State Gun Laws

Throughout these gun law pages, we will refer to gun laws that make it illegal for someone convicted of a violent felony to have a gun. A felony in general is a more serious crime than a misdemeanor. In Vermont, the following offenses are considered violent felonies:

• stalking;
• aggravated stalking;
• domestic assault;
• first degree aggravated domestic assault;
• second degree aggravated domestic assault;
• sexual assault;
• aggravated sexual assault;
• lewd or lascivious conduct with a child;
• murder;
• aggravated murder;
• manslaughter;
• aggravated assault;
• assault and robbery with a dangerous weapon;
• arson causing death;
• assault and robbery causing bodily injury;
• maiming;
• kidnapping;
• unlawful restraint in the second degree;
• unlawful restraint in the first degree;
• violation of abuse prevention order, but not including emergency orders;
• burglary into an occupied dwelling;
• aggravated sexual assault of a child;
• human trafficking;
• aggravated human trafficking;
• a felony violation of chapter 28 of title 13, relating to abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults;
• the attempt to commit any of the offenses listed above;
• an offense involving sexual exploitation of children;
• a conviction of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance other than marijuana; or
• the same or similar offense committed in another state (jurisdiction) if committing that offense means the person cannot have a gun under federal gun laws.¹

If you are unsure if the abuser was convicted of a violent felony, you might want to talk to the prosecutor who handled the criminal case against the abuser to find out or go to the courthouse and search the conviction records.

¹ VT ST 13 § 4017; 5301(7)