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How much does a DUI cost in Vermont?
A first DUI in Vermont carries a statutory fine of Up to $750. This guide stacks every cost layer an official Vermont source prices — the fine, court costs, the license reinstatement fee, the DUI program, ignition interlock, and the SR-22 insurance filing — and says plainly which layers no official source prices at all.
| Vermont DUI costs at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Statutory fine — first DUI | For a first DUI offense, Vermont law (23 V.S.A. section 1210) allows a fine of up to $750, with no mandatory minimum. Three statutory surcharges are added to any fine: $60 for the Blood and Breath Alcohol Testing Special Fund, $50 for the Public Defender Special Fund, and $50 for the DUI Enforcement Special Fund, for $160 in mandatory surcharges. |
| Statutory fine — second DUI | The statute separates a second offense: Up to $1,500. Second offenses also carry longer suspensions and program requirements — see the sections below. |
| Court costs & fees | Vermont does not publish a single statewide court-cost figure for DUI cases. The predictable add-ons are the three statutory surcharges totaling $160 described in the fine information. |
| License suspension — first offense | On a first conviction, the license is suspended for 90 days, and it stays suspended until the driver complies with the treatment-completion requirements of 23 V.S.A. section 1209a. If the offense caused a death or serious bodily injury, the suspension is one year. |
| License reinstatement fee | No general DUI reinstatement fee could be verified from the official pages reviewed, so none is listed. Drivers who apply for an ignition-interlock restricted license pay the DMV fees attached to that license. |
| Ignition interlock | Conditional — restricted license / court order — During the suspension, an eligible driver may drive only under an ignition-interlock restricted driver license or certificate issued under 23 V.S.A. section 1213, which requires an interlock device in the vehicle. Device costs are paid by the driver and are not published by the state. |
| DUI education / treatment program | Before the license can be reinstated, the driver must satisfy section 1209a by completing the state's impaired driver rehabilitation program (IDRP), administered through the Vermont Department of Health. No program fee is published on the official pages reviewed. |
| SR-22 insurance filing | A financial-responsibility insurance filing requirement for alcohol-related offenses appears in Vermont DMV materials, but it could not be confirmed on an official page opened for this guide, so no SR-22 requirement is stated. Insurance after a DUI is priced as high-risk coverage and generally costs more than a standard policy. |
The fine
For a first DUI offense, Vermont law (23 V.S.A. section 1210) allows a fine of up to $750, with no mandatory minimum. Three statutory surcharges are added to any fine: $60 for the Blood and Breath Alcohol Testing Special Fund, $50 for the Public Defender Special Fund, and $50 for the DUI Enforcement Special Fund, for $160 in mandatory surcharges.
Court costs & fees
Vermont does not publish a single statewide court-cost figure for DUI cases. The predictable add-ons are the three statutory surcharges totaling $160 described in the fine information.
License suspension & reinstatement
On a first conviction, the license is suspended for 90 days, and it stays suspended until the driver complies with the treatment-completion requirements of 23 V.S.A. section 1209a. If the offense caused a death or serious bodily injury, the suspension is one year.
No general DUI reinstatement fee could be verified from the official pages reviewed, so none is listed. Drivers who apply for an ignition-interlock restricted license pay the DMV fees attached to that license.
The national picture — which states charge the most to reinstate — is in our license reinstatement guide.
Ignition interlock
During the suspension, an eligible driver may drive only under an ignition-interlock restricted driver license or certificate issued under 23 V.S.A. section 1213, which requires an interlock device in the vehicle. Device costs are paid by the driver and are not published by the state.
How interlock pricing works (installation, monthly lease, calibration, removal) is in our ignition interlock cost guide.
DUI education & treatment program
Before the license can be reinstated, the driver must satisfy section 1209a by completing the state's impaired driver rehabilitation program (IDRP), administered through the Vermont Department of Health. No program fee is published on the official pages reviewed.
SR-22 & insurance
A financial-responsibility insurance filing requirement for alcohol-related offenses appears in Vermont DMV materials, but it could not be confirmed on an official page opened for this guide, so no SR-22 requirement is stated. Insurance after a DUI is priced as high-risk coverage and generally costs more than a standard policy.
What an SR-22 is, which states charge a filing fee, and how long it must be carried: SR-22 cost guide.
Towing, impound & other charges
The $160 in mandatory surcharges ($60 blood and breath testing, $50 public defender, $50 DUI enforcement) applies to every DUI conviction in addition to the fine. A defendant who obtains an independent alcohol assessment does so at their own expense.
Worked total: the verified charges stacked
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Statutory fine | Up to $750 |
| Total of the verified state-set charges above | $0–$750 |
That total is deliberately incomplete: it leaves out everything no official Vermont source prices statewide — court costs where they are set county by county, interlock lease payments to a private vendor, towing and storage, and the insurance increase that follows an SR-22. Add your own figures for those in the cost calculator.
Sources: Vermont Legislature — 23 V.S.A. 1201 (operating under the influence) · Vermont Legislature — 23 V.S.A. 1206 (suspension) · Vermont Legislature — 23 V.S.A. 1210 (penalties and surcharges). Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court and the driver-licensing agency.
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