PLEASE READ ALL THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS.  MANY APPLICANTS WASTE TIME AND MONEY COMING TO TEST WHEN THEY ARE INELIGIBLE TO CONTINUE IN THE PROCESS.

Following is a list of the basic requirements to become a Vermont State Trooper:

• Age - Minimum 20 years old to apply and begin the testing selection process. You must wait until your 20th birthday to apply.  We have mandatory retirement at age 55.
• Vision- Applicants must have satisfactory depth perception, no marked muscle imbalance, and have a satisfactory visual field. The applicant must have uncorrected vision not worse than 20/200 (Snellen) and corrected 20/20 in one eye and not worse than 20/40 in the other eye. Contact lens wearers must have 20/20 corrected vision and have worn contact lenses successfully for a minimum of one year. If an applicant has had laser eye corrective surgery and meets the above criteria, a six month waiting period is required before beginning the Academy. All candidates must pass a color vision test.
• Drugs - Applicants must not have used illegal drugs - to include prescription drugs not prescribed to them - for one full year prior to applying.
• Hearing - Normal
• Health - Mental and physical condition appropriate to successfully perform with reasonable accommodation, the essential job functions for this position.
• Education - High School diploma or G.E.D.
• Selective Service System – Applicants (males only) must be registered with the Selective Service System.
• Military - Not required. However if military service has been performed, an honorable discharge or separation must have been obtained. Applicants who have an honorable discharge will have five points added to their overall test score.
• Residency - Applicants must bear the expense of travel to Vermont for multiple stages in the hiring process. Vermont residency is required upon graduation from the academy. You must be a United States citizen to apply.
• Driver's License- Must possess a valid motor vehicle license at the time of application. Your right to operate must not have been suspended or revoked within twelve months of application. You must obtain a Vermont operator's license upon graduation from the Academy.
• Physical Requirements - A mandatory physical assessment program is in place which encompasses the following areas – body fat, sit and reach, bench press, sit ups, push ups, and a 1.5 mile run. The minimum standards for this assessment are based on the 50th percentile for a candidate based on age and gender as developed by the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research. View the requirements.
• Body Piercing/Tattoos/Body Art***SPECIAL NOTE*** - May 1, 2013: Our tattoo policy is currently under review.  This process may take several months to be finalized, so don't let our current policy deter you from applying for a projected January 2014 class!  Current Policy: No body piercing, tattoos, or other body art may be visible while in uniform of the day. We wear short sleeve shirts six months out of the year (no exceptions) and tattoos can not be visible while wearing this uniform.  Nylon sleeves, cover-up makeup, or other forms of concealment are not authorized to cover tattoos.  Applicants who are not currently in compliance with this policy are still eligible for employment so long as they have the piercing, tattoos or other body art removed from the affected body part by the time they go to their assigned field station if hired. 
• Criminal History - You must not have been convicted of any felonies. The right to carry a firearm shall not be revoked for any reason.  You must be crime-free for one year prior to applying.  This includes undetected crimes.  Many applicants are deferred due to undetected/unreported crimes such as enabling minors to consume alcohol, providing alcohol to minors, driving while intoxicated, and taking prescription drugs not prescribed to them.  You must not have committed these, or any other crimes in the 12 months prior to applying.