Secretary of State Jim Condos Launches Fast-Track Licensing Process for Vermonters with Out-of-State Professional Credentials

November 01 2021

The Vermont Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) has streamlined the licensing process for individuals who have worked in their field in another state for at least three years and are in good standing with that state. Since it was first implemented in April, over 850 licenses across 40 different license types have been issued through the fast-track endorsement process, including more than 450 nurses.

“Fast-Track Endorsement is a more efficient way of getting qualified professionals into the Vermont workforce, while maintaining public protection,” said Secretary of State Jim Condos. “This new process aligns with our Office’s broader goal of cutting red tape wherever we can by reducing barriers to occupational licensing and is one of several reforms we’ve implemented over the last few years.”

Individuals with an active license or certification in good standing and a minimum of three years of practice in another U.S. jurisdiction can apply for their Vermont license through Fast-Track Endorsement. Once submitted, OPR licensing and legal staff quickly review applications, confirm the candidate’s credentials and issue the license. For professions where three years of practice is not enough to guarantee the public’s protection, OPR creates more restrictive requirements.

“OPR recognizes that professionals who are qualified in their fields and have had three years of demonstrated practice in another state also have the knowledge, training and experience to work in Vermont,” said OPR Director Lauren Hibbert. “This new process has already enabled hundreds of people to obtain their license and begin working much more efficiently than through the traditional endorsement channel.”

Fast-Track Endorsement was part of Act 152 of 2020, a professional regulation reform bill that was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Phil Scott in April of this year (see 3 V.S.A.§ 136a). More information about Fast-Track Endorsement can be found on OPR’s website: https://sos.vermont.gov/opr/regulatory/reducing-barriers/fast-track-endorsement/

About OPR: OPR, a Division of the Secretary of State’s Office, administers approximately 50 professional licensing programs and issues approximately 70,000 credentials to individuals doing business and living in Vermont. OPR verifies applicants are qualified for licensure, sets standards for professions by proposing statutes and adopting administrative rules, and investigates complaints of unprofessional conduct, taking disciplinary action when necessary. More information can be found on OPR’s website.