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Legislators in Vermont approved a bill that will allow residents to have various criminal records expunged and sealed.

Vermont’s Act 60

Vermont legislators approved Act 60, also known as An Act Relating To Sealing Criminal History Records in 2025. It was signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 12 and scheduled to go into effect less than a month later on July 01. The law defines a person’s criminal history record as “all information documenting an individual’s contact with the criminal justice system, including data regarding identification, arrest or citation, arraignment, judicial disposition, custody, and supervision.”

Act 60 lists a variety of offenses which may be expunged:

• Most misdemeanors.
• Various felonies, such as:
• Property-related offenses.
• Possessing, cultivating, selling, dispensing, or transporting regulated drugs.
• Any crime for which the individual was granted an unconditional pardon from the Governor.

Many Offenses Are Not Eligible

The act also stipulates a variety of offenses may not be expunged. Examples include:

• Violent crimes.
• Sexual offenses.
• Cruelty to animals.
• Hate motivated crimes.
• Mistreatment of vulnerable individuals.

Criminal Records Expungement And Sealing

Vermont legislators updated existing law to say residents may request:

Expungement of a criminal history record if the person was convicted of an offense for which the underlying conduct is no longer prohibited by law or designated as a crime.

Sealing of a criminal history record if the person was convicted of a qualifying crime or crimes that arose out of the same incident or occurrence.

Petitioners must meet certain requirements to be eligible for either scenario. These differ based on the circumstances, but in general the individual must:

• Have completed their sentence and any related conditions and then waited a specified amount of time.
• Have paid any court ordered charges or restitution.
• Not have anything on their record which indicates granting the expunction or sealing of records would be contrary to the interests of justice.

What Employers Should Know

Employers in Vermont should be aware that numerous residents may, in time, have eligible criminal records sealed or expunged. When a record goes through the expungement process, organizations may not consider it while making employment or other decisions about consumers.

Because employers are prohibited from reviewing expunged records, many choose to work with a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) which is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA). CRAs must complete an intensive audit by a third-party service and demonstrate that they follow reasonable procedures to only provide current, reportable records before they may earn accreditation.

Employment Background Checks

Prior to brining on employees, contractors or volunteers, every employer is strongly encouraged to run comprehensive background checks. These reports help hiring managers make informed decisions, maintain safe workplaces and conduct due diligence practices.

Backgrounds Online is a PBSA accredited CRA based in California. Our friendly, highly-trained team can help you customize screening packages that suit your specific needs, comply with relevant laws and meet industry requirements. We are available to assist you Monday through Friday from 5am to 6pm PT.