How to Become a Police Officer in Vermont

Who can apply

• You must be hired and sponsored by a Vermont law enforcement agency. Vermont does not accept self-paying (tuition) students.
• You must be at least 18 years old when you apply and have a valid driver's license.
• You must have a high school diploma or GED.
• You must pass a medical exam done no more than six months before academy entry.
• You must pass the academy's written entrance exam, a physical fitness test and a psychological evaluation (the MMPI-3 or another evaluation approved by the executive director).
• You must pass a background check and polygraph by your agency within 24 months of entry, and be fingerprinted within one year of entry.
• People with felony convictions, certain misdemeanors, or a prohibition on possessing firearms will not be considered. Domestic assault, sex offenses, fraud, victimizing children or vulnerable adults, violating court orders, drug distribution, or illegal drug use in the year before training also exclude candidates.

Step by step

1. Apply to and get hired by a Vermont law enforcement agency.
2. Your agency registers you for entrance testing: the NTN written entrance exam first, then the MMPI-3 and physical fitness test at the Vermont Police Academy.
3. Your agency completes your background check, polygraph and fingerprinting and registers you for a basic class in Acadis with your medical packet.
4. Pass the Level III physical test at orientation before the class starts.
5. Complete the 17-week residential Level III Basic Training at the Vermont Police Academy.
6. On successful completion you become certified (or certifiable) by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council.

Training and exam

Training: Vermont has three certification levels. Level III (full scope of authority) requires a 17-week residential basic training academy at the Vermont Police Academy, which runs two Level III classes a year. Level II is a shorter basic course with a limited scope of practice. You must keep at least a 70 percent average with no more than four failures on graded assignments, practicals or competencies. You live at the academy Monday through Friday.

Exam: The state requires an entrance exam rather than a final licensing exam. The written entrance exam (through NTN) has four parts: situational judgment video, writing, reading and a public safety self-assessment, and you must pass every part. Results are good for one year. The physical readiness test is a 1.5-mile run and a 500-meter row, averaged together. For Level III you must score at the 50th percentile or better for your age and gender (beginning in 2026); for Level II, the 40th percentile.

What it costs in Vermont

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

The Level III Basic Training course is 17 weeks long. Entrance exam and MMPI-3 results are valid for one year before entry.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Under Council Rule 20, every officer must complete at least 30 hours of training each year to keep certification. For 2026, it must include first aid and CPR, firearms qualification, 4 hours of use of force with a VCJC-certified instructor, and domestic violence. Agencies submit 2026 training between January 1 and March 1, 2027.

Good to know in Vermont

Officers from other states: You can get Level III certification by Out of Jurisdiction (OOJ) waiver if you are fully certified in another jurisdiction, completed training comparable to the Vermont Police Academy, and finish all field training officer requirements. Your sponsoring agency applies for you; the academy and the waiver subcommittee must approve. If you have been out of law enforcement work for more than three years, you cannot get a Level III waiver and must attend Level II or Level III training (officers with at least three years of past service may qualify for a Level II waiver). Waiver applicants must also show current proficiency in Vermont motor vehicle, criminal and juvenile law, use of force and tactics, and firearms.

Break in service: Level II or III officers who have not worked as a Level III officer in Vermont for more than three consecutive years must request recertification.

Code of conduct: Since January 1, 2025, the statewide Law Enforcement Officer's Code of Conduct is required by law (20 V.S.A. 2371(a)), and violations can affect your certification.

Sources

• VCJC - Becoming a Vermont Police Officer
• VCJC - Level III Basic Training
• VCJC - Police Academy Entrance Tests
• VCJC - Frequently Asked Questions
• VCJC - Tuition and Fees
• VCJC - Annual Training Requirements for Certification (Rule 20)
• 20 V.S.A. 2358 - Minimum training standards