Vermont Failure to Appear License Suspension: FTA Holds and How to Clear Them

Missing a court date in Vermont doesn't just mean a bench warrant — it can trigger a license suspension that stays on your record until you actively resolve it. The process and consequences differ depending on which court you missed, and confusing the two can send you to the wrong office and waste weeks.

VJB Failure to Appear vs. Superior Court FTA

Vermont Judicial Bureau (VJB) FTA — If you missed a hearing date for a civil traffic citation (speeding, running a stop sign, other moving violations), the VJB handles it. The Judicial Bureau can enter a default judgment against you for the full fine amount plus late fees. If you don't pay or respond within 75 days, the court can initiate civil contempt proceedings, offset your Vermont state tax refund, or refer the debt to AllianceOne collections. The VJB also notifies the DMV, which suspends your license for the unpaid judgment.

Superior Court FTA — If you missed a hearing related to a criminal charge (criminal DLS, DUI, reckless driving), the Superior Court can issue an arrest warrant. This is a different animal entirely — a criminal FTA carries potential jail time, and the license suspension is secondary to the warrant. If you have a Superior Court FTA, you need to address the warrant before worrying about your license.

The distinction matters because the resolution paths are completely separate. VJB holds clear through payment or payment plans. Superior Court warrants require appearing before a judge.

How to Resolve a VJB Failure to Appear

If your FTA is with the Judicial Bureau for a civil traffic citation:

1. Contact the VJB — Call 802-652-1900 (the Judiciary Information Center) or 802-295-8869 (the Judicial Bureau). Explain that you missed a hearing date and want to resolve the default judgment.

2. Pay the judgment or enter a payment plan — You can pay the full amount online at vtcourts.gov/pay-fine (2.39% credit card fee). If you can't pay in full, request a payment plan using Form 500-00423 — the statutory cap is $30 per traffic violation judgment per month, or $100 per month total for four or more outstanding judgments.

3. Wait for the VJB to clear your DMV hold — Once you've paid or enrolled in a compliant payment plan, the Judicial Bureau sends an electronic notice to the DMV lifting the hold.

4. Pay the $80 DMV reinstatement fee — This is separate from whatever you owed the court. Pay through myDMV, by mail, or in person.

5. Receive the Notice of Reinstatement — Don't drive until you have this in hand.

The 75-Day Escalation Timeline

After a VJB default judgment, the clock starts. You have 75 days before the court escalates:

• Civil contempt proceedings can be initiated
• State tax refund offset — your Vermont refund gets diverted to the unpaid judgment
• Collections referral — AllianceOne (1-800-858-4506) takes over the debt

Getting into a payment plan before the 75-day mark stops the escalation chain. Contact the Judicial Bureau promptly about the statutory plan for your outstanding judgment; it does not require paying the full balance at once.

If You Have Both a VJB and Superior Court Issue

It's not uncommon for a missed civil traffic hearing to cascade into a criminal DLS charge if you kept driving on the resulting suspension. In that case, you're dealing with two separate holds — the VJB judgment hold and a criminal-charge hold from the Superior Court.

The VJB side resolves through payment or a plan. The criminal side requires appearing before a judge in the Superior Court where the DLS charge was filed. These two processes run independently, and both must be resolved before the DMV will reinstate your license.

The Vermont Driver's License Reinstatement Guide maps the full FTA resolution process — VJB and Superior Court paths, the 75-day escalation timeline, payment plan forms, and how to handle overlapping holds from multiple agencies.

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