2021 Vermont Statutes
Title 13 - Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Chapter 81 - Trespass and Malicious Injuries to Property
§ 3705. Unlawful trespass

§ 3705. Unlawful trespass

(a)(1) A person shall be imprisoned for not more than three months or fined not more than $500.00, or both, if, without legal authority or the consent of the person in lawful possession, he or she enters or remains on any land or in any place as to which notice against trespass is given by:

(A) actual communication by the person in lawful possession or his or her agent or by a law enforcement officer acting on behalf of such person or his or her agent;

(B) signs or placards so designed and situated as to give reasonable notice; or

(C) in the case of abandoned property:

(i) signs or placards, posted by the owner, the owner's agent, or a law enforcement officer, and so designed and situated as to give reasonable notice; or

(ii) actual communication by a law enforcement officer.

(2) As used in this subsection, "abandoned property" means:

(A) real property on which there is a vacant structure that for the previous 60 days has been continuously unoccupied by a person with the legal right to occupy it and with respect to which the municipality has by first-class mail to the owner's last known address provided the owner with notice and an opportunity to be heard; and

(i) property taxes have been delinquent for six months or more; or

(ii) one or more utility services have been disconnected; or

(B) a railroad car that for the previous 60 days has been unmoved and unoccupied by a person with the legal right to occupy it.

(b) Prosecutions for offenses under subsection (a) of this section shall be commenced within 60 days following the commission of the offense and not thereafter.

(c) A person who enters a building other than a residence, whose access is normally locked, whether or not the access is actually locked, or a residence in violation of an order of any court of competent jurisdiction in this State shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $500.00, or both.

(d) A person who enters a dwelling house, whether or not a person is actually present, knowing that he or she is not licensed or privileged to do so shall be imprisoned for not more than three years or fined not more than $2,000.00, or both.

(e) A law enforcement officer shall not be prosecuted under subsection (a) of this section if he or she is authorized to serve civil or criminal process, including citations, summons, subpoenas, warrants, and other court orders, and the scope of his or her entrance onto the land or place of another is no more than necessary to effectuate the service of process. (Added 1969, No. 156 (Adj. Sess.); amended 1971, No. 229 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1973, No. 109, § 7; 1979, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1981, No. 223 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 17, 23; 2013, No. 49, § 3; 2013, No. 75, § 21.)