State suppressor law

Vermont Suppressor Laws in 2026: Legal to Own, Legal to Hunt, Use Limited Elsewhere

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Oct 26, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

Vermont doesn't ban owning a suppressor, but its law is unusual: 13 V.S.A. 4010 regulates making, importing and using one. You may use a suppressor at a sport shooting range or while taking game, and using one anywhere else is a $50 fine. Hunting was a sticking point until recently. A 2022 law allowed suppressors for taking game with a sunset on July 1, 2024, and a 2024 act deleted that sunset, so 10 V.S.A. 4701(d) now says "A person taking game with a gun may possess, carry, or use a gun suppressor in the act of taking game." ATF's registry shows 9,324 suppressors in Vermont. Here's what the statutes say and the one place where state law touches federal paperwork.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes the Vermont Statutes Online as published by the Vermont General Assembly, two session laws and federal guidance, as of the date above. Talk to your dealer or a Vermont attorney if your situation is unusual.

The short answer

Suppressors are legal to own in Vermont. Section 4010 has no possession offense. We read the whole section and chapter 85 of Title 13 (Weapons).
Using one is limited. Under 4010(c), "A person shall not use a gun suppressor in the State" except in listed cases, including "a person lawfully using a sport shooting range" and "a person taking game as authorized under 10 V.S.A. § 4701." The fine for other use is "$50.00 for each offense."
Hunting is allowed. 10 V.S.A. 4701(d): "A person taking game with a gun may possess, carry, or use a gun suppressor in the act of taking game."
Making has a federal tie. 4010(b) bars making a suppressor except for licensed manufacturers and importers, or "a person who makes a gun suppressor in compliance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 5822." The fine is "not less than $500.00 for each offense."
Federal rules that didn't change still apply: Form 4473 and a background check at the dealer, and Form 20 approval before taking an SBR or SBS across state lines.

What 13 V.S.A. 4010 says

The section is titled "Gun suppressors." Subsection (a) defines a gun suppressor as "any device for muffling or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a gun suppressor, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication." That definition reaches parts as well as finished cans.

Making and importing (b). "A person shall not manufacture, make, or import a gun suppressor, except for: (1) a licensed manufacturer, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921, who is registered as a manufacturer pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 5802; (2) a licensed importer ... or (3) a person who makes a gun suppressor in compliance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 5822."
Use (c). "A person shall not use a gun suppressor in the State, except for use by" a Level III certified law enforcement officer or Fish and Wildlife employee on duty, the Vermont National Guard, a licensed manufacturer or importer testing the device, "(4) a person lawfully using a sport shooting range; or (5) a person taking game as authorized under 10 V.S.A. § 4701." The statute defines "sport shooting range" by reference to 10 V.S.A. 5227(a), which we didn't read.
Penalties (d). A maker or importer outside the exceptions is "fined not less than $500.00 for each offense." A violation of the use rule is "fined $50.00 for each offense."

Two practical points follow. First, buying or owning a can isn't an offense under the text we read. Second, shooting one on your own land, away from a sport shooting range and not while taking game, falls outside the listed exceptions, so the $50 fine in (d)(2) would apply on the statute's face. We found no Vermont court decision or Attorney General statement on how this is applied.

The "in compliance with" language for making

Subsection (b)(3) excuses a home maker only if the can is made "in compliance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 5822," the federal NFA making provision. After ATF's October 9, 2026 decision, ATF no longer enforces NFA approval for suppressors, so whether an unapproved home build counts as "in compliance" under Vermont's text is an open question. We found no ruling or Vermont official addressing it. That's our reading of the wording, not a court's. If you plan to build, the cautious route is a voluntary Form 1, which ATF says it will still process. Buying a finished can from a dealer is a different transaction and isn't covered by (b).

Hunting: how Vermont got here

The hunting authority came from Act 165 of 2022 (S.281). The Legislature's act summary says it "authorizes a person under both criminal and fish and game law to possess, carry, or use a gun suppressor in the act of taking game," and adds: "The authority to use gun suppressors to take game is repealed on July 1, 2024." Then 2024 Act 161 (H.878) amended those repeal sections. Its sections 37 and 38 changed Act 165's Secs. 8-10 to "[Deleted.]" and deleted the July 1, 2024 effective-date clause. The current text of 4701(d) shows no sunset.

Don't confuse this with 10 V.S.A. 4704, which doesn't mention suppressors. It reads: "A person engaged in hunting for wild animals shall not use, carry, or have in the person's possession: (1) a machine gun of any kind or description; or (2) an autoloading rifle with a magazine capacity of over six cartridges, except a .22 caliber rifle using rim fire cartridges." Paragraph (b) of that section is shown as "[Repealed.]" Check your host rifle against 4704 and the Fish and Wildlife Department's season rules before you hunt. We didn't read the Department's rules.

Short-barreled rifles and shotguns

We read the full text of 13 V.S.A. chapter 85 (Weapons), sections 4001 to 4084, and searched it for "sawed," "short-barrel," "barrel length" and "barrel of less." We found no SBR or SBS provision. Federal rules still apply, including the dealer-sale gap explained on our SBR page and Form 20 for interstate travel. Confirm with an attorney.

What federal law still requires

ATF's October 9 open letter stops enforcement of NFA approval and registration for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs. It doesn't touch the Gun Control Act, so:

Dealers still run a Form 4473 and NICS check and keep records, and prohibited persons still can't possess these items.
Interstate travel with an SBR or SBS still needs Form 20 approval under 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(4), registered or not. Suppressors don't need a Form 20.
A voluntary Form 4 or Form 1 is still available at $0 tax. See NFA wait times.

Vermont wasn't one of the 15 plaintiff states in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF; see our case explainer. We found no Vermont Attorney General statement about suppressors after October 9, and no 2026 Vermont bill or lawsuit that changes section 4010.

What to do if you live or hunt in Vermont

Buying a suppressor: a dealer can sell on a Form 4473 and NICS check. Vermont law adds no permit or registration for buying.
Using it: at a sport shooting range or while lawfully taking game. Anywhere else, 4010(c) applies.
Building one: see the Form 1 note above.
Coming from another state: your home state's law governs what you can own there. Vermont's use rules apply to you while you're here.

Vermont has 9,324 registered suppressors, according to ATF registry data obtained by the American Suppressor Association. For comparison, see New Hampshire to the east, New York and Massachusetts, which ban suppressors, or every state in the 2026 State Gun Law Scorecard.

Frequently asked questions

Are suppressors legal in Vermont in 2026?

Yes to own. 13 V.S.A. 4010 has no possession offense. It restricts making, importing and using suppressors. Federally, ATF stopped enforcing NFA approval and registration for suppressors on October 9, 2026; a Form 4473 and background check are still required at the dealer.

Can you hunt with a suppressor in Vermont?

Yes. 10 V.S.A. 4701(d) says "A person taking game with a gun may possess, carry, or use a gun suppressor in the act of taking game." A 2022 sunset was deleted by 2024 Act 161.

Can I shoot a suppressor on my own land in Vermont?

The text of 13 V.S.A. 4010(c) bars using a suppressor in the State except in listed cases, such as at a sport shooting range or while taking game. The fine for other use is $50 per offense. We found no court or official guidance on how it is applied.

Can I build my own suppressor in Vermont?

4010(b) allows it for "a person who makes a gun suppressor in compliance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 5822." Whether an unapproved build complies after ATF's October 9 change is unsettled, so a voluntary Form 1 is the cautious route.

Are SBRs legal in Vermont?

We found no short-barreled rifle or shotgun provision in 13 V.S.A. chapter 85 (Weapons). Federal rules still apply, including Form 20 approval before taking an SBR or SBS across state lines.

Sources

Supplementary sources

News reports, advocacy groups, dealer practice and unofficial copies. They add context or report statements; the primary sources above control.

American Suppressor Association via NASGW: The Suppressor Map, state counts from ATF FOIA request 2026-01285 (May 2026) (industry group)