Vermont Gun Laws in Plain English
In Vermont, you can carry a gun without a permit, but buying one is stricter than it used to be. You must pass a background check for every purchase, even from a friend, and wait 72 hours before taking the gun home. You are limited to 10 rounds for rifles and 15 rounds for handguns unless you owned the magazines before 2018. You must be 21 to buy a gun unless you have a hunter safety certificate.
Critical: Vermont Gun Law Gotchas
These are the most important things to know that could get you arrested or charged with a crime:
- #1The federal 1,000-foot Gun-Free School Zone (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)) applies strictly because Vermont does not issue the carry permits required to claim the federal exemption.
- #2You cannot legally bring magazines holding more than 10 rounds (rifle) or 15 rounds (handgun) into the state if you move here, as the grandfather clause only applies to magazines possessed in Vermont before April 2018 (13 V.S.A. § 4021).
- #3While you can carry a loaded handgun in your vehicle, carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle is illegal under hunting statutes (10 V.S.A. § 4705).
- #4The 72-hour waiting period applies to private sales facilitated by a dealer, meaning you and the seller must wait three days after the check initiates to complete the hand-off (13 V.S.A. § 4019a).
- #5Possession of any unserialized frame or receiver ('ghost gun') is now a crime under 13 V.S.A. § 4026.
- #6You cannot carry a firearm into a hospital building (13 V.S.A. § 4023).
- #7If you are 18-20 years old, you cannot buy a gun unless you present a hunter safety course certificate (13 V.S.A. § 4020).
- #8Giving a gun to a friend without a background check is a crime; only immediate family transfers are exempt (13 V.S.A. § 4019).
- #9Marijuana use is legal in Vermont but makes you a prohibited person federally; possessing a gun while being a user is a federal felony.
- #10You must store firearms so that children cannot access them; if a child uses your unsecured gun, you face criminal liability (13 V.S.A. § 4024).
Read these carefully - they cover common mistakes that lead to felony charges.