The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
(Cite as: 9 V.S.A. § 4094)
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§ 4094. Refusal to honor succession to ownership; notice required
(a) If a manufacturer or distributor believes that good cause exists for refusing to honor
the succession to the ownership of a new motor vehicle dealer by a family member of
a deceased or incapacitated owner of a new motor vehicle dealer under the existing
franchise agreement, the manufacturer or distributor may, not more than 60 days following
receipt of notice of the designated family member’s intent to succeed to the ownership
of the new motor vehicle dealer, or any personal or financial data that it has requested,
serve upon the designated family member notice of its refusal to honor the succession
and of its intent to discontinue the existing franchise with the dealer no sooner
than 90 days from the date the notice is served.
(b) The notice must state the specific grounds for the refusal to honor the succession
and of its intent to discontinue the existing franchise with the new motor vehicle
dealer no sooner than 90 days from the date the notice is served.
(c) If notice of refusal and discontinuance is not timely served upon the family member,
the franchise shall continue in effect subject to termination only as otherwise permitted
by this chapter.
(d) In the event of a conflict between the written instrument filed by the motor vehicle
dealer with the manufacturer designating a certain person as his or her successor
and the provisions of this section, the written instrument filed with the manufacturer
shall govern. (Added 1981, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 14, 1982; amended 2009, No. 57, § 1, eff. June 1, 2009.)