Vermont Drivers Charged with DWI in New Hampshire

Are you a Vermont driver, facing a DWI charge in NH?

Lothstein Guerriero PLLC's New Hampshire DWI attorneys have represented many Vermont license holders charged with DWI offenses in NH courts. Often, these are vacationers coming to NH to boat, hike or ski, to stay at their summer houses, to see the NASCAR races at Loudon, or to see a concert at the Gilford Pavilion. In the Upper Valley, we have represented people who live in Vermont but go out for drinks in Lebanon or Hanover, or visit friends in the area. Same thing with the area around Keene, which is also right near the Vermont border and has many popular restaurants and drinking establishments. Ted Lothstein handles DWI charges in all NH Courts. Richard Guerriero handles DWI charges in Cheshire County (Keene area), and sometimes in Sullivan County (Newport and Claremont area).

Vermont – Reciprocity for Administrative Suspensions

Most people facing a DWI charge in a NH Court also receive an official Notice for a 6 month (or sometimes 2 year) administrative suspension, which will begin 30 days after arrest or 30 days after release of a blood test result. Administrative suspensions result from the driver’s refusal to provide a breath or blood test, or from the driver’s test result showing a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, or from a breath alcohol concentration of .09 or higher.

Historically, Vermont has suspended a Vermont resident’s driver’s license as a result of an out-of-State administrative suspension. There used to be a lag time of 2-6 weeks from the date of suspension in NH, until VT catches up and issues a suspension notice. That means that the suspension of the VT driver’s license tends to be for a somewhat shorter period than the 180 days or 2 years duration of the VT suspension. In the last couple of years, as of 2017 or so, the lag times seem to be getting longer, apparently because of understaffing on the NH end.

Vermont – Reciprocity for NH DWI Conviction

If a Vermont driver is convicted of DWI in a NH Court, Vermont will suspend the driver’s Vermont license for a period that depends on how many prior DWI convictions the Vermont driver has on her VT DMV record. Although VT drivers convicted of DWI in VT are eligible for an immediate hardship license, the situation is more complicated if a VT driver is convicted of DWI in NH.

Retain an Experienced, Skilled New Hampshire DWI Defense Attorney

This page is intended to convey information about the collateral consequences of DWI arrests and convictions, not legal advice. Collateral consequences are subject to change at any time as a result of changes in statutes and administrative regulations. You should hire an experienced, skilled DWI defense attorney to receive accurate legal advice that is tailored to the specific facts and circumstances of your case.