The Vermont Secretary of State is one of the state’s five constitutional offices, and it handles the filings and records most residents and business owners will ever need from state government: forming a business, licensing a profession, registering to vote, commissioning a notary, authenticating a document for use abroad, and accessing public records. Most of it can be done online through the office’s portal.
Business Formation and Ongoing Filings
The Corporations Division is where Vermont businesses come into legal existence. LLCs form under 11 V.S.A. Chapter 25, which sets the definitions and filing framework for limited liability companies.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 11 V.S.A. 4001 – Definitions Your LLC name must carry an identifier such as “LLC,” “PLC,” or “L3C,” and it has to be distinguishable from every other entity already on file. Corporations organize under a separate title, 11A V.S.A., which governs formation, governance, and dissolution for both for-profit and nonprofit corporations.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 11A V.S.A. 1.22 – Filing, Service, and Copying Fees
Every LLC must designate and continuously maintain an agent for service of process in Vermont.3Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 11 V.S.A. 4007 – Designated Office and Agent The agent must be a person or an entity with an active Vermont registration and a physical Vermont address where they can be reached during business hours. The LLC’s designated office itself does not need to be in Vermont. Corporations face a parallel requirement under 11A V.S.A. Chapter 5, which mandates a registered office and agent with a Vermont business address.4Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 11A – Chapter 5 Office and Agent
Beyond LLCs and corporations, the division files limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, cooperatives, and nonprofit corporations. Sole proprietors and partnerships operating under a name other than the owner’s legal name file an assumed business name registration, which tells the public who is behind a business name but does not create a separate legal entity.5Vermont Secretary of State. Assumed Name Registration
Annual and Biennial Reports
Forming an entity is only the first step. Vermont requires ongoing reports to keep your entity in good standing, and the deadline depends on entity type.6Secretary of State. Annual/Biennial Reports
- Profit corporations and profit cooperatives: annual report due within two and a half months after the fiscal year end on record.
- LLCs, PLCs, and L3Cs: annual report due within three months after the fiscal year end on record.
- LLPs and mutual benefit enterprises: annual report due between January 1 and April 1 each year, regardless of fiscal year.
- Nonprofit corporations and nonprofit cooperatives: biennial report due every two years between January 1 and April 1, starting the first year after initial registration.
All reports must be filed online. Missing a deadline triggers a $25 late fee, and continued noncompliance can lead to administrative dissolution, which revokes the entity’s legal existence. Reinstatement afterward costs $50 on top of any outstanding fees. Officers, directors, managers, or members listed in your filing must also be kept current.7Vermont Secretary of State. Vermont Secretary of State – Business Filings
Registering a Foreign Entity
If your business was organized in another state but conducts activities in Vermont, you likely need to register as a foreign entity. The filing requires a Certificate of Good Standing (or equivalent) from your home state, and the age of that certificate matters: corporations and nonprofits must submit one dated within 30 days of the Vermont filing date, while LLCs have a 90-day window.8Secretary of State. Foreign Registration The name you propose in Vermont is subject to the same “distinguishable on the record” standard as domestic entities, and you must designate a Vermont registered agent.
UCC Filings and Lien Searches
The Secretary of State is Vermont’s filing office for Uniform Commercial Code records. A lender taking a security interest in personal property collateral, such as inventory, equipment, or accounts receivable, files a UCC-1 financing statement with this office to give notice and establish priority. The office’s role is ministerial: it records and indexes the statement without deciding whether the underlying security interest exists or the information is accurate.9Cornell Law Institute. 04-003 Code Vt. R. 04-020-003-X – Uniform Commercial Code – Revised Article 9 – Administrative Rules
A UCC-1 is effective for five years from the filing date. To keep the lien alive, the secured party must file a UCC-3 continuation before the five-year window closes; miss it and the filing lapses, priority is lost, and the lender has to start over with a new UCC-1. The public UCC index can be searched to check whether a debtor has existing liens, a routine step in commercial lending and business acquisitions.
Professional Licensing
The Office of Professional Regulation, housed within the Secretary of State’s office, oversees licensing for more than 50 professions in Vermont, from architects and pharmacists to tattoo artists and well drillers.10Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 3 V.S.A. 122 – Office of Professional Regulation A new category, community-based perinatal doulas, takes effect July 1, 2026.
The standard license period is two years, but specific renewal requirements, including continuing education, vary by profession. Each profession’s page on the Secretary of State’s website lists the applicable statutes, rules, and renewal instructions.11Secretary of State. General FAQs The office investigates complaints against licensees and publishes monthly discipline reports, so professional misconduct outcomes are part of the public record. Before hiring, use the “Find a Professional” tool on the Office of Professional Regulation’s online services platform to confirm someone holds a current, active license.12Office of Professional Regulation | Secretary of State. Office of Professional Regulation
Elections and Voter Registration
The Secretary of State is Vermont’s chief election official, responsible for administering elections uniformly across the state under 17 V.S.A.13Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 17 V.S.A. 2101 – Purposes The office maintains the statewide voter checklist and coordinates with town and city clerks on ballot administration, poll worker training, and election security.
Vermont allows same-day voter registration. Eligible residents can register at their town clerk’s office or at the polls on Election Day, a policy in effect since January 1, 2017.14Vermont Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions – Voter Registration Online registration is also available through the Vermont Voter Portal.
Candidates, political action committees, and political parties file campaign finance disclosure reports with the Elections Division, and lobbyists, their employers, and lobbying firms file periodic disclosure forms. Both sets of filings are public. The Elections Division collects and publishes them, but enforcement authority over campaign finance violations rests with the Attorney General, not the Secretary of State.15Vermont Secretary of State. About the Elections Division
Archives, Notaries, and Apostilles
The Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) operates under the Secretary of State and runs the statewide records and information management program. VSARA sets record-keeping standards, appraises public records, issues retention schedules, operates a records center for inactive state documents, and takes legal custody of archival records.16Vermont Secretary of State. Manage Historical state documents and government records start there.
The Secretary of State also commissions notaries public. Vermont notary commissions run on a two-year fixed term. Notaries authenticate signatures and administer oaths on legal documents, which reaches everything from real estate closings to affidavits.
When you need a Vermont-issued document recognized in a foreign country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention, the Secretary of State issues apostilles and certificates of authentication. The fee is $10 per document, and requests go to VSARA with a completed request form and payment by check or money order.17Vermont Secretary of State. Apostille or Authentication Documents that are improperly notarized or certified will be rejected, so review the underlying notarization before submitting.
Public Records Requests
Vermont’s Public Records Act gives anyone the right to inspect or copy public records held by state agencies. When you submit a request, the custodian must respond within three business days of receipt.18Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 1 V.S.A. 318 If the record is in active use or in storage and not immediately available, the custodian must certify that in writing and set a date within one calendar week for access. In unusual circumstances, the deadline can be extended by up to ten business days with written notice explaining the reason.
If a custodian denies your request, you can appeal to the head of the agency, who has five business days to issue a written determination. Failure to respond within any of these time limits is treated as a denial and opens the door to further appeal. The Secretary of State has authority to set uniform fees for records reproduction across state agencies.
How to File and What It Costs
Before filing anything for a new business entity, gather the information the forms require:
- Entity name, searched against the Secretary of State’s online database to confirm it is distinguishable from existing registrations.5Vermont Secretary of State. Assumed Name Registration
- Registered agent name and Vermont physical address. The agent can be an individual or a registered entity, but the LLC itself cannot serve as its own agent.3Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 11 V.S.A. 4007 – Designated Office and Agent
- Full names and addresses of principal personnel (officers, directors, managers, or members, depending on entity type).
- A NAICS code or brief description of the primary services the entity will provide.
Online filing through the Secretary of State’s portal is the preferred method and carries no additional fee. You complete digital forms, certify accuracy with an electronic signature, and pay by credit card or electronic check. Online filings are typically processed in less than one business day.19Vermont Secretary of State. Limited Liability Company
Paper filings can be mailed to the Secretary of State’s office in Montpelier with completed forms, required signatures, and a check or money order payable to the Vermont Secretary of State. Expect seven to ten business days for processing.20Vermont Secretary of State. Registered Office and Agent Filings For anything time-sensitive, file online. Once your document is recorded, you receive a digital receipt and any certified copies through your portal account or email.
Fees vary by entity and filing. Articles of incorporation for a corporation cost $155, and the corporation annual report costs $60.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 11A V.S.A. 1.22 – Filing, Service, and Copying Fees Reinstatement after administrative dissolution costs $50 on top of any unpaid report fees. The complete fee schedule for every entity type and filing category is published on the Secretary of State’s fees page; checking it before submitting saves a rejection.