Transport | Vermont Concealed Carry

Transportation Laws

Vermont is a constitutional carry state, meaning no permit is required to carry a firearm either openly or concealed. This permissive framework extends to transporting firearms in vehicles. There are no state-specific statutes imposing special requirements on how firearms must be stored or transported within a vehicle (e.g., no requirement to keep firearms unloaded, locked, or in a separate compartment during transport).

Key Provisions

No Vehicle Transport Restrictions for Lawful Possessors Vermont law does not impose specific requirements on how a lawfully possessed firearm must be transported in a motor vehicle. A person who may legally possess a firearm may carry it loaded or unloaded, concealed or openly, in a vehicle without a permit.

Commercial Motor Vehicles According to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, there is no Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (FMCSR) that prohibits a firearm from being possessed by a commercial vehicle operator while driving a commercial vehicle. However, the DMV notes that "there might be another law or regulation that prohibits this act depending on who the operator is and what jurisdiction the operator is in." Commercial drivers traveling interstate should be aware of the firearms laws in each state they pass through.

(Source: Vermont DMV - Commercial Vehicles FAQ, dmv.vermont.gov)

Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Restrictions During Transport

Under 13 V.S.A. § 4021, Vermont prohibits the manufacture, possession, transfer, offer for sale, purchase, receipt, or importation of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFDs). This has specific implications for transport:

• Definition: An LCAFD is a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device capable of accepting more than 10 rounds for a long gun or more than 15 rounds for a handgun.
• Import restriction: "Import" under this section means bringing an LCAFD into Vermont. However, the statute specifically excludes from the definition of "import" the transportation back into Vermont of an LCAFD by the same person who transported it out of state, provided the person possessed the device on or before April 11, 2018 (the effective date).
• Grandfathering: The possession prohibition does not apply to LCAFDs lawfully possessed on or before April 11, 2018.
• Exceptions for transport into Vermont:
  • Devices possessed by or transferred to federal, state, or local government agencies
  • Devices possessed by certified law enforcement officers (on or off duty)
  • Devices transported by a resident of another state into Vermont exclusively for use in an organized shooting competition sponsored by an entity registered with the Secretary of State, provided the device is lawfully possessed under the laws of that other state
  • Devices manufactured or possessed by licensed manufacturers/importers for transfer in commerce for delivery and possession outside Vermont
• Penalty: Violation is punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine of not more than $500, or both.
• Tubular .22 LR exception: An attached tubular device designed to accept and capable of operating only with .22 caliber rimfire ammunition is excluded from the LCAFD definition.

(Source: 13 V.S.A. § 4021, legislature.vermont.gov - Added 2017, No. 94 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. April 11, 2018; amended eff. July 1, 2019; amended 2021, No. 87 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. July 1, 2022)

Interstate Travel Considerations

Federal Peaceable Journey Law (18 U.S.C. § 926A) provides federal protection for persons transporting firearms through states where they might not otherwise be legal, provided:

• The firearm is unloaded
• Neither the firearm nor ammunition is readily accessible from the passenger compartment
• The person may lawfully possess the firearm at both the origin and destination

Because Vermont has no permit system and minimal restrictions, travelers departing from or arriving in Vermont should focus on compliance with the laws of other states they will pass through. Vermont's permissive laws do not extend beyond its borders.

Prohibited Persons

Standard state and federal prohibitions on firearm possession apply during transport. Persons prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)) or Vermont law may not transport them regardless of Vermont's constitutional carry framework.

Summary Table