Vermont Snowmobile Registration and Trail Permit

Short answer: To ride Vermont's VAST trail system you need three things: a registered snowmobile, liability insurance, and a VAST trail pass called a TMA (Trail Maintenance Assessment). The TMA includes your club membership.

• Registration: Vermont law sets annual snowmobile registration at $28 for residents and $36 for nonresidents (23 V.S.A. § 3204). You register through the Vermont DMV, or through a registration agent.
• Trail pass (TMA): The last VAST price page we could read lists the regular-season TMA at $195 with a Vermont registration and $235 with an out-of-state registration. That page was for the 2025 season. VAST now says 2027 TMAs are on sale, but we could not read a current price. Check VAST before you buy.
• Who is covered: The TMA covers the one sled it is bought for. Nonresidents with a valid home registration do not re-register in Vermont, but they still buy a TMA to ride VAST trails.

We checked the Vermont DMV and statute pages on 2026-10-31. The VAST site blocked direct access, so we read archived copies of its pages. Details are below.

Quick facts

Fees can change. Only the Vermont General Assembly can change registration fees. TMA prices are set by VAST and can change.

Registration through the Vermont DMV

The DMV handles snowmobile registration and titling. Its forms include the Snowmobile Registration and Title Application (VD-038) for new, transfer, renewal or title-only requests.

What the DMV asks for depends on the sled:

• New sled, never registered: the manufacturer's certificate of origin and a bill of sale.
• Used, previously titled: the previous certificate of title, signed by all owners, with all liens released, plus a bill of sale.
• Non-titleable sled: a bill of sale, the seller's signature on the application, or a copy of your out-of-state registration in your name.

Every bill of sale must list make, year, identification number, price, date and the seller's signature. Antique snowmobiles fall under a separate part of the statute, 23 V.S.A. § 3204a.

Where to buy registration

Vermont law lets the DMV commissioner authorize VAST and its agents to register and renew snowmobiles. VAST says registrations are sold through Vermont state registration agents and DMV offices. The DMV also has a "find a registration agent" link on its snowmobile page. Temporary registrations from VAST cost the same as the annual fee and are good for up to 60 days, per the statute.

The VAST trail pass (TMA)

VAST says a TMA is required to ride its trails. Here is the process VAST describes:

1. Register and insure the sled. You upload an image of your current registration when you buy.
2. Buy the TMA online. VAST says club dues are included, and you pick a club during checkout.

VAST's archived price page lists an early bird and family pricing that ends Dec. 15 each season. It also lists a $30 club-only membership. VAST states plainly that the club-only membership is not a trail pass.

VAST says you can buy at most two TMAs per order. A TMA can be moved to a different sled for $20, but the owner must be the same, and VAST says it can take several business days.

Price caution: The $195, $235 and $90 figures come from a VAST page captured in December 2024 for the 2025 season. We could not confirm 2026-27 prices. Treat these as a guide only.

Resident vs nonresident

The DMV says Vermont allows legally registered snowmobiles to operate in the state with a valid out-of-state registration. On private land you must carry written permission from the landowner. On VAST trails you must get a VAST permit.

So a nonresident pays no Vermont registration fee, but does pay the TMA. VAST lists the higher TMA price for out-of-state registrations. Vermont residents who ride elsewhere should ask that state or province whether it honors Vermont registrations.

Insurance

VAST says anyone operating on the statewide trail system needs liability coverage of at least $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for two or more people killed or injured, plus $10,000 for property damage in one accident. Riding without it can bring large fines.

Age and safety course

VAST describes these rules:

• Anyone 12 or older and born after July 1, 1983, must pass an approved snowmobile safety course and carry the certificate. VAST describes it as a six-hour course.
• Age 12: may ride on the trail system and cross a public road only under direct supervision of someone 18 or older.
• Ages 13 to 15: may ride the trail system and cross a public road. On a plowed public highway they must be directly supervised by someone 18 or older.
• Ages 8 to 11: no course required, but a parent or guardian must supervise directly. They may not ride on or across a plowed public right of way.
• Under 8: may not ride on the VAST trail system.

The DMV points to its safety training page and to a certified Vermont snowmobile safety course. Check both before you ride.

Rules on the trail

• Helmets are mandatory on the VAST trail system, per VAST.
• Your sled needs a headlight, red rear light, working brake, and a windshield without sharp edges, or the rider must wear eye protection.
• Colored headlight lens covers are illegal.
• The speed limit on state lands is 35 m.p.h., per VAST.
• Vermont treats riding impaired as a serious offense, for drugs and alcohol.
• If an accident causes injury, death, or more than $500 in property damage, you must stop and report it.

Penalties

VAST publishes maximum fines from the Vermont Judicial Bureau waiver schedule dated Aug. 5, 2026. Riding an unregistered sled or one without a TMA carries a maximum fine of $565. A second or later offense within three years is $622. Equipment violations such as defective or inadequate equipment list up to $392.

Where to ride

VAST says it maintains and grooms nearly 5,000 miles of trails, run by more than 100 clubs. Clubs open trails at their discretion between Dec. 16 and April 15, based on snow, trail conditions and landowner requests. Snow on the ground does not mean the trail is open. Check VAST and your local club first.

Safety first

A pass does not make a trail safe. Check the trail status and forecast before you go. Stay on marked trails. Tell someone your route and return time. Stay off ice you have not checked. No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

FAQ

How much is Vermont snowmobile registration?

Vermont law sets it at $28 for residents and $36 for nonresidents per year. A duplicate certificate is $6.

How much is the VAST trail pass?

The latest VAST price page we could read, for the 2025 season, lists $195 for a Vermont registration and $235 for an out-of-state registration. We could not confirm the 2026-27 price. Check VAST before you buy.

Do out-of-state riders need to register in Vermont?

No, if the sled has a valid home registration. You still need a VAST TMA to ride VAST trails, and written landowner permission on private land.

Does the trail pass include a club membership?

VAST says yes. Club dues are included, and you pick your club when you buy online. The separate $30 club-only membership is not a trail pass.

What is the fine for riding without a TMA?

VAST lists a maximum of $565, and $622 for a second or later offense within three years.