Carrying a Gun in Your Car in Vermont: Vehicle Carry Laws

Carrying Firearms in Vehicles in Vermont

Vermont is a constitutional carry (permitless carry) state - the original model for what is now widely known as "Vermont carry." No permit or license is required to carry a handgun, either openly or concealed, including in a vehicle. This applies to any person who is legally eligible to possess a firearm.

Handguns in Vehicles

• No permit required. Any person not otherwise prohibited by law may carry a loaded handgun - openly or concealed - in a vehicle without a permit or license.
• Vermont does not issue a state concealed carry permit for in-state use (though a voluntary non-resident-style permit process exists for reciprocity with other states).
• There is no duty-to-inform law requiring a driver to proactively notify law enforcement of a firearm during a traffic stop, though voluntarily disclosing is considered a best practice for safety.

Long Guns in Vehicles - 10 V.S.A. § 4705

Vermont law places specific restrictions on carrying rifles, shotguns, and other long guns in vehicles on public highways:

• Rifles, air rifles, arrow rifles, pre-charged pneumatic rifles, and shotguns may not be carried in or on a vehicle propelled by mechanical power (or drawn by one) within the right-of-way of a public highway if they contain a loaded cartridge, shell, or other projectile in the chamber, mechanism, magazine, or clip. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(b)(1)(A))
• Muzzle-loading rifles and shotguns may not be carried in a vehicle if charged with powder and projectile and the ignition system has been enabled (e.g., percussion cap affixed, primer attached, priming powder in place). (10 V.S.A. § 4705(b)(1)(B))
• Crossbows must be uncocked while in or on a motor vehicle, motorboat, airplane, snowmobile, or other motor-propelled craft. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(b)(1)(C))
• Inspection on demand: Any person possessing a rifle, crossbow, or shotgun in a vehicle on a public highway must, upon demand of an enforcement officer, exhibit the firearm for examination to determine compliance. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(b)(2))

Note: "Public highway" under this section means roads shown on town highway maps made by the Agency of Transportation, including Class 4 roads, but does not include foot trails or private roads. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(f))

Exceptions to Long Gun Restrictions

• Law enforcement officers performing their duties are exempt. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(d))
• Licensed hunters with paraplegia or permanent severe physical disability may obtain a permit from the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife to take game from a stationary vehicle, provided the vehicle is not within 10 feet of the traveled portion of a public highway. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(e))

Shooting From Vehicles

It is illegal to take or attempt to take any wild animal by shooting from a motor vehicle, motorboat, airplane, snowmobile, or other motor-propelled craft. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(a))

It is also illegal to take or attempt to take any wild animal by shooting a firearm, muzzle loader, bow and arrow, or crossbow while on or within 25 feet of the traveled portion of a public highway (except Class 4 roads, where the restriction is limited to the traveled portion itself). Additionally, it is illegal to shoot a firearm, muzzle loader, bow and arrow, or crossbow over or across the traveled portion of any public highway, with a limited exception for sport shooting ranges established before January 1, 2014 that post appropriate warning signage. (10 V.S.A. § 4705(c))

Commercial Vehicles

According to the Vermont DMV, there is no Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation that prohibits a firearm from being possessed by a commercial vehicle operator while driving a commercial vehicle. However, other state or federal laws may apply depending on the operator's status and the jurisdictions traveled through.

Negligent Storage - 13 V.S.A. § 4024

Vermont's negligent firearms storage law may apply to firearms kept in vehicles:

• A person who stores or keeps a firearm within premises under their custody or control, and who knows or reasonably should know that a child (under 18) or prohibited person is likely to gain access, faces criminal penalties if access occurs and the firearm is used in a crime or to cause harm. (13 V.S.A. § 4024(a)(1))
• Exception: The law does not apply if the firearm is "carried by or within such close proximity that it can be readily retrieved and used by the owner or another authorized user." (13 V.S.A. § 4024(a)(2)(A))
• Firearms stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant mechanical lock are also exempt. (13 V.S.A. § 4024(a)(2)(D))

State Preemption

Under Vermont's Sportsman's Bill of Rights (24 V.S.A. § 2295), municipalities are preempted from enacting local firearms regulations. Towns cannot impose their own restrictions on carrying firearms in vehicles beyond what state law provides.

Prohibited Locations (Relevant to Vehicle Occupants)

While carrying in a vehicle is broadly permitted, firearms are prohibited in certain locations upon exiting the vehicle:

• Schools and school property
• Courthouses (since 1993)
• Polling places (as of Act 120, 2024)
• State buildings (administrative rule; no criminal penalty)

Law Enforcement Encounters During Traffic Stops

• Drivers must provide driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance upon request during a lawful traffic stop.
• Officers may not conduct random stops and may not use race, color, or national origin as justification for a stop.
• You have the right to remain silent and the right to refuse consent to a vehicle search.
• Officers cannot search the interior of a vehicle without probable cause or a judicial warrant, though they may look through windows.

Recent Developments

• Act 120 (2024): Prohibits firearms at polling locations statewide.
• Secretary of State Report (January 2025): The Vermont Secretary of State's office recommended that the Legislature consider a statewide ban on firearms in state and municipal buildings, with an opt-out provision for towns. As of early 2025, this remained a recommendation and had not been enacted into law.
• 10 V.S.A. § 4705 amendment (2025, No. 47, § 4, eff. July 1, 2025): The vehicle carry statute for long guns was recently amended, adding definitions for "air rifle," "arrow rifle," and "pre-charged pneumatic rifle" to the list of restricted items in vehicles on public highways.

Summary Table