Free Vermont License Plate Lookup and Owner Search

Updated: 16 Jan 2026 5 min read

Vermont License Plate Lookup is an online vehicle history check that utilizes a license plate number. For users who want to start with a quick vin check free, this approach offers an easy way to screen a vehicle before diving deeper into its background. Get the information about the title, accidents, mileage, and other events - without revealing the owner’s personal information.

Why Trust EpicVIN's Vermont License Plate Lookup

Vermont-scale coverage (1981-2025) - Vermont currently has ≈629,430 registered vehicles (FHWA, Nov 2023); virtually all fall within EpicVIN’s 1981-2025 coverage window.
99%+ plate-to-VIN match rate in Vermont - Our Vermont car license plate lookup reliably resolves plates to the correct 17-character VIN for the vast majority of active registrations (EpicVIN Analytics, 2024-2025).
Official NMVTIS-approved provider - EpicVIN is an authorized NMVTIS data provider and operates in compliance with the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).

What Is a Reverse License Plate Lookup and How Does It Work?

Plate-to-VIN Match

EpicVIN instantly resolves a Vermont plate to the vehicle’s 17-character vehicle identification number - no manual VIN decoding required.

Instant Check

We cross-check NMVTIS and trusted partner records for Vermont vehicles, surfacing title brands, registration events, theft/salvage activity, and inspection history.

Vehicle History Report

Obtain information with a quick snapshot for Vermont vehicles: accidents/damage, title status, mileage readings (incl. inspection results where available), and open recalls - without exposing personal owner details.

Expect to see the VIN, basic vehicle specs, and any reported incidents (e.g., accidents, salvage titles, or recalls). Private owner details are not included, keeping the process legal and privacy-safe.

How to Look Up a Vermont (VT) License Plate

Enter the Plate

Type the Vermont license plate number (no spaces or special characters). This step works for a VT license plate lookup within legal uses.

Select Vermont

Ensure Vermont is selected if not auto-detected; this supports a Vermont license plate search across plate designs and plate type options.

Hit "Check Plate"

EpicVIN finds the VIN and basic vehicle information instantly; reverse license plate lookup VT helps obtain license plate information from public records fast.

Read & Save

Review the free preview, then save or purchase a full vehicle history report for detailed information (accident history, title brands, odometer readings, recalls).

Why run a Vermont license plate search?

✅ What you can get from the report

Vehicle VIN & Manufacturing Details: Resolve the 17-digit VIN, factory specs, and equipment for Vermont passenger vehicles. Use this baseline to match disclosures and inspection stickers.
Mileage Tampering & History: See Vermont-friendly odometer chronology with inspection timestamps, helping flag rollbacks or inconsistencies that could inflate price or hide wear.
Title Classification & Problems: Identify salvage, lemon buybacks, flood branding, or other complications tied to Vermont laws that may affect safety, value, and insurability.
Safety & Manufacturer Issues: Surface open recalls and relevant TSBs; pair with Vermont inspection records to spot recurring faults that could fail inspection later.
Liens & Recovery Records: Check for active liens, theft/recovery notes, and, where available, taxi/rental/fleet flags - useful for Vermont buyers comparing similar cars.
Previous Owner Timeline: Privacy-safe: show how many owners and the length of each vehicle ownership period, not names or addresses.

❌ You CANNOT get

Reports don’t disclose the vehicle owner’s name or address, live ALPR location, or driver’s license or insurance numbers. Under the DPPA and applicable state privacy law, EpicVIN reports are for informational vehicle purposes only and not for FCRA-regulated (Fair Credit Reporting Act) decisions.

Name: Protected personal information; not available in public lookups.
Address: Restricted to protect privacy under DPPA/state law.
Phone Number: Not disclosed; non-public PII is prohibited.
Email: Not provided; consumer contact data is restricted.
Live Location: Real-time tracking is not allowed or provided.
Driver's License Number: Restricted by law; not available.
Insurance policy number: Restricted by law; not available.

Report Example

A Vermont license plate lookup uses the tag number to query public vehicle records. Enter the plate and select Vermont; EpicVIN resolves the VIN and compiles the record from NMVTIS and partner sources (including inspection history where available).

Works with standard and personalized Vermont plates; temporary tags may not return a VIN until registered.

1992 PORSCHE 968

Odometer

No problems
Safety Recalls

2 record
Accidents

No problems
Last mileage

81,152mi
Auction Sales

1 sale found
Owners

2 owners

Year 1992
Make PORSCHE
Model 968
Fuel Type Gasoline
Engine 3L In-Line
Made in GERMANY

Vermont Vehicle Risks

Indicator	Vermont	Potential Risk
Accidents/Damage	≈1.3% in 2023	Hidden damage, reduced safety, and resale value.
Theft	Moderate level of thefts	Elevated theft risk; possible loss/confiscation and insurance complications.
Open Recalls	Many open recalls - ~17.5% (≈110,000 vehicles in 2022)	Unresolved safety defects; increased accident risk until fixed.
Inspection/Emissions Patterns	VIN inspection history is available in the public VT AVIP	Engine/emissions issues; costly repairs and registration delays.

How to reduce these risks (quick plan)

Run a plate/VIN check first: Start with a quick screen; if red flags appear, buy the full EpicVIN report and review each section carefully.
Check recalls directly: Use NHTSA’s VIN recall lookup to confirm open safety recalls and the required free dealer fixes.
Verify theft/salvage status: Run a VIN check in Vermont to spot reported thefts and insurer-declared salvage where available before committing.
Inspect the car, not just the paper: Always test drive and get a pre-purchase inspection; reports complement, not replace, mechanical checks.
Match identifiers: Ensure the VIN on the dash/door matches the report and the plate matches registration to rule out swaps.
Leverage Vermont Periodic Vehicle Inspection (OBD) history: Regular state inspection entries can reveal mileage progression or persistent emission faults recorded by the Vermont DMV.

Vermont DMV or EpicVIN? Picking the Right Path in Vermont

The Vermont DMV can release a vehicle record via VG-116 (DMV Record Request) or online for permitted purposes, but it’s slow and registration-focused; EpicVIN provides an instant, multi-source history (NMVTIS title/brand/lien).

Q: Is the DMV faster or broader for pre-purchase checks?
A: DMV requests are formal and often take days or weeks; results emphasize registration and may omit accident or salvage-auction details. EpicVIN compiles broader incident data quickly.
Q: Will DMV give me the owner PII?
A: Not for casual inquiries. Owner PII is protected by the DPPA and Vermont privacy rules and is released only for permitted purposes stated on VG-116.
Q: Is EpicVIN “official”?
A: Yes - EpicVIN is NMVTIS-approved. Reports include official title/brand/lien indicators and exclude owner PII; EpicVIN isn’t a CRA under the FCRA.
Q: When should I use each?
A: Use EpicVIN for fast due diligence before buying; use DMV for a formal registration record tied to a documented permitted purpose.

Prefer to double-check? Use NHTSA’s recall lookup to corroborate important findings. Alex Black, CMO & auto expert, EpicVIN

Guide to Vermont License Plates: Styles, Costs, and Rules

In the Green Mountain State, license plates are part of vehicle registration administered by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (Vermont DMV). On the Vermont DMV website (the official government agency - https://dmv.vermont.gov/), you’ll find online services for a Vermont license plate lookup, a license plate search, and plate-related forms. Another key resource is MyDMV Online Services (https://mydmv.vermont.gov/_/).

Vermont license rules cover passenger vehicles, passenger cars, trucks, and commercial vehicles. Private investigations must follow permitted-purpose channels.

Are two plates required in Vermont? The Commissioner may require one or two plates; if two are furnished, they must be mounted front and rear. Motorcycles and trailers display a single rear plate. (23 V.S.A. § 511).

Fines: Failing to display the required plate(s) is a civil violation; the Vermont Judicial Bureau’s current waiver penalty is $47.

Standard License Plates

Design: Vermont’s standard plate has a green background with white letters - iconic across license plates in Vermont.
Cost: Initial plate issuance is $0 (plates are delivered with registration “free of charge”). If you specifically request current-issue plates that keep your previous number, there’s a one-time $29 fee. (23 V.S.A. § 304(a), § 304(f)).
How to Get: Register via MyDMV online services or a DMV office; you’ll receive plates and registration together.

Personalized (Vanity) Plates

Design: A custom message can be ordered on the standard background and select specialty plates/specialty license plates.
Cost: $58 per year vanity fee in addition to registration. (23 V.S.A. § 304(b)(1)).
Rules & Characters: Up to seven characters; content rules apply under § 304.
How to Get: Check availability and apply through MyDMV.

Specialty License Plates

Design: Vermont offers special fund plates, conservation plates, and other designs; these plate designs support programs and appear on many vehicle license plates in Vermont.
Cost:
- Conservation Plate: $32 initial + $32 renewal (in addition to registration). (23 V.S.A. § 304b).
- Building Bright Futures Plate: $29 initial + $29 annual fee (23 V.S.A. § 304c).
- Safety/Service Organization Plate: $21 special plate fee per set (in addition to registration). (23 V.S.A. § 304(b)(2)(B)).
How to Get: Apply at DMV or via MyDMV after completing vehicle registration; some plate type choices have additional fees.

Historic & Collector Plates

Rules & Requirements: Vermont recognizes limited-use “exhibition vehicles” and permits “year of manufacture” plates when conditions are met.
Costs: $26 annual registration for exhibition vehicles (only one rear plate). (23 V.S.A. § 373).

Other Plate Rules and Processes

Temporary registration: Electronic 60-day temporary plates cost $6. (23 V.S.A. § 518).
Replacement plates (lost/stolen/damaged): $15 per plate (fee may be waived for manufacturing defects). (23 V.S.A. § 514).
Transfers: Plate/registration transfer between vehicles is $30 (plus any difference in registration fee, if applicable). (23 V.S.A. § 323).

Vermont - Fees at a glance

Plate type/Action	One-time plate fee	Where to obtain	Form/official link
Standard passenger plates (new license plate)	$0 (included with registration)	DMV/Online (MyDMV)	Vermont DMV - Vehicle Registrations
Specialty background plates - Conservation	$32 initial fee	DMV/Online (MyDMV)	23 V.S.A. § 304b
Specialty background plates - Building Bright Futures	$29 initial fee	DMV/Online (MyDMV)	23 V.S.A. § 304c
Replacement plates - regular	$15 per plate	DMV	23 V.S.A. § 514
Temporary registration/Temporary plate (non-commercial) - 60 days	$6 per temporary sample	DMV/Online (MyDMV)	23 V.S.A. § 518

- Municipal/county components may apply; amounts above exclude registration & taxes.
- Programs with annual contributions (e.g., specialty programs) have recurring donations not shown here.
- Fees verified: Sep 2025.
- Some amounts vary by statute updates; see official sections for current language.

How Your Personal Information is Protected in Vermont

Federal Law:
The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) limits the disclosure of personal data from motor vehicle records. Vermont legislative materials reference DPPA “permissive disclosures.”
Local Law:
Vermont’s Public Records Act exemptions and motor vehicle statutes protect DMV-held identifiers - e.g., motor vehicle records; photo images (23 V.S.A. § 104), DMV student-identifying data (23 V.S.A. § 707), ignition interlock images/PII (23 V.S.A. § 1213(m)), and ALPR data access/confidentiality rules (23 V.S.A. § 1607(c)).

EpicVIN complies with the DPPA and the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act (DPDPA); we do not sell vehicle owners' personal data (only de-identified vehicle data). We do not provide the owner's name, address, or contact information - this is prohibited.

Official Vermont Resources

Vermont DMV - Vehicle Registrations - Start, renew, or manage vehicle registration and plate transactions online.
MyDMV Online Services - Secure portal to order plates, replacements, and handle registration tasks.
23 V.S.A. § 511 - Manner of display - Official rules on front/rear plate display and temporary plate placement.
23 V.S.A. § 518 - Temporary registration - Statutory 60-day electronic plate and $6 fee details.
23 V.S.A. § 304b/§ 304c - Specialty plates - Initial one-time fees and rules for Conservation and Building Bright Futures plates.

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States Base

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Louisiana

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Utah

Vermont
Virginia

Vermont Plate Lookup – FAQ

Double-check the entry (0 vs O, I vs 1) and make sure Vermont is selected. Very new or temporary tags may not be linked yet - try later or use the VIN. You can contact our support via chat or email to obtain vehicle information.

Temporary tags and freshly issued plates often aren’t in statewide databases yet. Ask the seller for the VIN or retry in a few days.

Yes. We don’t notify anyone about your lookup, and we don’t display owner PII. Results focus on vehicle data, not personal identity.

No. Plate-to-VIN works for standard and personalized plates; results focus on vehicle data, not owner information, under the DPPA.

Possibly, but very recent reassignments can lag in databases. Use the VIN from the title/registration if the plate doesn’t resolve yet.

Yes, commercial and passenger vehicles are supported. Comprehensive information does not show owner names/addresses due to DPPA laws and Vermont privacy rules.

Typically, yes - where available, you’ll see NMVTIS title brands, reported accidents/damage, mileage readings, and open recalls; private owner details are excluded.

The lookup resolves the VIN and shows a preview; the comprehensive report adds the deeper vehicle's past with additional information (brands, events, mileage timeline, recalls, and other details) without PII.

Yes. Pre-purchase research, safety, and anti-fraud are permitted under the DPPA; it’s not for credit, employment, or tenant screening (FCRA).

Contact the Vermont State Police or your local police department immediately, and notify the Vermont DMV; don’t confront the seller yourself.

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Learn everything there is to know about your next car.

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