Vermont does not issue a concealed carry permit

Vermont has no concealed carry permit. There is no application, no fee, no training requirement and no card to renew. If you may legally own a handgun under federal and Vermont law, and you are 21 or older, you may carry it concealed in Vermont without a permit.

This has been Vermont law since long before other states adopted permitless carry. It is sometimes called "Vermont carry" for that reason.

At a glance

What this means for you

If you live in Vermont. There is nothing to apply for and nothing to renew. No Vermont agency issues a carry licence to residents.

If you are visiting Vermont. You do not need a Vermont permit, and Vermont does not need to recognise yours. Carry lawfully under Vermont rules while you are here.

If you live in Vermont and travel. This is the part that catches people out. Because Vermont issues no permit, you have no permit for other states to recognise. A Vermont resident who wants to carry in a state that requires a permit needs a non-resident permit from a state that issues them — Utah, Florida, Arizona and New Hampshire are the ones Vermont residents most often use. Check which states accept that permit before you travel.

What is still restricted

No permit does not mean no rules. Vermont still restricts where and by whom a firearm may be carried — school grounds, state buildings, courthouses, and carry by anyone federally prohibited from possessing a firearm. Vermont also sets a minimum age of 21 for handgun purchase. Read the current text of Title 13 before you rely on any summary, including this one.

Vermont requires no training to carry. Many people still take a class — for a non-resident permit, or just to shoot better.