional compensation on account of his or her service as administrator, but shall be entitled to expenses incurred in connection with his or her duties and responsibilities as administrator, in the same manner as for expenses incurred in connection with any other duties or responsibilities of his or her office or employment.
(b) The administrators of each state shall furnish to the administrator of each other party state any information or documents reasonably necessary to facilitate the administration of this compact. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3909. Entry into force; withdrawal—Article VIII
(a) This compact shall become effective as to any state when it has been enacted into law.
(b) Any party state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a repealing statute, but no withdrawal shall take effect until six months after the executive head of the withdrawing state has given notice of the withdrawal to the executive heads of all other party states. No withdrawal shall affect the validity or applicability by the licensing authorities of states remaining party to the compact of any report of conviction occurring prior to the withdrawal. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)
§ 3910. Construction and severability—Article IX
This compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate its purposes. The provisions of this compact shall be severable; and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party state or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder to this compact and the applicability to any government, agency, person, or circumstance shall not be affected. If this compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any party state, the compact shall remain in effect as to the remaining states and in effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters. (Added 1987, No. 62, § 1.)