Driving Tests

Vermont Teen Driver Penalties: Recalls, Points and 0.02 Law

informational·how to guide·Published August 11, 2026

What happens to a teen driver's permit or license after a ticket in Vermont?

In Vermont, the DMV recalls a teen's permit or junior license for 30 days after one texting violation, and for 90 days after a 3-point speeding ticket or a total of 6 points. Ten points in two years starts suspension proceedings. Under 21, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more brings a 90-day license suspension for a first offense and no points.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the Vermont law on recalls of a minor's permit or license, 23 V.S.A. § 607a, the law on under-21 alcohol, 7 V.S.A. § 656, and the Vermont DMV page on the graduated license laws. It also uses 23 V.S.A. §§ 2501, 2502 and 2505 (points), Act 45 of 2025 and the DMV suspensions page (as of 2026). Confirm the rules with the Vermont DMV (dmv.vermont.gov) before you drive.

Recall or suspension: which one a teen gets

Vermont treats a learner's permit and a junior operator's license as provisional licenses that the DMV can recall. A recall takes away the permit or license for a fixed term. Points (10 in two years) and the under-21 alcohol rule lead to a suspension. For a teen, the recall triggers (one 3-point speeding ticket or a total of 6 points) come well before the 10-point limit. The Commissioner can also recall a minor's permit or license after an investigation, when information from a credible person shows that the driver is unfit, or unsafe because of habits or a record of crashes or convictions.

How long a recall lasts for each cause

How long a recall lasts for each cause
Cause	Recall length
One texting violation (23 V.S.A. § 1099)	30 days
One speeding violation worth 3 points	90 days
A total of 6 points	90 days
Breaking the junior passenger rule or the permit supervisor rule	90 days
Carrying passengers for hire or driving for an employer (DMV page)	90 days
Recommendation of a diversion or reparative board	Up to 30 days (law); the DMV lists 30 days

Passenger, work and phone rules for teens

The junior passenger rule has its own penalty: a fine of up to $50 and a 90-day recall. An officer can enforce it only after a stop for another suspected traffic violation. The junior license passenger rules explain who may ride with you. The DMV also lists a 90-day recall for driving for an employer. The free question page on a junior license and a delivery job tests that rule. Drivers under 18 may not use any portable electronic device while they drive. The Vermont hand-held phone guide gives the fines and points.

How a recall can delay your next license

The DMV requires six months with no permit recalls, suspensions or revocations before it issues a junior license. To get a Driver's License, you must be 18 and have no recalls, suspensions or revocations in the previous six months. Any recall, except one based only on a parent's request, can also run past the 18th birthday. While it lasts, you cannot get any operator's license. When the recall term ends, the permit or license is reinstated. If the Commissioner requires it, you must first pass a reexamination.

How many points each violation adds

How many points each violation adds
Violation	Points
Speeding, less than 10 mph over the limit	2
Speeding, more than 10 mph over the limit	3
Speeding, more than 20 mph over the limit	5
Speeding, more than 30 mph over the limit	8
Illegally passing a school bus	5
Texting outside a work or school zone	2
A violation that causes a crash that was your fault	2 more points, once fault is decided

When points lead to suspension

Points go on your driving record when you are convicted of a moving violation. Parking, equipment, size and weight violations add none. A judge or Judicial Bureau hearing officer may waive points only if every listed condition is met, for example no points in the last five years. At 10 points in a two-year period, the Commissioner must start suspension proceedings. A teen reaches a recall much sooner: one 3-point speeding ticket (more than 10 mph over the limit) brings a 90-day recall. The free question page on 10 points in two years tests the 10-point rule.

Under 21: the 0.02 alcohol rule

A person 12 or older and under 21 breaks the law by driving, trying to drive or being in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more. This is a civil violation. The rule now sits in 7 V.S.A. § 656. Act 45 of 2025 repealed the old rule, 23 V.S.A. § 1216, on July 1, 2025. The Vermont Driver's Manual (2025 edition, form dated July 2024) still describes the old rule and the old program name. Use the rule in this guide.

What the 0.02 violation costs

What the 0.02 violation costs
Situation	Penalty
Every violation	Referral to the Court Diversion Program for the Youth Substance Awareness Safety Program
First offense	90-day suspension of your license and privilege to drive
Second or later offense	145-day suspension
First offense, program not completed	$300 civil penalty and a 180-day suspension
Second or later offense, program not completed	$600 civil penalty and a suspension of one year or until age 21, whichever is longer

More facts about the 0.02 rule

No points are assessed for the 0.02 violation.
The DMV may also recall a provisional license under 23 V.S.A. § 607a.
If you do not finish the program, you get credit for the suspension time you already served.
A blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more within two hours after driving is presumed to have been 0.02 or more when you drove. You can rebut that presumption.
The civil violation does not stop a criminal prosecution, for example for DUI under 23 V.S.A. § 1201.

Drinking without driving

Under 21, drinking alcohol, possessing it to drink, or lying about your age to get it is also a civil violation. It brings the same referral to the Youth Substance Awareness Safety Program. If you do not complete the program, a first offense costs $300 and a 30-day license suspension. A second or later offense costs up to $600 and a 90-day suspension.

What applies to you

You hold a permit or junior license and get a texting ticket

Expect a 30-day recall, plus 2 points when the violation is outside a work or school zone.

You are under 21 and drive at 0.02 or more

Expect a referral to the Youth Substance Awareness Safety Program and a 90-day suspension for a first offense, or 145 days for a later offense.

You are under 21 and refuse a preliminary breath test

An officer with reasonable grounds may ask for the test. A refusal counts as a 0.02 violation, with the same penalties.

Key takeaways

A texting violation means a 30-day recall. One 3-point speeding ticket, a total of 6 points, or a passenger or supervisor rule violation means 90 days.
A recall, other than one a parent asks for, can run past your 18th birthday and blocks any operator's license while it lasts.
Ten points in two years starts suspension proceedings. Speeding is 2, 3, 5 or 8 points, and passing a school bus illegally is 5.
Under 21, 0.02 or more behind the wheel means a 90-day suspension (first offense), 145 days (later), and no points. The rule is in 7 V.S.A. § 656.
Next step: practice these rules on the free Vermont operator license permit practice test.

Vermont teen driver penalties: common questions

Can a Vermont parent have a teen's permit recalled?

Yes. The Commissioner must recall a learner's permit or junior operator's license when the custodial parent or guardian asks in writing. Unlike a recall for a ticket, a recall based only on that request cannot extend past the teen's 18th birthday.

Can I ask for a hearing after my Vermont permit is recalled?

Yes. A teen whose permit or junior license is recalled has the same right to a hearing before the Commissioner as in 23 V.S.A. § 671(a). The recall also runs at the same time as any suspension under chapter 13 of Title 23, the chapter on the operation of vehicles, so the two periods overlap.

What should I do after an under-21 alcohol ticket in Vermont?

Contact the Diversion Program in the county where the offense happened within 15 days, as the notice of violation says. If you do not, the case goes to the Judicial Bureau. If the Bureau finds you liable, you get a civil penalty and a license suspension.

Can I drive during an under-21 0.02 suspension?

Only with an ignition interlock restricted driver's license (RDL) or certificate under 23 V.S.A. § 1213. If you did not complete the program and choose the RDL after a first offense, you must drive with it for 180 days before reinstatement.