State Gun Laws

Vermont state law says that a person cannot have or buy a gun if any of the following apply:

• s/he has been convicted of a violent felony;¹
• s/he is subject to an extreme risk protection order;²
• s/he is subject to a final relief from abuse order that includes firearm restrictions;³
• s/he is subject to a final order against stalking that includes firearm restrictions;⁴
• s/he has fled to avoid being prosecuted for a crime or giving testimony in a criminal case;⁵ or
• s/he is on probation and his/her order of probation restricts his/her access to firearms.⁶

Vermont state law also prevents someone having or buying a gun if s/he has charges pending for the following crimes:

• carrying a weapon while committing a felony ;
• trafficking a “regulated drug”;
• human trafficking ; or
• aggravated human trafficking .⁷

If any of these situations apply to the abuser, it may be illegal for him/her to have a gun. Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, may restrict an abuser’s right to have a gun. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

¹ VT ST 13 §§ 4017; 5301(7)
² VT ST 13 § 4053(e)(2)
³ VT ST 15 § 1103(c)(1); 13 VT ST § 4017a(a)(2)
⁴ VT ST 13 § 4017a(a)(3)
⁵ VT ST 13 § 4017a(a)(1)
⁶ VT ST 28 § 252(b)(8)
⁷ VT ST 13 § 4017a(a)(4)