State guide
Advance Directive Forms in Vermont
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 14
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the Vermont form
Vermont Department of Health publishes the current form here: https://www.healthvermont.gov/systems/advance-directives
Vermont runs an Advance Directive Registry.
Background reading: Vermont Department of Health guidance
Vermont treats registering your directive as part of the process
Vermont's Advance Directive for Health Care is published by the Department of Health, and the state's own guidance covers three steps as one workflow: create the directive, register it, and make changes later.
That framing is unusual. Most states mention their registry as an optional extra, if they mention it at all. Vermont presents registration as part of doing the job properly and gives you the tools for all three steps in one place, including how to update the document when your wishes change.
The updating step deserves attention. A directive written five years ago and never revisited can be worse than none, because it is confidently out of date. Vermont is one of the few states that builds revision into its guidance rather than leaving you to work it out.
The form is free, and it is a single document covering both your agent and your wishes.
Vermont's guidance bundles creating, registering, and amending your directive. If you filed one a while ago, use the same page to change it — an unreviewed directive is the most common problem we see.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way Vermont requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Frequently asked
Is the Vermont advance directive form free?
Yes. Vermont Department of Health publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the Vermont form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way Vermont law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed Vermont advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.