Vermont Judicial Bureau Payment Plan: The $30 Rule for Traffic Fines

If unpaid traffic tickets are holding up your Vermont license, you don't have to pay everything at once to get reinstated. Vermont law guarantees you the right to a payment plan — and the monthly cap is surprisingly low.

The $30 Monthly Cap

Under 4 V.S.A. § 1109, the Vermont Judicial Bureau must offer a payment plan limited to $30 per traffic violation judgment per month. If you have four or more outstanding judgments, the maximum monthly payment is capped at $100 total — not $30 per ticket.

This is a statutory right, not a favor. The VJB cannot require higher payments.

How to Set It Up

Option 1: Online — Visit vtcourts.gov/pay-fine. You can look up your outstanding citations and pay in full by credit card (2.39% convenience fee). For the payment plan itself, you'll need Form 500-00423.

Option 2: Form 500-00423 — Download the "Request for Extension of Time to Pay" from vtcourts.gov/self-help/traffic-violations. Fill it out with your citation numbers and proposed payment amount (within the statutory limits), then submit it to the Judicial Bureau.

Option 3: Call — Reach the Vermont Judicial Bureau through 802-652-1900 (the Judiciary Information Center) or 802-295-8869 (the Judicial Bureau). They can walk you through the enrollment process over the phone.

What Happens After You Enroll

Once you're enrolled and maintaining compliance, the Judicial Bureau sends an electronic compliance notice to the DMV. This tells the DMV that the court-debt hold can be lifted on their end.

But — and this catches people — the VJB clearance alone doesn't reinstate your license. You still need to pay the $80 reinstatement fee directly to the DMV. The DMV then processes the reinstatement and mails you an official Notice of Reinstatement. Until that notice arrives, driving is still criminal DLS.

What If You Miss a Payment

Missing a payment can jeopardize the plan and restart the license hold. If your financial situation changes, contact the VJB before a payment is due to renegotiate. Ignoring the plan after enrollment puts you in a worse position than before — the court can initiate civil contempt after 75 days of non-payment and refer the debt to AllianceOne collections.

Payment Plan vs. Civil DLS Diversion Program

The VJB payment plan and the Civil DLS Diversion Program are different tracks, and mixing them up wastes time:

• VJB payment plan: You pay a fixed monthly amount on the original fine balance. The payment goes toward the full amount owed.
• Civil DLS Diversion Program: You work with a local community justice center case manager, complete a financial affidavit, and may have fines reduced or converted to community service. Requires a $25 down payment toward a $175 contract fee. An alternative to explore when the standard payment plan does not fit your budget, particularly with high accumulated debt.

Both paths eventually result in a compliance notice to the DMV. Both still require the $80 reinstatement fee after clearance. The diversion program is the one to explore if the payment plan math doesn't work for your budget.

The Vermont Driver's License Reinstatement Guide includes the full VJB resolution sequence — forms, contact numbers, the diversion program application, and the DMV clearance timeline.

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