Is Embezzlement a Felony in Vermont? Laws and Penalties (2026)

Yes, Vermont has a crime named embezzlement. Under 13 V.S.A. 2531, an officer, agent, clerk, bailee for hire or servant who embezzles or fraudulently converts money or property that came into his or her care through the job faces up to 1 year in prison if the amount is $100 or less, and up to 10 years (a felony) if it is more than $100.

Separate sections treat embezzlement by bank officers, court-appointed receivers and trustees, executors and administrators, guardians, carriers and public officers as a felony at any amount. Forgery (13 V.S.A. 1801) and uttering a forged instrument (13 V.S.A. 1802) each carry up to 10 years and a $1,000 fine whatever the amount. For other states, see our guide to embezzlement and forgery laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-18. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers the Vermont Statutes on embezzlement (13 V.S.A. 2531 to 2539), the State Treasurer section (32 V.S.A. 102), related public-office and fraud offenses (13 V.S.A. 1101, 1102, 2002, 2022, 2028, 3006, 3016), financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and the Adult Abuse Registry (13 V.S.A. 1380, 1383), the forgery and counterfeiting chapter (13 V.S.A. 1801 to 1816), the felony definition and habitual-offender rule (13 V.S.A. 1, 11), restitution (13 V.S.A. 7043), time limits (13 V.S.A. 4501) and public pension forfeiture (32 V.S.A. 621 to 626). It does not cover the full larceny value table (see Vermont theft laws), retail theft, identity theft, scams and victim reporting, federal offenses, civil lawsuits or local ordinances.

What is embezzlement in Vermont?

Vermont keeps embezzlement as its own offense, separate from larceny. 13 V.S.A. 2531(a) defines it:

"An officer, agent, bailee for hire, clerk, or servant of a banking association or an incorporated company, or a clerk, agent, bailee for hire, officer, or servant of a private person, partnership, trades union, joint stock company, unincorporated association, fraternal or benevolent association, except apprentices and other persons under the age of 16 years, who embezzles or fraudulently converts to his or her own use, or takes or secretes with intent to embezzle or fraudulently convert to his or her own use, money or other property that comes into his or her possession or is under his or her care by virtue of such employment, notwithstanding he or she may have an interest in such money or property, shall be guilty of embezzlement."

The key elements are a working relationship (officer, agent, bailee for hire, clerk or servant), money or property that came into the person's possession or care "by virtue of such employment," and conversion to the person's own use, or taking or hiding it with intent to do so. The section applies even if the person has an interest in the money or property. Apprentices and people under 16 are excluded.

How embezzlement differs from larceny

Ordinary larceny is a separate offense in the same chapter, graded at a much higher line: grand larceny, theft of property over $900, carries up to 10 years or a $5,000 fine (13 V.S.A. 2501), and petit larceny of $900 or less up to 1 year or $1,000 (13 V.S.A. 2502). Embezzlement crosses into felony range at just over $100. See Vermont theft laws for the larceny rules.

Proving a series of takings

13 V.S.A. 2539 lets the prosecution prove takings over a period: "At the trial, evidence may be given of any such embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, or taking with such intent committed within six months next before the time stated in the indictment."

Is embezzlement a felony in Vermont?

It depends on the amount and on who the embezzler is. Vermont has no offense classes. Under 13 V.S.A. 1, "any offense whose maximum term of imprisonment is more than two years, for life, or which may be punished by death is a felony. Any other offense is a misdemeanor."

For embezzlement by an employee or agent, 13 V.S.A. 2531(b) sets two tiers:

• "If the money or property embezzled does not exceed $100.00 in value, the person shall be imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both." That is a misdemeanor.
• "If the money or property embezzled exceeds $100.00 in value, the person shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both." That is a felony.

Embezzlement by bank officers, fiduciaries and carriers

Four sections say that a person in a particular position of trust who embezzles "shall be guilty of larceny and shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both." None of them has a dollar threshold, so each is a felony at any amount:

• Bank officers and employees (13 V.S.A. 2532): "A cashier or other officer, agent, or servant of an incorporated bank who embezzles or fraudulently converts to his or her own use bullion, money, notes, bills, obligations, or securities or other effects or property belonging to and in the possession of such bank or belonging to any person and deposited therein."
• Court-appointed receivers and trustees (13 V.S.A. 2533): a receiver or trustee appointed by the court in any litigation in Vermont who embezzles or converts money or property "in his or her hands as such receiver or trustee."
• Executors and administrators (13 V.S.A. 2534): property "belonging to the estate of which he or she is executor or administrator."
• Guardians (13 V.S.A. 2535): property "belonging to the person under guardianship or the estate of the person under guardianship."

Carriers are treated slightly differently. 13 V.S.A. 2536 covers a carrier or other person to whom money or goods are "delivered to be carried for hire, or a person entrusted with such property," who embezzles, converts or secretes it before delivery. The penalty is up to 10 years or a $500 fine, or both.

The maximum fine in these sections ($1,000, or $500 for carriers) is lower than the $10,000 maximum for employee embezzlement over $100 under 2531(b).

A separate offense covers joint fiduciary accounts. Under 13 V.S.A. 2028, "A person who misappropriates funds of more than $500.00 in violation of this section, or who is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this section, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both"; a first misappropriation of $500 or less carries up to 2 years or $10,000.

Embezzlement of public money

Public officers and State or municipal property (13 V.S.A. 2537)

"A State, county, town, or municipal officer or other person who in his or her official capacity receives, collects, controls, or holds money, obligations, securities, or other property, who embezzles or fraudulently converts to his or her own use any of such money, obligations, securities, or other property, or a person who embezzles or fraudulently converts to his or her own use money or other property belonging to the State or to a county or municipality, or a municipal corporation, or a special purpose district, shall be guilty of larceny and shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both."

The section reaches both public officers and anyone else who embezzles public property, and it has no value threshold, so it is a felony at any amount.

The State Treasurer (32 V.S.A. 102)

32 V.S.A. 102, headed "Embezzlements," is the only section on this page with a minimum prison term: "If the Treasurer diverts, misapplies, or conceals the public treasure, he or she shall be fined double the amount so diverted, misapplied, or concealed and shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years nor less than two years."

School funds (13 V.S.A. 2538)

13 V.S.A. 2538 is a civil remedy, not a prison penalty. A person entrusted with property belonging to a town or school district for the use of schools "who embezzles, misapplies, or conceals the same or any part thereof shall be liable to be removed from his or her trust and shall forfeit to such town or district double the amount so embezzled, misapplied, or concealed, to be recovered in a civil action."

Related offenses by and against public bodies

• False claims (13 V.S.A. 3016): a false claim against a governmental entity with intent to defraud carries up to 5 years or $10,000 if it "results in a loss to any governmental entity or a benefit to the person of $500.00 or more in value, whether by a single act or by a common scheme or course of conduct involving one or more transactions," and up to 2 years or $5,000 below $500.
• Neglect of duty (13 V.S.A. 3006): "A State, county, town, village, fire district, or school district officer who willfully neglects to perform the duties imposed upon him or her by law, either express or implied, shall be imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both."
• Bribery (13 V.S.A. 1101): if the gift or gratuity "is less than $500.00 in value," up to two years or $5,000; if "$500.00 or more in value," up to five years or $10,000.
• Accepting a bribe (13 V.S.A. 1102): a public officer or employee who corruptly asks for or accepts a gift or gratuity tied to official action faces up to two years or $5,000 below $500, and up to 10 years or $10,000 at $500 or more.

Public pension forfeiture (32 V.S.A. 621 to 626)

A public-employee retirement system member convicted of a "crime related to public office" can lose retirement benefits through a court proceeding. Under 32 V.S.A. 622(2), that term covers only listed offenses, and only "if the offense is a felony and is committed in connection with employment as a member."

The Vermont offenses on the list are bribery offenses under 13 V.S.A. chapter 21, false personation (2001), false pretenses or tokens (2002), grand larceny (2501), holding property in official capacity or belonging to the State or a municipality (2537) and false claims (3016). The list also includes a federal or other-state felony with a larceny, embezzlement, fraudulent-conversion or intent-to-defraud element, and an attempt to commit or aiding in any listed offense. Employee embezzlement under 13 V.S.A. 2531 and the sections in 2532 to 2536 are not on the list.

The court decides whether benefits are forfeited and to what degree, and "the maximum value of the benefits ordered forfeited shall not be greater than 10 times the amount of monetary loss suffered by the State, a county, a municipality, or by any other person as a result of the crime related to public office." The subchapter "shall not apply to retirement benefits that accrued prior to July 1, 2013 or to crimes committed before July 1, 2013."

Financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult

Taking a vulnerable adult's money is a separate offense under 13 V.S.A. 1380, with "vulnerable adult" defined in 13 V.S.A. 1375(8). The section has no age line of 60 or 65. Its penalties: "A person who violates subsection (a) of this section, and exploits money, funds, or property in excess of $500.00 in value, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both." Exploiting $500 or less carries up to 18 months or $10,000. Under 13 V.S.A. 1383, "A person who is convicted of a crime under this chapter shall be placed on the Adult Abuse Registry."

The larceny and embezzlement chapter has no reclassification based on the victim's age. For warning signs and where to report, see our guide to elder financial exploitation.

Forgery and uttering in Vermont

Forgery (13 V.S.A. 1801)

Vermont's forgery statute works from a list of documents rather than degrees. A person commits forgery who "wittingly, falsely, and deceitfully makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits," or causes, procures, aids or counsels that, any of the listed documents "with intent to injure, or defraud a person." The list includes:

• a writ, process or public record, and certificates, returns or attestations of court clerks, notaries and other public officers that may be received as legal proof;
• a charter, deed or "any evidence or muniment of title to property," a will, terminal care document or testament;
• a bond, letter of attorney, insurance policy, bill of lading, bill of exchange or promissory note;
• "an order drawn on a person or corporation, or on a State, county, or town or school district treasurer, for money or other property";
• an acquittance or discharge, an acceptance, indorsement or assignment of a bill of exchange or promissory note, "any accountable receipt for money, goods, or other property, or certificate of stock."

The penalty is "not more than 10 years and fined not more than $1,000.00, or both," with no value grading.

Uttering a forged instrument (13 V.S.A. 1802)

"A person who utters and publishes as true a forged, altered, or counterfeited record, deed, instrument, or other writing mentioned in section 1801 of this title, knowing the same to be false, altered, forged, or counterfeited, with intent to injure or defraud a person, shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years and fined not more than $1,000.00, or both."

Because both carry a maximum over two years, forgery and uttering are felonies under 13 V.S.A. 1 at any amount. Readers dealing with a forged or washed check as victims can start with our guide to mail theft and check washing.

Counterfeiting and the rest of the chapter

• Counterfeit paper money, tools for counterfeit bank bills and joined bills (13 V.S.A. 1804, 1807, 1808): up to 14 years and $1,000.
• Counterfeit coin and coining tools (13 V.S.A. 1809, 1810): up to 15 years and $1,000.
• Imitation gold or silver (13 V.S.A. 1811): up to 10 years and $500.
• False corporate signature (13 V.S.A. 1806): up to 14 years or $1,000.
• Counterfeit peddler's license (13 V.S.A. 1803): up to 10 years.
• Counterfeit scrip (13 V.S.A. 1805): punished as forgery.
• Making or uttering illicit money (13 V.S.A. 1813): up to one year or $600; selling or passing illicit money (13 V.S.A. 1814): a fine of up to $1,000.
• Payment-card skimming devices (13 V.S.A. 1816): a person who, "with the intent to defraud," possesses a scanning device, or uses one to read or store payment-card information "without the permission of the authorized user of the payment card," faces up to 10 years or $10,000. Possessing or using a re-encoder to copy card data onto another card with intent to defraud carries the same maximum (13 V.S.A. 1816(b)).

False pretenses and bad checks

• False pretenses (13 V.S.A. 2002): up to 10 years or $2,000 "if the money or property so obtained exceeds $900.00 in value," and up to one year or $1,000 at $900 or less.
• Bad checks (13 V.S.A. 2022): "A person who issues or passes a check or similar sight order for the payment of money, knowing that it will not be honored by the drawee, shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both." It is a misdemeanor at any amount.

Vermont embezzlement and forgery offenses at a glance

Sentencing: maximums, repeat felonies and restitution

Vermont has no felony classes. Each section states its own maximum, and 13 V.S.A. 1 makes an offense a felony when that maximum is more than two years. The terms in the table are maximums; apart from the Treasurer's two-year minimum in 32 V.S.A. 102, the sections on this page set no minimum term. See Vermont felony classes and misdemeanor penalties for how Vermont classifies offenses.

Habitual offenders. Under 13 V.S.A. 11, a person who, "after having been three times convicted within this State of felonies or attempts to commit felonies, or under the law of any other state, government, or country, of crimes which, if committed within this State, would be felonious, commits a felony other than murder within this State, may be sentenced upon conviction of such fourth or subsequent offense to imprisonment up to and including life."

Restitution. "Restitution shall be considered in every case in which a victim of a crime, as defined in subdivision 5301(4) of this title, has suffered a material loss" (13 V.S.A. 7043(a)).

Time limits for prosecution

13 V.S.A. 4501(b) gives embezzlement and forgery a six-year period: "Prosecutions for lewd and lascivious conduct, sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult under subsection 1379(a) of this title, grand larceny, robbery, burglary, embezzlement, forgery, bribery offenses, false claims, fraud under 33 V.S.A. § 141(d), and felony tax offenses shall be commenced within six years after the commission of the offense, and not after."

The clock runs from "the commission of the offense." Offenses not named in subsections (a) to (d), such as financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult (13 V.S.A. 1380), joint fiduciary account misappropriation (13 V.S.A. 2028) and bad checks (13 V.S.A. 2022), fall under 4501(e): "Prosecutions for other felonies and for misdemeanors shall be commenced within three years after the commission of the offense, and not after." Civil filing deadlines are different; see the Vermont statute of limitations guide.

Recent changes

• 2026: limitations section amended, embezzlement rule unchanged. 2026 Acts No. 89 (H.626), effective July 1, 2026, amended 13 V.S.A. 4501 by adding sexual-extortion and related offenses to subsection (c). It did not change subsection (b), so the six-year period for embezzlement, forgery and grand larceny stays the same.
• Bills not enacted. S.168 (2026), on aggregating the value of stolen property, and H.19 (2025-2026), on theft of a firearm as grand larceny, were introduced and referred to committee. Neither has become law.
• The current embezzlement tiers in 13 V.S.A. 2531(b) date from 2013, No. 61, sec. 2.

Federal law separately reaches embezzlement from banks and federal programs and mail or wire fraud schemes; those offenses are covered on our embezzlement and forgery laws by state hub. If you were the target of a fraud scheme, our Vermont scam and fraud laws guide explains where to report it.

Related pages

• Embezzlement and forgery laws by state
• Vermont theft laws
• Vermont felony classes and misdemeanor penalties
• Vermont scam and fraud laws
• Vermont statute of limitations

This article provides general legal information about Vermont law and is not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Vermont.

Last updated: 2026-10-18.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is embezzlement a felony in Vermont?

Over $100, yes: employee embezzlement carries up to 10 years, and any offense with a maximum over two years is a felony (13 V.S.A. 1, 2531(b)). At $100 or less it carries up to 1 year, a misdemeanor, but embezzlement by bank officers, fiduciaries, carriers and public officers is a felony at any amount (13 V.S.A. 2532 to 2537).

What is the penalty for embezzlement in Vermont?

Under 13 V.S.A. 2531(b), up to 1 year or $1,000 at $100 or less, and up to 10 years or $10,000 above $100. The fiduciary and public-money sections carry up to 10 years or $1,000, and restitution must be considered whenever a victim has a material loss (13 V.S.A. 7043).

Is it a crime for a public employee to take public money in Vermont?

Yes. Under 13 V.S.A. 2537, a public officer who embezzles money held in an official capacity, or anyone who embezzles State, county or municipal property, is guilty of larceny with up to 10 years or a $1,000 fine at any amount.

How is embezzlement different from larceny in Vermont?

Embezzlement under 13 V.S.A. 2531 covers money or property that came into an employee or agent’s possession or care through the employment. Larceny is a separate offense, and its felony line is $900 (13 V.S.A. 2501), compared with $100 for embezzlement.

Is forgery a felony in Vermont?

Yes. Forgery of a listed document and uttering a forged instrument each carry up to 10 years and a $1,000 fine, with no value threshold (13 V.S.A. 1801, 1802), and 13 V.S.A. 1 makes any offense with a maximum over two years a felony.

Is forging a check a crime in Vermont?

13 V.S.A. 1801 lists "an order drawn on a person or corporation" for money among the documents covered. Forgery requires wittingly, falsely and deceitfully making, altering or forging the document with intent to injure or defraud a person.

What is the statute of limitations for embezzlement in Vermont?

Six years. 13 V.S.A. 4501(b) requires prosecutions for embezzlement, forgery and grand larceny to be commenced within six years after the commission of the offense, and not after.