Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, § 5401 (2026)

Subchapter 003 : SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION; LAW ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION

• § 5401. Definitions

  As used in this subchapter:

  (1) “Address” means the actual location of the sex offender’s dwelling, including the street address, if any.

  (2) “Department” means the Department of Public Safety.

  (3) “Local law enforcement agency” means the municipal police department or statutorily established college or university police department. If the municipality, college, or university has no police department, the law enforcement agency that serves the municipality, college, or university.

  (4) “Mental abnormality” means a congenital or acquired condition that affects the emotional or volitional capacity of a person in a manner that predisposes the person to the commission of criminal sexual acts to a degree that makes the person a menace to the health and safety of other persons.

  (5) “Minor” means a person under the age of 18 years.

  (6) “Personality disorder” means a condition where a person exhibits personality traits that are inflexible and maladaptive and cause either significant functional impairment or subjective distress.

  (7) “Predatory” means an act directed at a stranger, or a person with whom a relationship has been established or promoted for the primary purpose of victimization.

  (8) “Release” means release from confinement or custody or placement into the community for any reason, including release on bail pending appeal, probation, parole, furlough, work release, early release, alternative sanctions, house arrest, daily interrupt, community placement, or completion of sentence. It shall also mean probation or parole supervision of an out-of-state sex offender under an interstate agreement or compact.

  (9) “Registry” means the Sex Offender Registry maintained by the Department of Public Safety.

  (10) “Sex offender” means:

  (A) A person who is convicted in any jurisdiction of the United States, including a state, territory, commonwealth, the District of Columbia, or military, federal, or tribal court of any of the following offenses:

  (i) sexual assault as defined in section 3252 of this title;

  (ii) aggravated sexual assault as defined in section 3253 of this title;

  (iii) lewd and lascivious conduct as defined in section 2601 of this title;

  (iv) sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult as defined in section 1379 of this title;

  (v) second or subsequent conviction for voyeurism as defined in subsection 2605(b) or (c) of this title;

  (vi) kidnapping with intent to commit sexual assault as defined in subdivision 2405(a)(1)(D) of this title;

  (vii) aggravated sexual assault of a child in violation of section 3253a of this title;

  (viii) human trafficking in violation of subdivisions 2652(a)(1)-(4) of this title;

  (ix) aggravated human trafficking in violation of subdivision 2653(a)(4) of this title;

  (x) a federal conviction in federal court for any of the following offenses:

  (I) sex trafficking of children as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1591;

  (II) aggravated sexual abuse as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2241;

  (III) sexual abuse as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2242;

  (IV) sexual abuse of a minor or ward as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2243;

  (V) abusive sexual contact as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2244;

  (VI) offenses resulting in death as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2245;

  (VII) sexual exploitation of children as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2251;

  (VIII) selling or buying of children as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2251A;

  (IX) material involving the sexual exploitation of minors as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2252;

  (X) material containing child pornography as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2252A;

  (XI) production of sexually explicit depictions of a minor for import into the United States as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2260;

  (XII) transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2421;

  (XIII) coercion and enticement of a minor for illegal sexual activity as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2422;

  (XIV) transportation of minors for illegal sexual activity, travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2423;

  (XV) transmitting information about a minor to further criminal sexual conduct as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2425;

  (XVI) trafficking in persons as defined in 18 U.S.C. sections 2251-2252(a), 2260, or 2421-2423 if the violation included sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, or the attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse; and

  (xi) an attempt to commit any offense listed in this subdivision (A).

  (B) A person who is convicted of any of the following offenses against a victim who is a minor, except that, for purposes of this subdivision, conduct that is criminal only because of the age of the victim shall not be considered an offense for purposes of the Registry if the perpetrator is under the age of 18 and the victim is at least 12 years old:

  (i) any offense listed in subdivision (A) of this subdivision (10);

  (ii) kidnapping as defined in subdivision 2405(a)(1)(D) of this title;

  (iii) lewd and lascivious conduct with a child as defined in section 2602 of this title;

  (iv) slave traffic as defined in section 2635 of this title;

  (v) sexual exploitation of children as defined in chapter 64 of this title;

  (vi) procurement or solicitation as defined in subdivision 2632(a)(6) of this title;

  (vii) aggravated sexual assault of a child as defined in section 3253a of this title;

  (viii) sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion as defined in section 2652 of this title;

  (ix) sexual exploitation of a minor as defined in section 3258 of this title;

  (x) an attempt to commit any offense listed in this subdivision (B).

  (C) A person who takes up residence within this State, other than within a correctional facility, and who has been convicted in any jurisdiction of the United States, including a state, territory, commonwealth, the District of Columbia, or military, federal, or tribal court, for a sex crime the elements of which would constitute a crime under subdivision (A) or (B) of this subdivision (10) if committed in this State.

  (D) A person 18 years of age or older who resides in this State, other than in a correctional facility, and who is currently or, prior to taking up residence within this State, was required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction of the United States, including a state, territory, commonwealth, the District of Columbia, or military, federal, or tribal court; except that, for purposes of this subdivision, conduct that is criminal only because of the age of the victim shall not be considered an offense for purposes of the registry if the perpetrator is under the age of 18 and the victim is at least 12 years old.

  (E) A nonresident sex offender who crosses into Vermont and who is employed, carries on a vocation, or is a student.

  (11) “Sexually violent offense” means sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault, as described in sections 3252 and 3253 of this title, or a comparable offense in another jurisdiction of the United States, or any attempt to commit sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, or a comparable offense in another jurisdiction of the United States.

  (12) “Sexually violent predator” means a person who is a sex offender, who has been convicted of a sexually violent offense, as defined in subdivision (11) of this section, and who suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses.

  (13) “Employed, carries on a vocation” includes employment that is full-time or part-time for a period of time exceeding 14 days or for an aggregate period of time exceeding 30 days during any calendar year, whether financially compensated, volunteered, or for the purpose of governmental or educational benefit.

  (14) “Student” means a person who is enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis in any public or private educational institution in Vermont, including any secondary school, trade or professional institution, or institution of higher learning.

  (15)(A) “Conviction” means a judgment of guilt following a verdict or finding of guilt, a plea of guilty, a plea of nolo contendere, an Alford Plea, or a judgment of guilt pursuant to a deferred sentence.

  (B) A sex offender whose sentence is deferred shall have no duty to register unless:

  (i) the offender violates the terms of the deferred sentence agreement and is sentenced on the conviction, in which case the offender’s name shall remain on the Registry for the period of time required by subsection 5407(e) or (f) of this title; or

  (ii) the court finds that the interests of justice warrant placing the offender’s name on the Registry while the sentence is deferred, in which case the offender’s name shall be removed from the Registry upon his or her successful completion of the deferred sentence agreement.

  (C) A sex offender treated as a youthful offender pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 52A shall have no duty to register unless the offender’s youthful offender status is revoked and he or she is sentenced for the offense in the Criminal Division of Superior Court.

  (16) “Risk” means the degree of dangerousness that a sex offender poses to others. “High-risk” means a high degree of dangerousness that a sex offender poses to others. Dangerousness includes the probability of a sexual reoffense. (Added 1995, No. 124 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1996; amended 1997, No. 57, § 7, eff. June 26, 1997; 2001, No. 49, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; 2003, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2005, No. 79, § 5; 2005, No. 83, § 3; 2005, No. 192 (Adj. Sess.), § 24, eff. May 26, 2006; 2009, No. 1, § 13b, eff. March 4, 2009; 2009, No. 58, § 6; 2011, No. 31, § 1, eff. May 17, 2011; 2011, No. 55, § 9; 2015, No. 31, § 1; 2017, No. 15, § 1, eff. May 1, 2017; 2017, No. 72, § 1.)