How to Fill Out and Submit Vermont DMV Form VL-021: Documents and Fees

Vermont DMV Form VL-021 is the single application used for a driver’s license, learner permit, junior driver’s license, or non-driver ID card, and the same form handles renewals, replacements, out-of-state transfers, and name or address changes. You can download the fillable PDF from the Vermont DMV website or pick up a paper copy at any branch office. Fill in the checkboxes at the top, complete your personal information and the medical disclosure, sign under penalty of perjury, and bring it to a DMV office with original supporting documents and the fee.¹

Pick Your Credential and Transaction Type

The top of the form has two sets of checkboxes. The first picks the credential:

Driver’s License (OPR) for residents 18 and older.
Junior Driver’s License (JUN) for applicants 16 or 17 who pass the required exams.
Learner Permit (LRN), available at age 15, allowing supervised driving with a licensed adult 25 or older in the front passenger seat.
Non-Driver ID Card for Vermont residents who do not drive.

The second set picks the transaction: Original Issue, Renewal, Transfer from Out of State, Address or Name Change, or Replacement (Lost or Stolen). Getting both boxes right matters, because they determine which documents you need and which fee applies.¹

REAL ID or Privilege Card

Form VL-021 also asks you to choose between a REAL ID–compliant card and a Privilege Card. A REAL ID meets the federal standards for boarding domestic commercial flights and entering federal facilities; enforcement of those requirements began May 7, 2025.² A Driver Privilege Card is not REAL ID–compliant and cannot be used for those federal purposes, but it does not require proof of lawful U.S. status or citizenship and is available to any Vermont resident regardless of immigration status.³ Vermont charges the same fee for both.

Documents You Need to Bring

Vermont DMV requires original or certified documents in four categories. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted, so gather everything before the visit.⁴

Identity and Date of Birth

Bring one primary document that proves both identity and date of birth. A valid, unexpired U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate is the usual choice.⁴ If your current legal name does not match the name on your birth certificate because of marriage, divorce, or a court-ordered change, bring the connecting documents (a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order) so the DMV can trace the path from birth name to current name. Commemorative marriage certificates signed by an officiant are not accepted; the certificate must be the certified copy issued by a government office.

Social Security Number

You need a document showing your full Social Security number. A Social Security card is the most straightforward option, though a W-2 or 1099 displaying the complete number is also commonly accepted.⁴ The number is verified electronically against Social Security Administration records at the counter.

Two Proofs of Vermont Residency

You must provide two documents showing your name and current Vermont street address. A P.O. box is not acceptable as a residential address, though you can list one separately as a mailing address.⁵ Accepted residency documents include a utility bill showing the service address, a property tax bill with the physical location, Vermont Tax Form LC-142 (Landlord Certificate), a Vermont EBT or AIM card, or a homeowners or renters insurance policy.⁶

Lawful Status (REAL ID Only)

If you are applying for a REAL ID–compliant card, federal rules require the DMV to verify your lawful status in the United States. This typically means a U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization, or an unexpired permanent resident card. Applicants choosing a Privilege Card skip this category entirely.⁷

How to Fill Out the Form

Form VL-021 is a single page, and the DMV offers a fillable PDF you can type into before printing to avoid legibility problems.

Below the header checkboxes, you enter your full legal name (last, first, middle), date of birth, sex, height, weight, and eye color. Your residential address goes in field 8, and that address prints on the finished card. If your mailing address differs from your street address, enter it separately in field 9.¹

A series of yes-or-no questions follow. The form asks whether you currently hold or have ever held a Vermont license, permit, or non-driver ID, and whether you hold out-of-state credentials. Vermont checks the national driver record database, so answer honestly. The medical disclosure question asks whether you have any physical or mental condition, including diabetes, epilepsy, seizures, or blackouts, that could affect your ability to drive safely. If you check “yes,” you write in the condition and any medications. This disclosure is how the Commissioner evaluates fitness to drive under 23 V.S.A. § 601.⁸

At the bottom you sign under penalty of perjury affirming that everything on the form is true. The form references 23 V.S.A. § 202 and § 4110 as the penalty statutes; submitting false information is a criminal offense, not just an administrative problem.¹

Optional Designations on the Form

Vermont has automatic voter registration through the DMV. When you apply for a license or update your address, your information is forwarded to the Secretary of State’s office for voter registration unless you check the box on the form to decline.⁹

The form also asks whether you want to register as an organ donor. Saying yes creates a legally recognized document of gift, and that designation survives even if the license later expires or is suspended.

Veterans with an honorable discharge can request a “veteran” designation printed on the face of the license or non-driver ID. This requires submitting the Member 4 copy of your DD Form 214 to the Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs, which confirms your status before the DMV adds the designation. A replacement DD-214 can be requested from the National Archives if you no longer have yours.

How to Submit the Form

For most transactions, including original licenses, transfers from another state, and upgrades from a Privilege Card to REAL ID, you must appear in person at a Vermont DMV office. Appointments are recommended but not required for general services. Knowledge tests and road tests are by appointment only.¹⁰

During the visit, a DMV employee reviews your completed VL-021, checks your supporting documents against the originals, and runs electronic verification on your Social Security number. You also go through a vision screening; Vermont requires visual acuity of 20/40 or better, with or without corrective lenses. If you wear glasses or contacts to pass, a corrective-lens restriction is added to the license.

Online Renewal

If you are renewing and your photo is still valid, you may be able to renew online. DMV photos are valid for up to nine years, so if the photo’s validity window extends through your entire new license period (two or four years), you qualify. A few situations force an in-person visit: upgrading from a Privilege Card to REAL ID, renewing a commercial driver’s license, or changing endorsements or restrictions.¹¹

Replacing a Lost or Stolen Card

You can apply for a replacement online, by mail, or at any DMV office using the same VL-021 with the “Replacement” box checked. The replacement fee is $24 regardless of whether you have a two-year or four-year license.¹²

Fees

Vermont charges the same fee for a REAL ID and a non–REAL ID license. All fees are payable at the time of your visit or online transaction.

Driver’s license, 2 years: $39 (new or renewal); $47 with a motorcycle endorsement.
Driver’s license, 4 years: $62 (new or renewal); $78 with a motorcycle endorsement.
Replacement (lost or stolen): $24.

¹²

If you are renewing and have time left on your current credential, any remaining full years are credited toward the renewal fee.¹¹

Tests for First-Time Applicants

If you are applying for your first Vermont license and not transferring from another state, you need to pass both a written knowledge test and a road skills test.

The knowledge test is a multiple-choice exam covering traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. Study the Vermont Driver’s Manual, which the DMV publishes online, and take the free practice tests before your appointment. You pay a test fee each time you take it.¹³

The road test must be scheduled in advance. Bring a vehicle that is registered, inspected, and insured. The examiner evaluates your pre-trip check, parking, turning, lane use, and general driving ability. For learner’s permit holders, Vermont’s Graduated License Law requires you to hold the permit for a full year before you are eligible to take the road test.¹⁴ Junior license holders then carry passenger and employment-driving restrictions that phase out over the first several months after the road test.¹⁵

After You Submit

Once the DMV approves your application and processes payment, you receive a temporary paper license (or temporary non-driver ID) on the spot. The temporary document is valid for 45 days. Your permanent card is mailed to your Vermont address and typically arrives within 7 to 10 business days.¹⁶

If the permanent card does not arrive within two weeks, contact the DMV. A card lost in the mail can be replaced for $24 using the same VL-021 with the “Replacement” box checked.¹²

1
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Vermont DMV Form VL-021 – License Application
2
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
3
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. What Is a Driver’s Privilege Card?
4
Department of Motor Vehicles. Identity Documents
5
Department of Motor Vehicles. Vermont Residency
6
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Vermont Residency Certification
7
Department of Motor Vehicles. Real ID
8
Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Statutes Title 23 Section 601 – License Required
9
Vermont Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions – Voter Registration
10
Department of Motor Vehicles. Locations
11
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License, Renewal
12
Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License Fees
13
Department of Motor Vehicles. License Overviews and Resources
14
Department of Motor Vehicles. Learner’s Permit
15
Department of Motor Vehicles. Junior Driver’s License
16
Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Temporary License