Vermont Snowmobile Regulations
Must Know Before You Go!

Island Pond, Vermont
and the
Northeast Kingdom

"Your Vacation Destination"

Anyone born after July 1, 1983, and who are 12 years of age and older, must complete a six-hour Snowmobile Safety Course recognized by Vermont.

More information about this can be found here.

Persons exempt from the snowmobile safety education requirement: a child not yet 12 years of age, but not younger than eight when under the *direct supervision* of a parent or legal guardian who shall be liable for the actions of the child.

Liability Insurance Required: 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 accident.

Under Vermont Law, Title 23, Chapter 29, you must operate your snowmobile at a speed that is reasonable and prudent, taking into consideration current conditions, trail traffic and other hazards present on the trail.

The maximum speed limit on state lands is 35 m.p.h. The use of radar on snowmobile trails is becoming a standard practice. With the use of hand held radar guns, the enforcement of speed limits that are imposed on all state lands, has increased dramatically. Snowmobiles are subject to posted speed limits on public roads open to snowmobile traffic.

A frozen lake is considered a public highway and the maximum speed limit is 50 m.p.h.

Vermont has a tough “Snowmobiling While Intoxicated” law. This law covers both drugs and alcohol. While you will be charged with SWI on the VAST trail system, intoxicated snowmobilers operating on a public highway will be charged with DWI. As a result of this violation, you will be assessed points and your driver’s license will be suspended. The legal alcohol limit is 0.08.

On the statewide snowmobile trails system or on a public right-of-way after the hour of 11:00 p.m. and before the hour of 6:00 a.m., if requested by the landowner or ordered by a town or municipality through ordinance, unless the operation is more than 500 feet from a residence or residences or the operation is taking place to groom the trail. All trails impacted by this subdivision shall be posted to indicate that they are closed between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

If you are involved in an accident, resulting in personal injury, death or property damage in excess of $500, it is your duty to stop and report it to local authorities. You must give your name, address, registration number and the name of the owner of the snowmobile to the party whose person or property is injured. You must also file an accident report with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles within 72 hours.

Your snowmobiles must be equipped with: headlight; red rear light; windshield free from jagged or sharp edges; a fully functional brake in good condition; efficient muffler and such other equipment and devices as may be required to meet the noise level specifications of not more than 73 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet in a normal operating environment.

Lights shall be on during operation and the lenses of headlights shall be clear, as supplied by the manufacturer, and unimpaired by the installation of colored lenses or other devices that would impair the ability of the headlight to perform to its original equipment design specifications.

Colored lens on headlights are illegal. 

No person shall operate, ride in or on a snowmobile or a sled or device pulled by a snowmobile on the statewide snowmobile trails system (SSTS) without wearing, upon his or her head, protective headgear of a type approved by the commissioner, unless the operator of the snowmobile is in the process of grooming the trail. The headgear shall be equipped with a strap to secure the headgear in place.

It is against Vermont law to sell a replacement exhaust system that exceeds the manufacturer's original equipment specifications. Violation of this law will result in a fine of $300 for the snowmobile operator and a $300 fine for the person selling the illegal exhaust system. No by-pass of a muffler system is allowed.

Vermont recognizes all valid state and provincial registrations. The cost to register a snowmobile in Vermont is $25 for a resident, $32 for a non-resident (only if not registered in another state or province) and $2 to transfer a registration if your machine has been sold or traded-in.

A TMA (Trail Maintenance Assessment/ Trail Pass) must be purchased from a club and displayed according to Vermont law. TMAs can only be purchased from a club’s membership chairperson or a local business that has been contracted to sell TMAs for the club. The cost of a TMA for the 2011-2012 season will average around $60 - $105 for Vermont residents and $80 - $145 for Non-residents. Vermont does offer short term (5 day) TMA's for $90.00.

*Direct Supervision means sufficiently close and able to control, by communicating visually or orally, the operation of a snowmobile by an operator under 16 years of age, taking into account the noise created by snowmobiles and protective headgear worn by the operator.

Please RIDE SAFE, SMART and DO NOT DRINK and RIDE!