Vermont DUI Restricted License (RDL): How to Apply and What to Expect

Vermont's Restricted Driver's License — the RDL — is how most first-offense DUI drivers get back on the road before their full suspension period ends. Instead of sitting out 90 days (or 6 months for a test refusal) with no driving at all, the RDL lets you drive non-commercial vehicles equipped with a camera-equipped ignition interlock device after completing a mandatory 30-day hard suspension.

The program is not automatic, and the compliance rules have real teeth. Here is how it works from application through completion.

Eligibility and Wait Times

Every first-offense DUI driver in Vermont is eligible for the RDL, but only after serving the initial 30-day hard suspension:

• BAC test compliance (0.08% or higher): 30-day hard suspension, then RDL for 6 months
• Chemical test refusal: 30-day hard suspension, then RDL for 9 months

During the 30-day hard suspension, you cannot drive at all — no exceptions, no work permits. But you can and should use this time to prepare the RDL application so restricted driving begins on Day 31.

How to Apply

Step 1: Call the DMV RDL Unit at 802-828-2061 to verify your eligibility and request the application packet. This is a phone-only process — there is no online application.

Step 2: Complete the RDL application and submit the $125 annual application fee to the DMV. This fee recurs each year the RDL is active, and a $3 motorcycle endorsement is available if needed.

Step 3: Schedule installation of a certified, camera-equipped ignition interlock device with an approved Vermont vendor. The installer files the installation certification (Form VL-082) directly with the DMV.

Step 4: Ensure your insurance provider has filed an SR-22 financial responsibility certificate with the DMV. The insurer submits this electronically, but confirm with the DMV that they have received and logged it.

Step 5: Provide proof of active enrollment in the Impaired Driver Rehabilitation Program (IDRP) through the Vermont Department of Health.

Once all five elements are in place, the DMV processes the RDL and you can begin driving any vehicle equipped with your interlock device.

Ignition Interlock Compliance Rules

The IID blocks your vehicle from starting if it detects a BAC of 0.02% or higher. It also requires random "rolling retests" while the vehicle is in motion. The compliance rules are strict, and violations extend your RDL requirement:

• Three failed startup attempts (BAC of 0.04% or higher) within a monitoring period trigger a 3-month extension
• Failed rolling retest with BAC between 0.04% and 0.079%: 3-month extension
• Failed rolling retest with BAC of 0.08% or higher: 6-month extension
• Missed calibration appointment (required every 30 days): 60-day extension
• Tampering with or circumventing the device, or driving a vehicle without an interlock: criminal offense plus a 6-month extension

These extensions are consecutive, not concurrent — they stack on top of each other. A driver who accumulates multiple violations can see their interlock requirement stretch well beyond the original 6 or 9 months.

Costs

The RDL involves several ongoing expenses:

For drivers enrolled in 3SquaresVT, LIHEAP, or Reach Up, Vermont law requires approved IID manufacturers to reduce installation, lease, and deinstallation costs by at least 50%. This is a statutory mandate under 23 V.S.A. § 1213(l)(1) — you just need to present proof of enrollment.

What You Can and Cannot Do with an RDL

The RDL allows you to drive any non-commercial vehicle that has your interlock device installed. You can drive to work, appointments, school, and for any other purpose — there are no geographic or time-of-day restrictions.

What you cannot do: drive any vehicle that does not have your specific interlock device. Driving a non-equipped vehicle — a friend's car, a rental, a work truck — is a criminal offense and triggers an automatic 6-month extension of the interlock requirement.

Next Steps

The Vermont First-Offense DUI Guide includes the complete RDL application walkthrough, a compliance calendar to avoid extension penalties, and detailed instructions for coordinating IID installation, SR-22 filing, and IDRP enrollment during the 30-day hard suspension.

See more Vermont guides →