Vermont Free Public Records Directory

Vermont has the second smallest population of any state; only Wyoming has fewer people. Because it is only the sixth smallest by area, it is 30th in population density. One reason for the lack of residents may be the weather. As the only New England state without a coast, Vermont is the seventh coldest state in the nation. Its annual mean temperature is 43 degrees, although the northeastern region averages ten degrees colder. Summers are mild, and the state’s thick forests provide spectacular fall colors that draw tourists. Fall colors, numerous ski areas, and an extensive network of cross-country ski trails make tourism a mainstay of Vermont’s economy, although dairy farming, maple syrup production, and stone quarrying are also important. The Green Mountains stretch from north to south through most of the state; its name comes from the French phrase for “green mountains” and its nickname is The Green Mountain State.

Vermont is bordered by New Hampshire to the east, Massachusetts to the south, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Lake Champlain, on the northern end of the border with New York, is the sixth largest freshwater body in the nation. The lake is named after Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer who founded the first European settlement in New England after traveling south from Canada. After the French were defeated in the French and Indian War, the territory was ceded to England.

After the Revolutionary War, Vermont declared itself an independent republic, and it remained so for 14 years until it was admitted to the Union as the 14th state in 1790. Today, Vermont remains a state of small cities and towns. Burlington, the largest city, has fewer than 43,000 residents, making it the least populous of all states’ largest cities. Montpelier, the capital, has only about 8,000 residents, making it the least populous state capital. Vermont only has 6 other cities and towns with over 10,000 residents. Low population has its advantages; Vermont is ranked #2 in public safety, #3 in low pollution health risk, #2 in low industrial toxins, and #1 in urban air quality.

Vermont has 14 counties, but they have little governmental function except as boundaries for the state court system and elections for local law enforcement. As in other New England states, governmental function below the state level resides in its cities, towns, and villages. Elections of municipal officers and approval of annual budgets take place at annual town meetings. Town Meeting Day, the first Tuesday in March, is a state holiday. To find public records in Vermont, see our directory below of all types, including record request procedures, vital statistics, and government records.

Abbreviation	VT
Capital	Montpelier
Population	624,594 (2016 est.)
Area size	9,616 sq. mi
Demonym	Vermonter
Primary languages spoken	English
Governor	Phil Scott
Lieutenant Governor	David Zuckerman
U.S. Senators	Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders
U.S. House Delegation	1 Democrat
Time Zone	Eastern: UTC -5/-4

*The map and data in the table are from Wikipedia.

Browse by Public Record Category

There are two types of public records: 1) personal public records that document major life milestones such as birth certificates, death certificates, divorce records, and marriage records, etc.; and 2) government records that are made public such as property tax records, recorded land records, voter records, crime data, jail inmate records, and court records. The Freedom of Information Act is a national law that releases government agency public records and makes it possible to view most public records. Since there are a multitude of records available, it can be difficult to know how or where to access them.

Vermont’s first public records law was passed in 1976. Public records are defined broadly, and anyone can request records with giving a reason, but the law has many exemptions. The Vermont Secretary of State’s Office publishes a guide to the law.

When you are ready to start your search, you’ll find our Public Records Directory website easy to use since all of the records can be searched by federal, state, county, city, town, or type of record. The links provided will connect you to the best website for the record search, provide details about the record, or provide contact information for those records without search capabilities.