H 549

No. 85  Page 1 of 9
2026
No. 85. An act relating to eligibility of sentenced or detained individuals
to obtain a State-issued nondriver identification card, replacement
operator’s license, or replacement learner’s permit.
                                     (H.549)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 115 is amended to read:
§ 115. NONDRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARDS
                                      ***
   (m)(1) An individual who is sentenced to serve a period of imprisonment of
six months or more committed to the custody of the Commissioner of
Corrections in a correctional facility and who is eligible for a nondriver
identification card under the requirements of this section shall, upon proper
application and submission of the documentation required for a non-REAL ID
or REAL ID identification card and in advance of release from a correctional
facility, be provided with a nondriver identification card for a fee of $0.00.
      (2) As part of reentry planning, the Department of Corrections shall
inquire with the individual to be released about the individual’s desire to obtain
a nondriver identification card, operator’s license, or any driving credential
replacement learner’s permit, if eligible, and inform the individual about the
differences, including any costs to the individual.
      (3) If the individual desires a nondriver identification card, the
Department of Corrections shall coordinate with the Department of Motor
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Vehicles to provide an identification card for the individual at the time of
release.
   (n)(1) If an individual who is detained for six months or more in a
correctional facility is eligible for a nondriver identification card under the
requirements of this section, the Department of Corrections, as soon as
reasonably practicable, shall obtain the documentation required for a non-
REAL ID or REAL ID nondriver identification card and shall provide the
individual with the documentation at the time of release.
      (2) The application shall include the post-release mailing address of the
individual and proof that the individual is a resident of Vermont following
release from the correctional facility.
      (3) Upon proper application and submission of all required
documentation following release from the correctional facility, an individual
who was detained for six months or more in a correctional facility shall be
provided with a nondriver identification card for a fee of $0.00.
      (4) The Department of Corrections shall coordinate with the Department
of Motor Vehicles regarding the documentation required for an individual who
is detained for six months or more in a correctional facility to obtain a non-
REAL ID or REAL ID nondriver identification card.
   (o) The Commissioner shall provide a form that, upon the individual’s
execution, shall serve as a document of an anatomical gift under 18 V.S.A.
chapter 110. An indicator shall be placed on the nondriver identification card
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of any individual who has executed an anatomical gift form in accordance with
this section.
   (p) As used in this section, “correctional facility” has the same meaning as
in 28 V.S.A. § 3.
Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 613 is amended to read:
§ 613. REPLACEMENT LICENSE
                                      ***
   (c)(1) An individual who is sentenced to serve a period of imprisonment of
six months or more in a correctional facility who holds an unexpired license
issued under the provisions of this subchapter or who held a Vermont
operator’s license that expired not more than three years prior shall:
         (A) be eligible to apply for a replacement license pursuant to the
provisions of this section; and
         (B) upon proper application and submission of the documentation
required for a non-REAL ID or REAL ID identification card and in advance of
release from a correctional facility, be provided with a replacement operator’s
license for a fee of $0.00.
      (2) The application shall include the post-release mailing address of the
individual and proof that the individual will be a resident of Vermont
following release from the correctional facility.
      (3) As part of reentry planning, the Department of Corrections shall
inquire with each individual regarding whether the individual would like to
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obtain a nondriver identification card, operator’s license, or replacement
learner’s permit, if eligible, and shall provide the individual with information
regarding required documentation and any associated costs.
      (4) If an individual would like to obtain an operator’s license pursuant to
the provisions of this section and is eligible, the Department of Corrections
shall coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide an
operator’s license to the individual at the time the individual is released from
the correctional facility.
Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 613 is amended to read:
§ 613. REPLACEMENT LICENSE
                                       ***
   (d)(1) An individual who is detained for six months or more in a
correctional facility shall be eligible to apply for a replacement license
pursuant to the provisions of this section if, at the time the individual submits
an application to obtain a replacement license pursuant to this subsection, the
individual:
         (A) holds an unexpired license issued under the provisions of this
subchapter; or
         (B) held a Vermont operator’s license that expired not more than
three years prior.
      (2) If an individual who is detained for six months or more in a
correctional facility is eligible for a replacement operator’s license under the
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requirements of this section, the Department of Corrections, as soon as
reasonably practicable, shall obtain the documentation required for a non-
REAL ID or REAL ID operator’s license and shall provide the individual with
the documentation at the time of release.
      (3) The application shall include the post-release mailing address of the
individual and proof that the individual is a resident of Vermont following
release from the correctional facility.
      (4) Upon proper application and submission of all required
documentation following release from the correctional facility, an individual
who was detained for six months or more in a correctional facility shall be
provided with a replacement operator’s license for a fee of $0.00.
      (5) The Department of Corrections shall coordinate with the Department
of Motor Vehicles regarding the documentation required for an individual who
is detained for six months or more in a correctional facility to obtain a non-
REAL ID or REAL ID replacement operator’s license.
   (e) As used in this section, “correctional facility” has the same meaning as
in 28 V.S.A. § 3.
Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 617 is amended to read:
§ 617. LEARNER’S PERMIT
                                          ***
   (d)(1) An applicant shall pay $24.00 to the Commissioner for each
learner’s permit or a duplicate or renewal thereof.
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                                       ***
      (4) A replacement learner’s permit issued pursuant to subsection (g) of
this section shall be issued for a fee of $0.00.
                                       ***
   (g)(1) An individual sentenced to serve a period of imprisonment of six
months or more in a correctional facility who holds an unexpired learner’s
permit issued under the provisions of this section or who held a learner’s
permit issued under the provisions of this section that expired not more than
two years prior shall:
         (A) be eligible to apply for a replacement learner’s permit pursuant to
the provisions of this section; and
         (B) upon proper application and submission of all required
documentation in advance of release from a correctional facility, be provided
with a replacement learner’s permit upon release.
      (2) The application shall include the post-release mailing address of the
individual and proof that the individual will be a resident of Vermont
following release from the correctional facility.
      (3) As part of reentry planning, the Department of Corrections shall
inquire with each individual regarding whether the individual would like to
obtain a nondriver identification card, operator’s license, or replacement
learner’s permit, if eligible, and shall provide the individual with information
regarding required documentation and any associated costs.
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      (4) If an individual would like to obtain a replacement learner’s permit
pursuant to the provisions of this section and is eligible, the Department of
Corrections shall coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide
a replacement learner’s permit to the individual at the time the individual is
released from the correctional facility.
Sec. 5. 23 V.S.A. § 617 is amended to read:
§ 617. LEARNER’S PERMIT
                                       ***
   (h)(1) An individual who is detained for six months or more in a
correctional facility shall be eligible to apply for a replacement learner’s permit
pursuant to the provisions of this section if, at the time the individual submits
an application to obtain a replacement learner’s permit pursuant to this
subsection, the individual:
         (A) holds an unexpired learner’s permit issued under the provisions
of this section; or
         (B) held a learner’s permit issued under the provisions of this section
that expired not more than two years prior.
      (2) If an individual who is detained for six months or more in a
correctional facility is eligible for a replacement learner’s permit under the
requirements of this section, the Department of Corrections, as soon as
reasonably practicable, shall obtain the documentation required for a learner’s
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permit and shall provide the individual with the documentation at the time of
release from the correctional facility.
      (3) The application shall include the post-release mailing address of the
individual and proof that the individual is a resident of Vermont following
release from the correctional facility.
      (4) Upon proper application and submission of all required
documentation following release from the correctional facility, an individual
who was detained for six months or more in a correctional facility shall be
provided with a replacement learner’s permit for a fee of $0.00.
      (5) The Department of Corrections shall coordinate with the Department
of Motor Vehicles regarding the documentation required for an individual who
is detained for six months or more in a correctional facility to obtain a
replacement learner’s permit.
   (i) As used in this section, “correctional facility” has the same meaning as
in 28 V.S.A. § 3.
Sec. 6. 28 V.S.A. § 102 is amended to read:
§ 102. COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONS; APPOINTMENT;
         POWERS; RESPONSIBILITIES
                                          ***
   (c) The Commissioner is charged with the following responsibilities:
                                          ***
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      (25) To coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide
eligible individuals with nondriver identification cards and documentation
pursuant to 23 V.S.A. § 115(m) and (n), replacement operator’s licenses and
documentation pursuant to 23 V.S.A. § 613(c) and (d), and replacement
learner’s permits and documentation pursuant to 23 V.S.A. § 617(g) and (h).
Sec. 7. EFFECTIVE DATES
   (a) This section and Secs. 2 (sentenced individuals’ operator’s licenses), 4
(sentenced individuals’ learner’s permits), and 6 (DOC Commissioner
responsibilities) shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
   (b) Secs. 1 (nondriver identification cards), 3 (detained individuals’
operator’s licenses), and 5 (detained individuals’ learner’s permits) shall take
effect on January 1, 2027.
Date Governor signed bill: April 27, 2026
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