Restoring Civil Rights After a Felony in Vermont

Voting rights are never lost in Vermont, so they need no restoration. For other legal consequences of a conviction ('mandatory sanctions'), a person may petition the court for a certificate of restoration of rights five years after the most recent conviction or release from incarceration, whichever is later; the court may grant it if the person shows by a preponderance of the evidence that they have a lawful occupation or support, are complying with their sentence, have no pending charges, and pose no unreasonable risk. A certificate cannot relieve sex-offender registration, certain driver's license sanctions, ineligibility for law enforcement jobs, or sanctions from a 'listed crime' or drug trafficking conviction. Vermont's firearm ban for people convicted of a violent crime does not apply to a person granted federal relief under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c).