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How to Get a License

The state of Vermont has three phases to a driver's license:

1) a learners permit;
2) a junior operator's license; and
3) an operators license.

If you are over 18, you may apply for the operator's license directly, but you will have to pass a written test, a road test (actual driving), and a vision test. Before you do so, it is a very good idea to take a driver's education course and get a copy of the Vermont driver's manual.

Driver education courses are available for free at your high school. There are also some driver education classes available outside of high school, which you must pay for. For more information on high school driver education classes, see your high school guidance counselor, talk to a teacher, or call (802) 828-3126. For more information on commercial driver education classes, click here.

For a copy of the Vermont driver’s manual, go to your local DMV or download it by clicking here.

If you are at least 15, you may apply for a learner’s permit. If you are 16 or 17 and have held a learner’s permit for one year, you may apply for a junior operator’s license.

A Learner’s Permit

What will it allow me to do?
A learner’s permit will allow you to drive, as long as you have one of the following three people in the car with you :

A parent or guardian who has a driver’s license,
A driver education instructor who is certified and who has a driver’s license, or
Any individual with a license who is over the age of 25.

This person must be riding in the front seat and must be unimpaired, which means they have not been drinking, using drugs, or taking any medicine that makes them drowsy.

How do I get one?
You must be at least 15 years old. To apply for a learner’s permit, make an appointment by calling (802) 828-2085. You will need to pass both a written and a vision test. If you have vision problems, but have glasses or contacts that correct them, you will be able to pass the test; however, your license will mandate that you wear your glasses/contacts while driving.

To help you pass the written test, you should study from the driver’s manual a that is available online.

You should start asking about driver’s education courses at your school.You can also ask for help from your local youth development coordinator, your caseworker, your foster parents, and other adults in your life.

What do I need to bring with me?
The day of the appointment, you will need:

Your social security number;
The signature of a parent/guardian if you are under 18;
Two forms of ID. One “primary” or more official form of ID (e.g. your birth certificate) and one “secondary” form of ID (e.g. a school or employee ID card). For a full list of the what is accepted as primary and secondary ID, please click here.
For permit fees and fees for the written exam and vision test please click here.

Junior Operator’s License

What will it allow me to do?
During the first three months of having your junior operator’s permit, you will be allowed to drive on your own. You will be allowed to drive with others in the car ONLY if:

A parent/guardian with a license is in the car,
A driver’ education instructor is in the car, or
An adult over the age of 25 who has a license is in the car.

During the second three months, you will be allowed to drive with any immediate family members (parents/siblings) in the car. After this period, you will have no passenger restrictions. However, you will not be allowed to use your own vehicle in the course of employment (e.g.. as a pizza delivery person). You can, of course, use your car to get back and forth to work. You may never have more people in the car than you have seatbelts
.
How do I get one?
You must be at least 16, and you must have held a learner’s permit for one year. You must not have had any Learner Permit recalls, suspensions, or revocations for at least six months. You must have completed a driver education course, which involved 30 hours of classroom time and 6 hours of driving time. You also must have 40 additional hours of practice with a parent/guardian who has a license in the car, a driver education instructor in the car, or adult over the age of 25 who has a license in the car. Ten out of these 40 hours must have been while driving at night. There is a form, which must be filled out by the adult you are driving with, to verify that you have completed these hours. Click here to download it.

Once you meet these criteria (or you are close enough to these criteria that they will be completed before your appointment) you can call the central scheduling office at 1-802-828-2085 to make an appointment.

What do I need to bring with me?
The day of your appointment, you will need to bring:

Your learner’s permit.
A certificate from a driver education course that shows you have spent 30 hours in the classroom and 6 hours on the road.
A form verifying that you have spent an additional 40 hours on the road with an adult in the car.
Your social security number.
A car that is clean and in good mechanical condition. The car must have a valid inspection sticker and a registration certificate.
A insurance card indicating that you have car insurance. The card must have the name of the insurance carrier, effective and expiration dates of coverage, name of insured, and the description of the vehicle, including the vehicle identification number .
While it is not required, it is a good idea to bring two forms of ID: one “primary” or more official form of ID, such as your birth certificate, and one “secondary” form of ID, such as a school or employee ID card. For a full list of the what is accepted as primary and secondary IDs, please click here.
For junior operators license fees and other fees click here.

Operator’s License (Driver’s License)

What will it allow me to do?
An operator’s license will allow you to drive with no passenger restrictions. It is also a permanent license, meaning that (while it still can be taken away) it is harder to get it taken away.

How do I get one?
To get your license in Vermont, you must be at least 18 years of age and must have a clean driving record for the past 6 months. If you do not have a valid permit, you will need to pass written, visual, and road tests. If you have a valid permit, you will only need to pass the road test. If you have bad eye sight, you can still pass the visual test by wearing your glasses/contacts. The visual test is just to specify on your license whether you need to wear your glasses/contacts to drive.

What do I need to bring with me?
The day of your appointment, you will need to bring:

Someone with a valid driver's license with you.
A car that is clean and in good mechanical condition with a valid inspection sticker. Be sure the emergency brake is working properly.
An automobile insurance identification card.. The card must state the name of the insurance carrier, effective and expiration dates of coverage, name of the insured, and description of the vehicle, including the vehicle identification number.
A valid registration certificate for the vehicle.
If you have your permit, bring it.
If you don’t have your permit, you will need the two forms of ID: one “primary” or more official form of ID, such as your birth certificate, and one “secondary” form of ID, such as a school or employee ID card. For a full list of the what is accepted as primary and secondary IDs, please click here.
For information on fees for the 2-yr or a 4-yr license and for the road test click here. If you don’t have your permit, you will also need money for the written test and for the visual test. Click here for more information and fees.

A Little About Car Insurance

If you have a car, it is mandatory to have car insurance. Driving without car insurance is illegal and you can lose your license. Besides, it is smart to have car insurance. Nobody ever plans to get into an accident, but accidents happen anyways. Should you ever get into an accident, you will be glad to have insurance. You will see, as you start to research prices for car insurance, that there are many different kinds of insurance to choose from. Policies vary from company to company and within companies, so make sure you check what your specific policy covers. Call your insurance company if you have any questions

Bodily Injury Liability
This pays for the medical costs of people who you injure in an auto accident, if the accident is your fault. It also pays for your legal defense if someone sues you for an accident you caused. In Vermont you are required by law to have this coverage in the amount of $25,000 for injury to any one person and $50,000 for injury to more than one person in a single accident. You can always have more insurance. The amount covered under this insurance will be listed as lower number/ higher number. The lower number is the amount covering injury to any one person, the higher number is the amount covering injury to two or more people. For example, the lowest amount of coverage you can buy in Vermont would be listed as 25,000/50,000. Required in Vermont.

Property damage liability
This pays for property damage caused in an accident that is deemed your fault. It covers the property of others (other cars, and the objects of others). It also covers your legal defense if another party sues you. You must have this type of insurance in the amount of $10,000. Not Required in Vermont:

Collision
This insurance pays for damage to your vehicle, in the event of an accident regardless of who is at fault. You are not required to have this insurance in Vermont. However, if you depend on your car to get to work/school and you won't be able to replace it if you get in an accident, it might be a good idea. The cost of this insurance will depend on what deductible you want. A deductible is what you will pay from your own money before the car insurance company pays to fix your car. For example, if your deductible is $500, and the damage of your car costs $2,000 to fix, you will pay the first $500 and the car insurance company will pay the rest. The lower the deductible you want, the more expensive the insurance will be. Of course, you don't want a deductible to cost more than your car does. Having a deductible of $1000 on a car that you bought for $500 doesn't make sense.

Comprehensive
This insurance pays for damage to your vehicle not caused by an accident, for example, it covers expenses caused by riots, floods, and fires. Once again, the cost of this insurance will vary based on the deductible that you want. This insurance is not required in Vermont.

Medical Coverage/ Personal Injury Protection (PIP)/ No-Fault Insurance
This insurance covers the medical expense of you and your passengers in an accident. Exactly what is covered under this insurance varies by insurance company, so make sure you understand what it covers. This insurance is not required in Vermont. This insurance is a good idea if you, or passengers in your car do not have medical insurance or have medical insurance that isn't very good. (see the health insurance section to see how you might be able to get better medical insurance)

Underinsured or Uninsured Motorist
Uninsured motorist covers you in an accident that is the fault of a driver who has no insurance. Underinsured motorist covers you in an accident that is the fault of a driver who doesn't have enough insurance. Both of these policies may cover just medical, just property or both.

Emergency Roadside Assistance and Towing Service
This insurance offers assistance if you are stranded on the side of the road.

Car Rental
This insurance pays for your car rental if your car is in an accident.

Full Glass
This insurance pays for the glass on your car which isn't covered by other parts of your policy (usually side-view mirrors and windows).

How to Buy a Car

You might qualify for a donated car. Contact the Good News Garage at 1-877-448-3288 or Bonnie Clac at 1-866-455-CLAC (2522). If not, below is a list of links that are helpful when searching for a car:

General:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-buying4.htm