Vermont Driver’s Privilege Card: Eligibility, Documents, and Limits

The Vermont Driver’s Privilege Card is a state-issued driving credential available to any Vermont resident, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.¹ It lets you drive legally on Vermont roads, but it is not a federal identification document and cannot be used to board a domestic flight or enter a federal building. The card exists under 23 V.S.A. § 603(e), which authorizes the state to issue driving credentials to foreign-born residents who cannot establish lawful presence in the United States.²

Who Can Apply

Any Vermont resident can apply. Most applicants are foreign-born residents without proof of lawful presence, but the card is not limited to that group.¹ If you can prove lawful presence, you’re generally better off applying for a standard license or a REAL ID–compliant license, since those carry fewer restrictions.

Age rules match the rest of Vermont’s licensing system. A learner’s privilege card is available at 15, a junior operator’s privilege card at 16, and a full operator’s privilege card at 18.³ Junior operators (16–17) must have held a learner’s permit for at least one year with a clean driving record.⁴

Documents You Need to Bring

Getting your paperwork in order before you walk in is the difference between leaving with a card and making a second trip. You’ll need documents in three categories: identity, Vermont residency, and either a Social Security number or proof you can’t get one.

Identity and Date of Birth

Your documents must establish your name, date of birth, and place of birth. The statute specifically lists these as acceptable:²

A valid, unexpired foreign passport, with or without a U.S. Customs and Border Protection entry stamp.
A consular identification card from the government of Mexico, Guatemala, or another government with comparable security standards as determined by the Commissioner.
A certified vital record of birth, marriage, adoption, or divorce, with a certified English translation if the original is in another language.

You can combine two or more of these to meet the identity requirement. A certified translation includes a translator’s statement confirming accuracy and credentials. Informal or machine translations will not be accepted.

Vermont Residency

Bring two separate documents showing your current name and a Vermont street address. P.O. boxes don’t count. Acceptable items include utility bills with a service address, signed leases, property tax bills, homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies, medical bills, W-2 or 1099 forms, and Vermont state tax forms.⁵ A regular piece of mail with your name and Vermont street address can serve as one of the two, but not both.

Social Security Number or Proof You Can’t Get One

If you have an SSN, provide it. If you don’t and are ineligible, you need documentation from the Social Security Administration. The SSA issues Form SSA-L676 (“Refusal to Process SSN Application”) when it cannot process an application for reasons like insufficient documentation or unverifiable immigration status.⁶ You request it in person at a local SSA office. The form does not prove citizenship or work authorization; it only documents that your application could not be processed.

The Application Form

Use Form VL-021, the License/Permit Application, for a non-commercial Driver’s Privilege Card.⁷ Form VL-031 is for commercial licenses, which is a common mix-up. Download VL-021 from the DMV website and complete it before your appointment. Your name, date of birth, and place of birth on the form must match your identity documents exactly. Even small spelling differences cause delays.

At the DMV

Exams require an appointment. Schedule online at mydmv.vermont.gov or by calling 888-970-0357.⁸ When you arrive, staff review your VL-021 and supporting documents. You take a vision screening and a written knowledge test on Vermont traffic laws and road signs. For a learner’s permit, passing the written test is the last step.

For a full operator’s privilege card, you also take a road test. Bring a vehicle that’s properly equipped and in good mechanical condition, with a valid registration, current inspection sticker, and proof of insurance.⁹ The insurance proof must show the carrier’s name, coverage dates, the insured’s name, and the vehicle identification number. Without it, the examiner won’t begin the test.

Fees

Current DMV fees for the privilege card are:¹⁰

Learner’s privilege card, 2 years: $24
Operator’s privilege card, 2 years: $39
Operator’s privilege card, 4 years: $62

After you pass the tests and pay, you leave with a temporary paper credential. The permanent card arrives at your Vermont mailing address within 7 to 10 business days.¹¹ Confirm your address on file before you leave the counter, because there’s no way to redirect the card once it ships.

What the Card Looks Like and How Long It Lasts

The Driver’s Privilege Card resembles a standard Vermont license but carries required markings: the phrase “non-Real ID” and text stating it is not valid for federal identification or official purposes. Vermont law enforcement recognizes it as valid driving authorization. The card expires on the eve of your second birthday after issuance. The four-year option, available only for the full operator’s privilege card, expires on the eve of your fourth birthday after issuance.²

What the Card Does Not Do

The card is a driving credential and nothing more. Confusion on this point can cause real problems, from being turned away at airport security to much more serious consequences.

Not Federal Identification

Under the REAL ID Act of 2005, federal agencies cannot accept a non-compliant license for official purposes, which includes boarding domestic commercial flights and entering federal buildings.¹² REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, and is now active at airport security checkpoints.¹³ If the privilege card is your only ID, you cannot fly domestically with it. You would need a valid passport, passport card, or another TSA-accepted form.¹⁴

No Immigration or Work Authorization

Holding the card does not change your immigration status, grant work authorization, or make you eligible for federal public benefits. It is not evidence of lawful presence in the United States.

Not a Right to Vote

The card does not grant the right to vote. Under the National Voter Registration Act, driver’s license applications can serve as voter registration forms, and those forms require an attestation of U.S. citizenship with penalties for false statements.¹⁵ Non-citizens who register or vote face serious federal consequences, including deportation. If a voter registration form is offered during your DMV visit, do not sign it unless you are a U.S. citizen.

Not Valid for Commercial Driving

The privilege card does not qualify you for a Commercial Driver’s License. Federal regulations require proof of lawful immigration status for any CDL or commercial learner’s permit. As of March 2026, only holders of certain employment-based visa categories (H-2A, H-2B, and E-2) are eligible for non-domiciled commercial credentials, and those applicants must still be verified through the federal SAVE system.¹⁶ A privilege card holder without lawful presence cannot obtain a CDL in any state.

Insurance

Vermont law requires every vehicle on public roads to carry minimum liability insurance, and privilege card holders are no exception.¹⁷ The legal requirements are identical to those for any other driver, but finding coverage without a Social Security number or a long U.S. driving history often takes extra effort. Many carriers treat applicants without U.S. driving history as new drivers with no prior experience, which usually means higher premiums. Shopping around pays off; some insurers are more experienced with these applications than others.

You need proof of insurance to drive legally and to take the road test, and the proof must show the carrier’s name, effective and expiration dates, the insured’s name, and the vehicle identification number.⁹ Get a policy in place before you schedule the road test.

Renewal and Replacement

A two-year card renews more often than a standard four-year license, so track the expiration date. Renewals go through the DMV, and if you want to switch from the privilege card to a REAL ID–compliant license or an Enhanced Driver’s License at renewal, you must renew in person and bring the identity documents required for the new credential.¹⁸ Renewal fees match new-issuance fees: $39 for two years or $62 for four years for the operator’s card.¹⁰

If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, apply for a replacement at the DMV and bring your identity and residency documents again. Don’t drive without a valid credential while you wait; request a temporary paper license to cover the gap.

Privacy of Your DMV Records

Vermont’s statute at 23 V.S.A. § 603 contains provisions specific to privilege card records, and card holders receive the same protections that apply to other licensed drivers under Title 23. Federal law under the Driver Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. § 2721) also restricts how state DMVs share personal information from motor vehicle records, with exceptions for law enforcement and certain government functions. Vermont has positioned the card as a road safety measure rather than an immigration enforcement tool, but the interplay between state privacy rules and federal immigration authority is genuinely complex. If you have specific concerns about how your DMV data might be used, talk with an immigration attorney familiar with Vermont law before relying on general guidance.

1
Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s Privilege Card
2
Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23 VSA 603 – Application for and Issuance of License
3
Department of Motor Vehicles. Learner’s Permit
4
Department of Motor Vehicles. License Overviews and Resources
5
Department of Motor Vehicles. Vermont Residency
6
Social Security Administration. Form SSA-L676 – Refusal to Process SSN Application
7
Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License
8
Department of Motor Vehicles. Appointments
9
Department of Motor Vehicles. Prepare for a Road Test
10
Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License Fees
11
Department of Motor Vehicles. Temporary License
12
Department of Homeland Security. REAL ID Act of 2005
13
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
14
Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
15
The United States Department of Justice. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993
16
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Non-Domiciled CDL 2026 Final Rule FAQs
17
Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance
18
Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License, Renewal