More Info
Vermont DUI Information
"Per Se" BAC Level: 0.8"Zero Tolerance" BAC Level: 0.2
Enhanced Penalty BAC Level:--
"Implied Consent" Law: yes
Administrative License Suspension/Revocation (1st/2nd/3rd Offense) :90d/ 18m/ permanent
Mandatory Alcohol Education and Treatment/Assessment: Education - in limited circumstances
Vehicle Confiscation Possible?: 3rd offense
Ignition Interlock Device Possible?: No
Operating vehicle under the influence of intoxicating liquor or other substance; criminal refusal
(a) A person shall not operate, attempt to operate, or be in actual physical control of any vehicle on a highway:
(1) when the person's alcohol concentration is 0.08 or more, or 0.02 or more if the person is operating a school bus as defined in subdivision 4(34) of this title; or
(2) when the person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor; or
(3) when the person is under the influence of any other drug or under the combined influence of alcohol and any other drug to a degree which renders the person incapable of driving safely; or
(4) when the person's alcohol concentration is 0.04 or more if the person is operating a commercial motor vehicle as defined in subdivision 4103(4) of this title.
(b) A person who has previously been convicted of a violation of this section shall not operate, attempt to operate, or be in actual physical control of any vehicle on a highway and refuse a law enforcement officer's reasonable request under the circumstances for an evidentiary test where the officer had reasonable grounds to believe the person was in violation of subsection (a) of this section.
(c) A person shall not operate, attempt to operate, or be in actual physical control of any vehicle on a highway and be involved in an accident or collision resulting in serious bodily injury or death to another and refuse a law enforcement officer's reasonable request under the circumstances for an evidentiary test where the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person has any amount of alcohol in the system.
(d) The fact that a person charged with a violation of this section is or has been entitled to use a drug under the laws of this state shall not constitute a defense against any charge of violating this section.
(e) A person may not be convicted of more than one offense under this section arising out of the same incident.
(f) For purposes of this section and section 1205 of this title, the defendant may assert as an affirmative defense that the person was not operating, attempting to operate, or in actual physical control of the vehicle because the person:
(1) had no intention of placing the vehicle in motion; and
(2) had not placed the vehicle in motion while under the influence. (Added 1969, No. 267 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1973, No. 16,
Consent to taking of tests to determine blood alcohol content
(a)(1) Implied consent. Every person who operates, attempts to operate, or is in actual physical control of any vehicle on a highway in this state is deemed to have given consent to an evidentiary test of that person's breath for the purpose of determining the person's alcohol concentration or the presence of other drug in the blood. The test shall be administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer.
(2) Blood test. If breath testing equipment is not reasonably available or if the officer has reason to believe that the person is unable to give a sufficient sample of breath for testing or if the law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is under the influence of a drug other than alcohol, the person is deemed to have given consent to the taking of an evidentiary sample of blood. If in the officer's opinion the person is incapable of decision or unconscious or dead, it is deemed that the person's consent is given and a sample of blood shall be taken.
(3) Evidentiary test. The evidentiary test shall be required of a person when a law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person was operating, attempting to operate, or in actual physical control of a vehicle in violation of section 1201 of this title.
(4) Fatal collision or incident resulting in serious bodily injury. The evidentiary test shall also be required if the person is the surviving operator of a motor vehicle involved in a fatal incident or collision or an incident or collision resulting in serious bodily injury and the law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has any amount of alcohol or other drug in his or her system.
(b) If the person refuses to submit to an evidentiary test it shall not be given, except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, but the refusal may be introduced as evidence in a criminal proceeding.
(c) A person who is requested by a law enforcement officer to submit to an evidentiary test or tests has a right as herein limited to consult an attorney before deciding whether or not to submit to such a test or tests. The person must decide whether or not to submit to the evidentiary test or tests within a reasonable time and no later than 30 minutes from the time of the initial attempt to contact the attorney. The person must make a decision about whether or not to submit to the test or tests at the expiration of the 30 minutes regardless of whether a consultation took place.
(d) At the time a test is requested, the person shall be informed of the following statutory information:
(1) Vermont law authorizes a law enforcement officer to request a test to determine whether the person is under the influence of alcohol or other drug.
(2) If the officer's request is reasonable and testing is refused, the person's license or privilege to operate will be suspended for at least six months.
(3) If a test is taken and the results indicate that the person is under the influence of alcohol or other drug, the person will be subject to criminal charges and the person's license or privilege to operate will be suspended for at least 90 days.
(4) A person who is requested by a law enforcement officer to submit to an evidentiary test or tests has the limited right to consult an attorney before deciding whether or not to submit to such a test or tests. The person must decide whether or not to submit to the evidentiary test or tests within a reasonable time and no later than 30 minutes from the time of the initial attempt to contact the attorney regardless of whether a consultation took place. The person also has the right to have additional tests made by someone of the person's own choosing at the person's own expense. The person shall also be informed of the location of one or more facilities available for drawing blood.
(5) A person who is requested by a law enforcement officer to submit to an evidentiary test administered with an infrared breath-testing instrument may elect to have a second infrared test administered immediately after receiving the results of the first test.
(6) If the person refuses to take an evidentiary test, the refusal may be offered into evidence against the person at trial, whether or not a search warrant is sought. The person may be charged with the crime of criminal refusal if the person:
(A) has previously been convicted of a violation of section 1201 of this title; or
(B) is involved in an accident or collision resulting in serious bodily injury or death to another, in which case the court may issue a search warrant and order the person to submit to a blood test, the results of which may be offered into evidence against the person at trial.
(e) In any proceeding under this subchapter, a law enforcement officer's testimony that he or she is certified pursuant to section 2358 of Title 20 shall be prima facie evidence of that fact.
(f) If a person who has been involved in an accident or collision resulting in serious bodily injury or death to another refuses an evidentiary test, a law enforcement officer may apply for a search warrant pursuant to Rule 41 of the Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure to obtain a sample of blood for an evidentiary test. If a blood sample is obtained by search warrant, the fact of the refusal may still be introduced in evidence, in addition to the results of the evidentiary test. Once a law enforcement official begins the application process for a search warrant, the law enforcement official is not obligated to discontinue the process even if the person later agrees to provide an evidentiary breath sample. The limitation created by Rule 41(g) of the Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure regarding blood specimens shall not apply to search warrants authorized by this section.
(g) The defender general shall provide statewide 24-hour coverage seven days a week to assure that adequate legal services are available to persons entitled to consult an attorney under this section. (Added 1969, No. 267 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; amended 1973, No.
Suspension of license for driving while under influence, reinstatement
(a) First conviction. Except as otherwise provided, upon conviction of a person for violating a provision of section 1201 of this title, or upon final determination of an appeal, the court shall forward the conviction report forthwith to the commissioner of motor vehicles. The commissioner shall immediately suspend the person's operating license, or nonresident operating privilege, or the privilege of an unlicensed operator to operate a vehicle for a period of 90 days and until the defendant complies with section 1209a of this title.
(b) Extended suspension. In cases resulting in a fatality, the period of suspension shall be one year and until the defendant complies with section 1209a of this title.
(c) Upon conviction of a person for violating a provision of subsection 1201(b) or (c) of this title, or upon final determination of an appeal, the court shall forward the conviction report forthwith to the commissioner of motor vehicles. The commissioner shall immediately suspend the person's operating license or nonresident operating privilege or the privilege of an unlicensed operator to operate a vehicle for a period of six months, and until the defendant complies with section 1209a of this title. (Added 1969, No. 267 (Adj. Sess.), §
Suspensions for subsequent convictions
(a) Second conviction. Upon a second conviction of a person violating a provision of section 1201 of this title and upon final determination of an appeal, the court shall forward the conviction report forthwith to the commissioner of motor vehicles. The commissioner shall immediately suspend the person's operating license, or nonresident operating privilege or the privilege of an unlicensed operator to operate a vehicle for 18 months and until the defendant complies with section 1209a of this title.
(b) Third conviction. Upon a third or subsequent conviction of a person violating a provision of section 1201 of this title and upon final determination of any appeal, the court shall forward the conviction report forthwith to the commissioner of motor vehicles. The commissioner shall immediately revoke the person's operating license, or nonresident operating privilege or the privilege of an unlicensed operator to operate a motor vehicle for life.
Persons under 21; alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more
(a) A person under the age of 21 who operates, attempts to operate or is in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway when the person's alcohol concentration is 0.02 or more, commits a civil traffic violation subject to the jurisdiction of the judicial bureau and subject to the following sanctions:
(1) For a first violation, the person's license or privilege to operate shall be suspended for six months and until the person complies with section 1209a of this title.
(2) For a second or subsequent violation, the person's license or privilege to operate shall be suspended until the person reaches the age of 21 or for one year, whichever is longer, and complies with section 1209a of this title.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions in subsection (a) of this section to the contrary, a person's license that has been suspended under this section shall not be reinstated until the commissioner has received satisfactory evidence that the provider of the therapy program has been paid in full.
(c) A person who violates this section may also be subject to recall of his or her provisional license under section 607a of this title.
(d) If a law enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a person is violating this section, the officer may request the person to submit to a breath test using a preliminary screening device approved by the commissioner of health. A refusal to submit to the breath test shall be considered a violation of this section. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in sections 1202 and 1203 of this title:
(1) the results of the test shall be admissible evidence in a proceeding under this section; and
(2) there shall be no statutory right to counsel prior to the administration of the test.
(e) In a proceeding under this section, if there was at any time within two hours of operating, attempting to operate or being in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person's alcohol concentration was 0.02 or more at the time of operating, attempting to operate or being in actual physical control.
(f) No fine and no points shall be assessed for a violation of this section.
(g) The alcohol and driving program required under this section shall be administered by the office of alcohol and drug abuse programs and shall take into consideration any particular treatment needs of operators under the age of 21.
(h) A charge of violating this section shall not bar prosecution for any crime, including a prosecution under section 1201 of this title.