Vermont Background Check & Apostille Guide

Issuing agency

Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC)

Steps to request and apostille your record

1. STEP 1Request Your Background Check

   • Vermont background checks are handled by the Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC), a division of the Vermont Department of Public Safety.
   • OPTION 1 — Online (no notarization): Visit the Vermont Criminal Conviction Record Internet Service (VCCRIS) at secure.vermont.gov/DPS/criminalrecords/ for an immediate result you can print or save. Cost is $30 per conviction report.
   • OPTION 2 — Notarized Copy (recommended for immigration): Submit a 'Request for Personal Criminal Record Check' form along with a completed 'Notary' form. The Notary form must be signed by you and notarized with a raised seal. Cost is $30 per copy.
   • In-person requests can be made at VCIC between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Mail requests should be sent to: VSARA, 1078 U.S. Route 2 - Middlesex, Montpelier, VT 05633-7701.

2. STEP 2Receive Your Results

   • Online requests through VCCRIS produce immediate results that you can print or save.
   • Mail requests take 5–7 business days for processing (plus mail transit time).
   • For Ecuador visa purposes, request a notarized copy — the online printout may not be accepted as an official document for apostille. Whether you also need a separate FBI background check depends on your route and current Ecuador eVISAS guidance — confirm before ordering. The state check must be issued within 180 days of your visa application date.

3. STEP 3Apostille Your Background Check

   • Once you have your Vermont background check results, get the document apostilled by the Vermont Secretary of State.
   • The fee is $10 per apostille. Payment must be by check or money order payable to 'VT Secretary of State' — credit/debit cards and cash are not accepted.
   • Walk-in requests at the Montpelier office can be processed same-day during regular business hours. Mail requests take 3–5 business days (some sources indicate 7–10 business days during peak periods).
   • Mail submissions to: VSARA, 1078 U.S. Route 2 - Middlesex, Montpelier, VT 05633-7701.

4. STEP 4Translate via EcuadorTranslations.com

   • Ecuador requires a certified Spanish translation of your apostilled background check. EcuadorTranslations.com provides certified translation and notarization services specifically for Ecuador visa documents.
   • Cost is $150 per document, or $130 per document when submitting 3 or more documents together. Turnaround is 3 business days.
   • Upload your apostilled document at EcuadorTranslations.com and receive your certified, notarized translation ready for your Ecuador visa application.

Apostille authority

Key notes

• Vermont does not accept credit/debit cards for apostille payment — checks and money orders only.
• For immigration purposes, request a notarized copy of your background check rather than the online printout, as notarized documents are more readily accepted for apostille.
• The VCCRIS online system provides conviction records only — it may not include pending charges or non-conviction dispositions.
• Contact VCIC for questions about record checks or the notarization process.

Sources and verification