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Vermont driving lesson · Getting Your Vermont License

License types, endorsements & appointments

A 4-minute lesson from the Vermont course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
4 minutes
Course unit
Getting Your Vermont License
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
13, 18, 19

Vermont issues several kinds of licenses. Which one you need depends on your age, your experience and what you drive. The test likes to ask about the license types, the deadlines for newcomers, and the extra endorsements needed for school buses and motorcycles.

Vermont license types

  • Learner's Permit
  • Junior Driver's License
  • Driver's License
  • Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
  • Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
  • Driver's Privilege Card
Handbook p. 13 ↗

Know the rule

If you live in Vermont and plan to drive in Vermont, you must get a Vermont driver's license.

Handbook p. 13 ↗
60 days

A new resident with a valid license from another state must get a Vermont license within 60 days of moving in

Handbook p. 13 ↗
30 days

A CDL holder from another state must transfer the CDL within 30 days of establishing Vermont residency

Handbook p. 13 ↗

Know the rule

Holding a license means driving within the law and treating all highway users, including bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, with courtesy and consideration.

Handbook p. 13 ↗

Who needs a school bus endorsement?

Who needs a school bus endorsement?
You transport school children in…You need
A bus of 26,001 lbs+ GVWR or built for 16+ (incl. driver)CDL with passenger and school bus endorsements
A school bus rated for fewer than 16 passengersType II school bus endorsement
A multifunction school activity bus (school owned/leased)School bus endorsement
A vehicle for hire, such as a taxiSchool bus endorsement
Other vehicles, or cars/vans (private or school owned)May need a (Type II) school bus endorsement
Handbook p. 18 ↗
16

Minimum age for a licensed driver to get a motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle permit, by passing a test

Handbook p. 18 ↗

Know the rule

Riders who complete the Vermont Rider Education Program (VREP) Basic Rider Course are exempt from the state written and skill exams for a motorcycle endorsement.

Handbook p. 18 ↗

Know the rule

All DMV visits are by appointment only (schedule at mydmv.vermont.gov). If you can't keep an appointment, cancel or reschedule as soon as possible.

Handbook p. 18 ↗

Know the rule

If you are hearing impaired, an interpreter is provided if you ask when scheduling. Vermont Relay Service (TTY) is 711.

Handbook p. 19 ↗

The state's tests check whether you:

  • Can read and understand road signs and lights
  • Know Vermont's driving laws
  • Can see well enough to drive safely
  • Have the driving skills to be a safe, courteous driver
  • Have any disability that may affect safe operation
  • Will maintain your vehicle so it is safe to drive
  • Will respect the rights of bicyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and other drivers
Handbook p. 19 ↗

Put it into practice

You move from New Hampshire to Vermont on June 1 with a valid NH license and a NH CDL. Your CDL must be transferred within 30 days, by July 1. Your regular license deadline is 60 days, by July 31.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

You just moved to Vermont with a valid license from another state. By when must you get a Vermont license?
  1. Within 14 days of moving in
  2. Within 6 months of moving in
  3. Within 60 days of moving in
  4. Within 30 days of moving in

Answer: Within 60 days of moving in

Someone moving into Vermont with a valid out-of-state license must get a Vermont license within 60 days.

Handbook p. 13 ↗
Which of these is NOT a real Vermont license or credential type?
  1. Provisional Adult License
  2. Junior Driver's License
  3. Driver Privilege Card
  4. Enhanced Driver's License

Answer: Provisional Adult License

Vermont's license types are Learner's Permit, Driver's License, Junior Driver's License, CDL, EDL, and Driver Privilege Card.

Handbook p. 13 ↗
A school bus rated 26,001 pounds or more requires the driver to hold what?
  1. A Junior Driver's License
  2. A CDL with passenger and school bus endorsements
  3. A Type II school bus endorsement only
  4. A standard license with no endorsement

Answer: A CDL with passenger and school bus endorsements

Buses at or above 26,001 lbs GVWR, or carrying 16+ passengers, require a CDL with passenger and school bus endorsements.

Handbook p. 18 ↗
What is the minimum age to apply for a Vermont motorcycle endorsement or motorcycle permit?
  1. 14
  2. 18
  3. 16
  4. 21

Answer: 16

Any licensed person 16 or older may get a motorcycle endorsement or permit by passing the required test.

Handbook p. 18 ↗
A driver moving to Vermont already holds a valid Commercial Driver's License from another state. What must they do?
  1. Transfer the CDL within 30 days of residency
  2. Retake the VT road test immediately
  3. Wait a full year before applying to transfer
  4. Nothing; the out-of-state CDL works indefinitely

Answer: Transfer the CDL within 30 days of residency

Anyone holding an out-of-state CDL must transfer it to Vermont within 30 days of establishing residency.

Handbook p. 13 ↗
You transport school children in a school bus rated by the manufacturer for fewer than 16 passengers. What do you need?
  1. A standard CDL Class C license
  2. A Junior operator endorsement
  3. A Type II school bus endorsement
  4. A passenger-for-hire endorsement

Answer: A Type II school bus endorsement

Buses rated for fewer than 16 passengers require a Type II school bus endorsement, not a full CDL.

Handbook p. 18 ↗
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