2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 23 - Motor Vehicles › Chapter 11 - Financial Responsibility and Insurance › § 800. Maintenance of financial responsibility

§ 800. Maintenance of financial responsibility
[Subsection (a) as currently effective; see also subsection (a) and contingent effective date of amendment note set out below.]
(a) No owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered, or operator required to be licensed or issued a learner’s permit, shall operate or permit the operation of the vehicle upon the highways of the State without having in effect an automobile liability policy or bond in the amounts of at least $25,000.00 for one person and $50,000.00 for two or more persons killed or injured and $10,000.00 for damages to property in any one crash. In lieu thereof, evidence of self-insurance in the amount of $115,000.00 must be filed with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and shall be maintained and evidenced in a form prescribed by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may require that evidence of financial responsibility be produced before motor vehicle inspections are performed pursuant to the requirements of section 1222 of this title.
[Subsection (a) as amended by 2015, No. 50, § 6; see also subsection (a) set out above, and contingent effective date of amendment note set out below.]
(a) No owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered, or operator required to be licensed or issued a learner’s permit, shall operate or permit the operation of the vehicle upon the highways of the State without having in effect an automobile liability policy or bond in the amounts of at least $25,000.00 for one person and $50,000.00 for two or more persons killed or injured and $10,000.00 for damages to property in any one crash. In lieu thereof, evidence of self-insurance in the amount of $115,000.00 must be filed with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and shall be maintained and evidenced in a form prescribed by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may adopt rules governing the standards for insurance identification cards. The Commissioner may also require that evidence of financial responsibility be produced before motor vehicle inspections are performed pursuant to the requirements of section 1222 of this title.
(b) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $500.00, and such violation shall be a traffic violation within the meaning of chapter 24 of this title.
(c) Every operator of a vehicle required to be registered shall have proof of financial responsibility as required by subsection (a) of this section when operating such vehicle on the highways of this State. A person may prove financial responsibility using a portable electronic device; however, use of a device for this purpose does not in itself constitute consent for an enforcement officer to access other contents of the device. An operator cited for violating this subsection shall not be convicted if he or she sends or produces to the issuing enforcement agency within seven business days of the traffic stop proof of financial responsibility that was in effect at the time of the traffic stop.
(d) A person who violates subsection (c) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $100.00. (Added 1985, No. 77, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986; amended 1987, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 29, 1988; 1989, No. 84, § 5; 1997, No. 117, § 33, eff. Jan. 1, 1999; 2011, No. 46, § 6; 2013, No. 67, § 14; 2013, No. 189 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; 2015, No. 50, § 6; 2019, No. 14, § 62, eff. April 30, 2019.)