Registering Your Advance Directive

Vermont offers a registry for residents to submit their advance directives free of charge. The Vermont Advance Directive Registry (VADR) is part of the national US Advance Care Plan Registry (USACPR, formerly the US Living Will Registry). It is a secure online database where Vermonters can submit copies of their completed advance directive forms to be accessed by authorized health care facilities and providers.

Benefits of Registering Your Advance Directive:

  • Immediate access to your document when it is most needed
  • Portable across state lines (can be accessed anywhere, not just in Vermont)
  • Annual reminders are mailed or emailed to you to ensure regular review

Registering your advance directive is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1

Complete your advance directive form. It must be signed and properly witnessed.

2

Complete the Required Information and sign in Document A of the VT Advance Directive Registry Registration Agreement and Authorization to Change form to allow authorized healthcare facilities and providers to access your document.

3

Send your signed Registration Agreement/Authorization to Change form and properly signed and witnessed advance directive to:

Vermont Advance Directive Registry
PO Box 2789
Westfield, NJ 07091-2789
Fax: 908-654-1919

OR

Submit Via Email: The Vermont Advance Directive Registry is now accepting new registrants and updated documents submitted via email. Detailed instructions on how to save and submit digital copies of your advance directive documents are available here.

NEW! Combined VADR Registration Agreement & Authorization to Change Form

This administrative form is required whenever making a submission to the VADR. Please always complete the Required Information on page 1 before moving on to page 2.

On page 2:

  • First-time registrants must complete Document A to establish their VADR accounts.
  • Current registrants making updates must complete Document B to indicate the type of change they are making.

Click here to view the form in your browser.

Informational Brochure

Have more questions?

Is there a fee for registering my advance directive?

There is no fee, but if mailing, please check to make sure that you have included sufficient postage, particularly if you are sending a multi-page document.

How will I know that my advance directive has been registered?

Within 2 to 3 weeks after you submit your material, you will receive a confirmation letter and packet in the mail from the Vermont Advance Directive Registry. This packet will contain a wallet card with your Registration ID number. With this number, you (or anyone you give the number to) can view your document in the Registry. It is recommended that you keep this card with your license or emergency contact information card. Also included are small stickers for your license or other identification cards with the website address of the Registry and a toll-free number for the Registry.

Will my information be secure and private?

The Registry is secure and your advance directive is confidential. Only those with a specific need to know, such as your health care providers, will have access to the Registry and your advance directive. You can give others access to view your documents by sharing the Registration ID number on your wallet card with them.

What do I have to do once I have registered?

The Registry will contact you every year on the anniversary of your registration to find out if there are any changes in your wishes or your agent’s contact information. If you replace your old document with a new one, you must remember to send the new one to the Registry with the Authorization to Change Form.

Can I change my wishes without notifying the Registry?

Yes. You can change your mind at any time. If you make changes to your advance directive, it is recommended that you update your document in the Registry. This will help to avoid any confusion about your current goals and priorities. To log in to your Vermont Advance Directive Registry (VADR) account to view your registered document, click here.

Do I have to register my advance directive to be sure it is followed?

A properly executed advance directive is a legally recognized document whether or not it has been registered. Registering your advance directive is a voluntary step you can take to ensure that your document is accessible when needed. Being in the Registry can give you a feeling of security that your document will be found in an emergency even if a copy of your advance directive is not on file at the nearest hospital or if you travel outside of Vermont.

Once I have registered my advance directive, how do I log in to my Vermont Advance Directive Registry account?

Once an advance directive has been registered with the Vermont Advance Directive Registry, registrants will receive an initial “welcome letter” that will be mailed in hard copy format to the mailing address you provided when registering. This will include login information for your online account, where you may view the document on file with the registry, as well as your profile information such as emergency contact, address, etc. To log in to the Vermont Advance Directive Registry (part of the U.S. Advance Care Plan Registry) with these credentials, click here.

Once I have registered my advance directive, what is the process for receiving annual reminders from the registry?

Once an advance directive has been registered with the Vermont Advance Directive Registry, registrants will receive an initial “welcome letter” that will be mailed in hard copy format to the mailing address you provided when registering. This will include a wallet ID card and stickers for your driver’s license and insurance card. If you provided an e-mail address on the registration form, all subsequent annual reminders will come via e-mail in the anniversary month of your original submission. Please be sure to check your spam/junk/clutter folder(s) for this e-mail reminder. If you do not provide an e-mail address, you will receive your annual reminder in hard copy at the mailing address on file with the registry.

Will my advance directive be honored in another state?

Each state has their own laws regarding reciprocity with other states. Below is a quick guide to reciprocity information for other New England states:

  • Connecticut: Considered valid as long as it was executed under the laws of another state in compliance with the laws of that state (provided they are not contrary to the public policy of Connecticut). Learn more.
  • Maine: Considered valid as long as it was valid under the laws in the state where it was executed. Learn more.
  • Massachusetts: Enforceable if executed in another state in compliance with the law of that state (provided that it is not contrary to the moral or religious views of the physician to carry out a treatment or to a formally adopted policy of a private facility that is expressly based on religious beliefs). Learn more.
  • New Hampshire: Considered valid as long as it was valid under the laws in the state where it was executed. Learn more.
  • Rhode Island: Considered valid as long as it was valid under the laws in the state where it was executed. Learn more.
Can I use the Vermont Advance Directive Registry if I am not a Vermont resident but get my care in Vermont?

The Vermont Advance Directive Registry is a free service provided by the State of Vermont for Vermont residents only. Even if you receive your care from a Vermont provider, only Vermont residents are permitted to use the Vermont Advance Directive Registry. The US Advance Care Plan Registry is available to all others who wish to have their advance directive registered. For information and costs to register a document with US Advance Care Plan Registry, click here.

What happens if I move out of state and have an advance directive in the Vermont Advance Directive Registry?

If you move out of state you have several options :

Option 1: You may choose to transfer your account from the Vermont Advance Directive Registry to the U.S. Advance Care Plan Registry (USACPR). Your document(s) will be removed from the Vermont Advance Directive Registry and registered directly with the U.S. Advance Care Plan Registry. USACPR will send you a new wallet ID card (your Registration ID# will remain the same), you will receive annual email reminders from USACPR, and you will be able to update your account profile and your advance directive document as needed. The cost to register with USACPR is $30.00 with the use of the promo code TransferVT123. This represents a $20 discount for a lifetime registration. If you are registering more than 1 person, you must use a unique email address for each person. This email address will only be used to communicate annual updates and messages about your online account.

To select Option 1 please click here and follow the steps. Note: you may only transfer one registrant at a time.

Option 2: You may choose to entirely remove your account and documents from the USACPR and no longer be part of the registry. To choose this option, email the USACPR. In the email, include only your name, date of birth and Registration ID#. Please write “REVOKE MY FILE” in the subject line.

If you do not choose Option 1 or Option 2, your document will remain in the Registry at no cost to you and will essentially be “inactive”. You will still be able to login to your personal account using your username and password to view your personal information and document(s). However, your document will not be accessible using your Registration ID#. Providers and health care facilities will only be able to call the registry to request a copy of your document be faxed directly to them.