Texting while driving ticket in Vermont
A texting ticket in Vermont costs $162–$392 on the state schedule and carries 2–5 points.
Fine$162–$392state schedule
Points2–5
Traffic schoolUnclear
Add up my ticket All Vermont rules
What does the Vermont state schedule charge for a texting ticket?
| Ticket | You pay |
|---|---|
| Using a handheld phone or device while driving, first offense (23 V.S.A. 1095b)Waiver amount, which already includes the surcharges. | $162[7] |
| Using a handheld phone or device while driving, later offenseWaiver amount, which already includes the surcharges. | $392[7] |
| Using a handheld phone or device in a work or school zone, first offenseWaiver amount, which already includes the surcharges. | $392[7] |
How many points is it?
- Handheld phone use2 pts[5]
- Using a handheld phone or device in a work or school zone, first offense4 pts[5]
- Using a handheld phone or device in a work or school zone, later offense5 pts[5]
Will a texting ticket raise your insurance in Vermont?
Probably, once it is on your record. Insurers rate a texting ticket as a moving violation. In Vermont one speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium about 21% on average[1], or about $968 over three years. A texting ticket usually lands in the same range.
Estimate based on the state's speeding average, not a quote.
How long do you have to respond to a texting ticket in Vermont?
You have 21 days to pay or respond to a texting ticket in Vermont. These are the dates that matter:
- 21daysPay or respondfrom the ticket date[4][9]
Details
Answer the ticket with the Judicial Bureau (admit, no contest or deny). If you miss it: The waiver fine and a $20 failure to answer fee are assessed and a default judgment is entered.
- 30daysLast day to appealfrom conviction[9]
Details
Appeal a Judicial Bureau decision to the Superior Court. If you miss it: The decision stands.
Can you keep a texting ticket off your Vermont record?
Every way to handle a Vermont ticket, from paying to contesting →
Texting tickets in other states →
Got a different ticket in Vermont?
- Speeding
- School zone
- Work zone
- Red light
- Stop sign
- No insurance
- Expired registration
- Seat belt
- School bus
- Failure to yield
- Parking
What else do people ask?
How many points is a texting ticket in Vermont?
Handheld phone use: 2 points. Using a handheld phone or device in a work or school zone, first offense: 4 points. Using a handheld phone or device in a work or school zone, later offense: 5 points.
Will a texting ticket raise my insurance in Vermont?
Probably, if it goes on your record. Insurers rate it as a moving violation. In Vermont a speeding ticket raised full-coverage premiums about 21% on average (ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026), and a texting ticket tends to land in the same range.
How long do I have to respond to a texting ticket in Vermont?
21 days from the date on the ticket. If you don't answer within 21 days, the Judicial Bureau enters a default judgment for the waiver fine plus a $20 fee.
Sources
Vermont law and DMV sources (6)
- License Suspensions & Related Programs, Vermont DMV.
- 4 V.S.A. § 1105 Answer to complaint, default, Vermont General Assembly.
- 23 V.S.A. § 2502 Point assessment, schedule, Vermont General Assembly.
- Judicial Bureau Waiver Penalties (2026), Vermont Judiciary.
- Civil Violation Complaints: Traffic, Municipal, and Fish and Wildlife Violations, Vermont Judiciary.
- Pay a Judicial Bureau Fine, Vermont Judiciary.
Insurance sources (4)
- State of Auto Insurance in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- How Does a DUI Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- How Much Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up After a Crash in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).