VERMONT.STATERECORDS.ORG IS A PRIVATELY OWNED WEBSITE THAT IS NOT OWNED OR OPERATED BY ANY STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
close banner
Vermont State Records
state records colored logo
LOGIN
CONTACT

Vermont Sex Offender Records

What is a Sex Offender?

A sex offender refers to anyone who has been convicted of a sex offense in a court anywhere in the United States. Under the Vermont criminal code, all state residents with a reportable adjudication or conviction or anyone who received parole or probation contingent upon sex offender registration is required to register as a sex offender. Consequently, convicted sex offenders are slammed with a variety of restrictions and prohibitions depending on the nature and severity of their crime.

Who is Considered a Sex Offender in Vermont?

In the state of Vermont, a sex offender is anyone who:

  1. Has been convicted for any of the offenses below in the state of Vermont:

    1. Enticing a minor
    2. Sexual exploitation of adults/minors
    3. Human trafficking for sexual exploitation
    4. Human trafficking of vulnerable adults for sexual exploitation
    5. Human trafficking of children for sexual exploitation
    6. Unlawful sexual activity with a minor
    7. Sexual abuse of a minor
    8. Unlawful sexual conduct
    9. Rape
    10. Rape of a child
    11. Object rape
    12. Object rape of a child
    13. Forcible sodomy
    14. Sodomy on a child
    15. Forcible sexual abuse
    16. Sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse of a minor
    17. Aggravated sexual assault
    18. Custodial sex relations, when the individual in custody is below 18 years
    19. Incest
    20. Lewdness, if the offender has been convicted of the crime four or more times
    21. Sexual battery, if the offender has been convicted of the offense four or more times
    22. Lewdness involving a child
    23. Voyeurism
    24. Aggravated exploitation of prostitution; or
    25. Attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit any crime listed above

  2. Has been convicted of any crime, or attempts, solicits or conspires to commit an offense in other jurisdictions, including any state, federal, or military court that is equivalent to the crimes listed above and who is:

    1. Resident in the state of Vermont; or
    2. Not a resident of Vermont, but who, in any twelve months, resides in Vermont for ten or more days, irrespective of whether the offender intends to live in the state permanently.

What Types of Sex Offenders Exist in Vermont?

The Department of Corrections is responsible for categorizing sex offenders in Vermont according to their risk level and the possibility of committing the offense again. The types of registered sex offenders in Vermont include not high-risk, high-risk, unrated-presumed high-risk, non-compliant high-risk, and sexual predator/sexually violent predator.

  1. Not High-Risk Offender: These offenders are least likely to commit another sexual offense
  2. High-Risk Offender: The offenders in this category require increased public access to their status as sex offenders and related information, including internet access. High-risk offenders must report any change to their personal information within three days to the Vermont Sex Offender Registry.
  3. Unrated-Presumed High-Risk: The person has not undergone risk assessment but is presumed to be high-risk.
  4. Non-compliant High-Risk Offender: The offender does not comply with the sex offender treatment prescribed by the Department of Corrections. This category includes any offender imprisoned on or after June 7, 2007, for lewd or lascivious conduct with a child, sexual assault, aggravated assault, or any attempt to commit these crimes or a similar offense anywhere in the country. Offenders in this category are not subject to indeterminate (not fixed length of time) life sentences under Section 3271 and are designated as high-risk offenders under Section 5411b. Offenders in this category who intentionally refuse to abide by the registry requirements shall be sentenced to prison for not less than five years and a maximum life sentence. Fine must not exceed $50,000.
  5. Sexual Predator/Sexually Violent Predator: This refers to an individual who has been convicted of sexually violent offenses and suffers from a mental deformity or personality disorder that makes the offender more likely to commit predatory sexually violent crimes. A person who is determined to be a sexually violent predator shall be subject to sex offender lifetime registration and community notification and inclusion on the Internet Sex Offender Registry.

Note: High-risk refers to the high danger (probability of a sexual reoffense) a sex offender poses to others.

What are the Different Types of Sex Offenses in Vermont?

The Vermont Sex Offender Registry is a public website that provides information on registered sex offenders residing within the state. A sex offender refers to anyone convicted of the following offenses within the state of Vermont:

  • Sexual assault
  • Aggravated sexual assault
  • Lewd and lascivious conduct
  • Sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult
  • A second or subsequent conviction for voyeurism
  • Kidnapping with intent to commit sexual assault
  • Aggravated sexual assault of a child
  • Human trafficking
  • Aggravated human trafficking

Sex offenders also include any individual with a federal conviction for any of the following:

  • Sex trafficking of children
  • Aggravated sexual abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Sexual abuse of a minor
  • Abusive sexual contact
  • Offenses resulting in death
  • Sexual exploitation of children
  • Selling or buying of children
  • Material involving the sexual exploitation of children
  • Material containing child pornography
  • Production of sexually explicit depictions of a minor for import in the United States
  • Transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity
  • Coercion and enticement of a minor for illegal sexual activity
  • Transmitting information of a minor to further criminal sexual conduct
  • Trafficking in person if the violation included sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, or the attempt to commit sexual abuse.
  • Transportation of minors for illegal sexual activity or travel with the intent to engage in illegal sexual conduct with a minor and engaging in illegal sexual conduct in foreign places.

A sex offender is also defined as someone convicted of committing the following offenses against a minor, excluding offenses that are said to be criminal solely due to the victim’s age:

  • Any of the offenses listed above
  • Kidnapping
  • Lewd and lascivious conduct with a child
  • Slave traffic
  • Sexual exploitation of children
  • Acquisition or solicitation or an offer to acquire or solicit a person for prostitution or lewdness
  • Aggravated assault of a child
  • Sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by fraud, force, or compulsion
  • Sexual exploitation of a minor
  • An attempt to commit any of the offenses listed

What are the Sex Offender Laws in Vermont?

The Vermont Sex Offender Registry Law covers requirements expected of convicted sex offenders and the responsibilities of the Department of Corrections regarding their supervision. Some provisions of the law include:

  • Reporting upon conviction (13 V.S.A § 5403)
  • Reporting upon release from confinement or supervision (13 V.S.A § 5404)
  • Court determination of sexually violent predators (13 V.S.A § 5405)
  • Department of Corrections duty to provide notice (13 V.S.A § 5406)
  • Sex offender's duty to report (13 V.S.A § 5407)
  • Record of addresses; arrest warrant (13 V.S.A § 5408)
  • Penalties (13 V.S.A § 5409)
  • Victim notification (13 V.S.A § 5410)
  • Notification to local law enforcement and local community (13 V.S.A § 5411)
  • Electronic posting of the sex offender registry (13 V.S.A § 5411a)
  • Designation of high-risk sex offender (13 V.S.A § 5411b)
  • Immunity from registration (13 V.S.A § 5412)
  • Expungement of records (13 V.S.A § 5413)
  • Participation in national sex offender registration (13 V.S.A § 5414)
  • Enforcement; special investigation units (13 V.S.A § 5415)
  • Persons subject to erroneous Sex Offender Registry requirements; petition to correct (13 V.S.A § 5416)

What is the Vermont Sex Offender Registry?

The Vermont sex offender registry contains information on sex offenders mandated to register their details with law enforcement due to their conviction. Vermont requires offenders to register for ten years or a lifetime.

Information that sex offenders must provide during their registration includes:

  • Name and alias(es).
  • Residential address.
  • A list of places where the offender volunteers.
  • The offender's professional licenses
  • A physical description of the offender, including hair color, eye color, height, and weight.
  • Any educational institution located in Vermont where the offender schools or works.
  • A recent photograph.
  • The sex conviction(s).
  • The brand, color, year of production, model, and plate number of vehicles driven by the offender.

Members of the public can view most of the above data on the sex offender registry. They only have to enter an offender's name or city of residence into appropriate search fields. The option to search within a radius of one's address is also provided. Plus, the searcher can view the details of non-compliant offenders as well.

Interested members of the public may also obtain public record information from third party websites. These privately owned sites typically host data culled from public databases and repositories. However, the information available on third-party sites may vary since they are independent of government sources. To use a third-party site, record seekers may be required to provide all of some of the following information:

  • The full name on the record of choice
  • The last known or current address of the named individual
  • The address of the requestor

How Long Do Sex Offenders Have to Register in Vermont?

Sex offenders convicted before July 1, 2015, continue registration for ten years after finishing their supervision with the Department of Corrections, while the registration period for sex offenders convicted from July 1, 2015, is determined by the courts. Sex offenders who are required to register for life in Vermont include individuals:

  • With a second or successive conviction for a registrable sexual offense
  • With a sexual assault conviction or a conviction of aggravated sexual assault
  • Individuals that have been convicted as sexually violent predators

Can a Sex Offender Live With Their Family in Vermont?

There are no residential restrictions for convicted sex offenders in Vermont. However, registrants have to inform the registry within three days of changes to their address, employment, school, and telephone number. Registrants must also notify the registry if anyone under 18 years of age lives in the same household as them.

Requirements of Sex Offenders in Vermont

The following are requirements a Vermont convicted sex offender must follow to avoid violations:

  • Within three days, the registrant must inform the registry of any change to their personal information. This includes name, address, employment, school, telephone number.
  • A high-risk sex offender shall report a change of address to the Vermont Sex Offender Registry within 36 hours.
  • Sex offenders must provide a photograph annually around their birthdays.
  • A non-compliant high-risk offender must:
    • Report to the DOC within 15 days of release from the Department’s supervision and within every month thereafter;
    • Report to the DOC before an address change, but if the change is unexpected, the offender shall report within a day of the change of address;
    • Report to the DOC before any enrollment or separation from a postsecondary educational institution, but if the change in school status was not anticipated, the offender should report within a day of the change;
    • Report to the DOC within a day for any change in a place of employment;
    • Provide the DOC with the make, model, registration, and license plate number of any vehicle to be used prior to operation in addition to other personal information.
  • Sex offenders under the Department of Corrections supervision must notify their probation officers immediately if there has been a change to their information.
  • Registrants receive an annual letter from VCIC within ten (10) days of their birthday to verify their present information. The form must be completed, their photos updated every year, and make sure both are returned to the VCIC within ten (10) days after their birthday.
  • A sex offender without a permanent home address has to contact the Vermont Sex Offender Registry daily on (802) 241-5400.

Requirements for Out-of-State Sex Offenders

An out-of-state sex offender is an individual convicted of any sex crime in any jurisdiction in the country but chooses to reside in the state of Vermont. The person must register within ten (10) days of establishing residency. A non-resident sex offender who comes into the state for work, school, or employment in any capacity must also register.

An out-of-state sex offender needs to complete and mail the registration forms to the registry; they can also call the registry on (802) 241-5400 to have the forms mailed to them. The registry is located at:

Vermont Sex Offender Registry
45 State Drive,
Waterbury, VT 056571

Upon receipt of the registration packet, the sex offender has to visit the nearest Vermont State Police barracks with the letter from the registration packet and get photographed and fingerprinted. The barracks are responsible for sending the photograph and fingerprints to the registry.

Do Sex Offenders Have to Notify Neighbors in Vermont?

A registered sex offender does not have to notify neighbors of his or her criminal status in the state of Vermont. In the likely event that an inquiry is made into their criminal background for housing and employment purposes, interested persons are advised to direct queries to the appropriate supervising agency. The Vermont Sex Offender Registry has no supervisory law over a registrant once the offender has concluded their supervision with the Department of Corrections.

Despite a lack of requirement on the part of sex offenders to notify the public of their conviction, the Department of Corrections, in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, still has a duty towards the community to provide public access and awareness on sex offenders. There are three types of community notification, namely:

  • Normal Notification: A requester will be given the following information about a sex offender if they can express concern about the behavior of a particular individual for themselves or someone else regarding their public safety.
    • Offender’s names and aliases
    • Date of birth of the offender
    • Physical description
    • Date and nature of the conviction
    • Name and phone number of the local Department of Corrections office (if the offender is still being monitored)
    • Information on whether the offender complied with treatments recommended by the Department of Corrections
    • If the offender has an outstanding arrest warrant
    • Reasons why the offender’s information is publicly accessible
  • Heightened Notification: Sex offenders under this category do not require requesters to have a public safety concern before asking for information about them.
  • Proactive Notification: Local law enforcement agencies are not mandated by the law to notify the community about sex offenders, but may inform some people who have a higher probability of unexpectedly meeting a sex offender that is a potential threat to their safety. In this regard, a law enforcement agency can notify neighbors, local day centers, or local schools if a pedophile is moving into the neighborhood. The management of the offender’s place of employment might also be notified if the offender has committed violent sexual offenses against adults in the past. Additionally, there might be an extensive community notification exercise carried out by local law enforcement that goes beyond at-risk community members, but only in situations that cause a convincing risk to the public safety and only after consulting with the VCIC and the DOC.

Information on sex offenders shall be posted on the internet when offenders are released from prison or upon sentencing if offenders were not in confinement.

How Close Can a Sex Offender Live to a School in Vermont?

There are no restrictions on where a registered sex offender gets to live. However, interested persons may contact the offender’s probation officer for more details concerning restrictions placed on sex offenders still under supervision by the Department of Corrections.

Can You Expunge a Sex Offender Charge in Vermont?

According to Section 5413 of the Vermont Statutes, an individual whose sex offense conviction has been reversed or dismissed does not need to register for that conviction, and any information concerning the conviction in the registry shall be removed and destroyed. Any person or agency who received any information about the conviction shall receive notice concerning the reversal and be asked to destroy and remove the record. If the person whose conviction is dismissed or reversed has more than one record in the registry, only records related to the dismissed case shall be destroyed and removed. The process of expunging a criminal record can take six months before it is removed by the FBI.

Unless the individual is no longer subject to sex offender registry requirements, a sex offender required to register in the sex offender registry is not eligible to petition to have their records expunged from the Sex Offender Registry.

How to Look Up Sex Offenders in Vermont

Interested persons may search for sex offenders by using the search tool on the Vermont Sex Offender Registry. The online registry contains information on Vermont sex offenders required by law to register and be published online. However, information on the site does not represent all sex offenders in Vermont. The search criteria available on the site include search by first and last name, city/town, and county. Residents are also encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office, local police department, or the Vermont Sex Offender Registry for further information. The Vermont State Statute states that the requestor provides the name of the person whose information they seek.

Interested members of the public may also obtain public record information from third-party websites. These privately owned sites typically host data culled from public databases and repositories. However, the information available on third-party sites may vary since they are independent of government sources. In order to use a third-party site, record seekers may be required to provide all or some of the following information:

  • The full name on the record of choice
  • The last known or current address of the named individual
  • The address of the requestor

Is Public Urination a Sex Offense in Vermont?

There are no specific laws that mention public urination as a sex offense in the Vermont State Statutes. However, according to Title 13 Chapter 19 Subchapter 1 §1028 and §1028a of the statutes, it is an offense to assault a protected professional or a correctional facility staff with bodily fluids.

Any individual who intentionally causes bodily fluids like urine to touch a correctional facility staff - unless the employment and the person’s presence required contact - violates the law. Penalty may include a prison sentence for a maximum of two years or fined for the maximum amount of $1,000, or both.

Any person that intentionally causes bodily fluids to come in contact with a protected professional or any emergency medical personnel will be imprisoned for not more than a year, or be fined not more than $1,000, or both. If the offender was a person with a mental illness at the time of the offense, this will be taken into consideration at the court hearing.

Note: This law does not apply to people under 18 years of age who are in a residential rehabilitation center.

How to Report a Sex Offender in Vermont?

The VCIC advises residents to report any suspected violation by sex offenders to their local sheriff’s office or police department. Any convicted sex offender that fails to register according to the Vermont State Statutes will be sentenced to prison for a maximum of two years and/or fined for a maximum amount of $1,000. A second or more offense will earn the offender a prison sentence of not more than three years and/or a maximum fine of $5,000.