Vermont Drone Laws (2026): State Rules, Local Ordinances & FAA
Complete guide for commercial and recreational UAS operators
State Overview
Vermont maintains targeted drone regulations focused on privacy, law enforcement oversight, and critical infrastructure protection. The state's signature law (effective June 2024) prohibits recreational flights below 100 feet over private property without written consent. Law enforcement drone use is tightly controlled with warrant requirements and annual reporting. Vermont does not impose state-level registration or licensing beyond federal FAA requirements.
State Drone Laws
20 V.S.A. § 4622Law Enforcement Usage of Drones
Prohibits law enforcement agencies from using drones to investigate, detect, or prosecute crimes without a warrant under Rule 41 of the Vermont Rules of Criminal Procedure. Bans use of drones to surveil persons peacefully exercising constitutional rights. Prohibits facial recognition or biometric matching on non-target data. Requires 48-hour warrant compliance in emergencies. Evidence gathered in violation is inadmissible in court.
20 V.S.A. § 4622 (weaponization)Prohibition of Weaponized Drones
Prohibits equipping a drone with a dangerous or deadly weapon or firing a projectile from a drone.
20 V.S.A. § 4623Use of Drones; Federal Aviation Administration Requirements
Requires all drone use, including by law enforcement, to comply with all applicable Federal Aviation Administration requirements and guidelines.
20 V.S.A. § 4624Annual Drone Use Reporting by Law Enforcement
Requires all Vermont law enforcement agencies that use drones to report annually to the Department of Public Safety by September 1, detailing number of deployments, types of incidents, nature of information collected, rationale for each use, arrests made, incidents where data was collected on non-targets, and program costs. DPS reports to legislature by December 1.
20 V.S.A. § 4625Drones Over Correctional Facilities
Prohibits knowingly operating a drone over a correctional facility or its surrounding property that is recognizable as prison land or marked by fencing or signs. Exceptions: Department of Corrections itself, persons with supervising officer's written consent, FAA-authorized commercial operators, and certain government users with advance notice.
20 V.S.A. § 4626Operation of Drones Over Private Property
Prohibits recreational drone flight below 100 feet AGL over privately owned property without the owner's prior written consent. Prohibits using a drone to record or surveil private property or its occupants in violation of reasonable expectation of privacy. Presumes reasonable expectation of privacy where a person is not observable from ground level. Drone sellers must provide written notice of these rules to purchasers. Exemptions: Part 107 commercial operators, emergency responders, authorized government agencies, electric utilities.
13 V.S.A. § 2605Voyeurism and Unlawful Recording by Drone
Criminal statute prohibiting viewing, photographing, filming, or recording a person's intimate areas without consent where that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Applies to drone cameras. Prohibits sharing an image captured in violation. Drone hovering over bedroom windows or privacy-fenced yards can trigger this charge.
10 App. V.S.A. § 20Aerial Hunting and Wildlife Harassment Prohibition
Prohibits any person from using a drone to take, locate, surveil, drive, or harass any wild animal. Applies to all drone operators, including wildlife photographers. Covers aerial hunting and scouting for hunting purposes.
CVR 12-020-009 / FPR ProcedureDrone Operations on State Parks and State Forests
Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation prohibits launching or landing a drone on state parks, state forests, and recreation areas without the Commissioner's written approval, granted through a Special Use Permit or License. Commercial drone work on FPR land always requires a permit. Exceptions: emergencies, trained ANR staff doing official work, law enforcement acting under chapter 205. Rule covers ground operations only; airspace remains federal.
Local/Municipal Ordinances
Town of Colchester
townPark Drone Operations Restriction
Prohibits landing, launching, or operating a drone within town park property
Restrictions
Drone operations banned on park land except in emergency law enforcement situations or with written permission from the Parks Director
Penalty & Fine Schedule
| Violation | Classification | Fine Range | Imprisonment | Enforcement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law enforcement misuse of drone (§ 4622) — investigating crime without warrant, surveillance of protected speech | Evidence Inadmissible / Agency Violation | No direct criminal penalty | None | Vermont State Police, Vermont Courts | Evidence suppressed; agency must destroy data within 48 hours of warrant denial |
| Weaponization of drone (§ 4622) — equipping with dangerous weapon or firing projectile | Misdemeanor | Up to $1,000 | Up to 1 year | Vermont State Police, State's Attorney | |
| Drone over correctional facility (§ 4625) | Civil Violation | Up to $500 | None | Vermont Department of Corrections, Local Law Enforcement | Civil penalty enforced through courts |
| Recreational flight below 100 ft over private property without consent (§ 4626) | Civil Violation | $50 first offense, $250 subsequent | None | Local Police, Vermont State Police | Does not apply to Part 107 commercial operators |
| Drone surveillance violating reasonable expectation of privacy (§ 4626) | Civil Violation | $50 first offense, $250 subsequent | None | Local Police, Vermont State Police | Presumes privacy expectation where person not observable from ground level |
| Voyeurism / unlawful recording by drone (13 V.S.A. § 2605) | Felony | $1,000 (first); $5,000 (second+); $5,000 (disclosure) | 2 years (first); 3 years (second+); 5 years (disclosure) | Vermont State's Attorney, Local Law Enforcement | Criminal charge; distinct from civil § 4626 penalties |
| Using drone to hunt, locate, surveil, or harass wildlife (10 App. V.S.A. § 20) | Misdemeanor | Up to $1,000 | Up to 1 year | Vermont Fish & Wildlife Wardens | Applies to all drone operators; enforced by state wildlife enforcement |
| Launch or landing on state park or forest without FPR permit (CVR 12-020-009) | State-Lands Rule Violation | Varies | None | Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation | Administrative enforcement; airspace overhead remains federal |
Law enforcement misuse of drone (§ 4622) — investigating crime without warrant, surveillance of protected speech
Evidence suppressed; agency must destroy data within 48 hours of warrant denial
Weaponization of drone (§ 4622) — equipping with dangerous weapon or firing projectile
Drone over correctional facility (§ 4625)
Civil penalty enforced through courts
Recreational flight below 100 ft over private property without consent (§ 4626)
Does not apply to Part 107 commercial operators
Drone surveillance violating reasonable expectation of privacy (§ 4626)
Presumes privacy expectation where person not observable from ground level
Voyeurism / unlawful recording by drone (13 V.S.A. § 2605)
Criminal charge; distinct from civil § 4626 penalties
Using drone to hunt, locate, surveil, or harass wildlife (10 App. V.S.A. § 20)
Applies to all drone operators; enforced by state wildlife enforcement
Launch or landing on state park or forest without FPR permit (CVR 12-020-009)
Administrative enforcement; airspace overhead remains federal
Registration, Fees & Taxes
No additional state registration or fees in Vermont
Only standard federal FAA registration applies. No state registration, licensing, or drone-specific fees on record.
State Registration
Not Required
State Permit
Not Required
State Insurance
Not Required
Commercial License
Not Required
Sales Tax on Drones
Does Not Apply
Vermont does not require state-level drone registration beyond federal FAA registration ($5 for 3 years for drones over 250 grams). Commercial operators need FAA Part 107 certification; recreational operators need TRUST certificate. No separate Vermont drone license, permit, insurance, or business license specific to drone operations is required. Operators launching or landing on Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation state lands need a Special Use Permit or License.
Special Use Permit or License required only for launching/landing on state park and forest lands managed by Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation.
Applicable Federal Regulations
Remote ID Compliance
Federal Remote ID requirement effective March 16, 2024
All Vermont drone operators must comply with federal Remote ID broadcast requirements (Standard Remote ID, remote ID module, or operation within a FAA-Recognized Identification Area).
Part 107 Commercial Operations
FAA Part 107 certification required for commercial operations
Vermont imposes no additional commercial licensing beyond FAA Part 107. Part 107 operators are exempt from the 100-foot private property rule (§ 4626) but remain subject to privacy and surveillance restrictions.
TRUST Certification for Recreational Flights
Free FAA Recreational UAS Safety Test required for hobby flying
Vermont recreational flyers must pass the TRUST test before flying. No Vermont-specific recreational license exists. Completion certificate must be carried when flying.
Visual Line of Sight and Altitude
400 feet AGL ceiling and VLOS requirement
Vermont adopts standard FAA VLOS and 400-foot altitude rules. Section 4626 adds an additional 100-foot private property restriction for recreational flights without consent, separate from FAA altitude rules.
For complete federal regulations, see our Federal Regulations page.
Federal Preemption & Critical Infrastructure
Vermont has not enacted a drone-specific critical infrastructure statute as of this writing. Pilots remain subject to general state laws on trespass, voyeurism, privacy, and reckless endangerment, and to all federal regulations including FAA Part 107.
Read the federal preemption guide →Airspace & LAANC
LAANC Coverage
LAANC available at Burlington International Airport (BTV) in Class C airspace. Most of Vermont outside Burlington metro area is uncontrolled Class G or Class E airspace where LAANC is not required for recreational flights under 400 feet AGL.
Major Airports
BTV — Burlington International Airport (Class C)
TFR Notice
Standard federal TFRs apply. Check B4UFLY for active TFRs and airspace restrictions in real-time.
Recent Enforcement Actions & News
No recent enforcement actions or news on record.
Pending Legislation
H 654IntroducedAn Act Relating to Vermont Airspace Safety and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force
Proposes creation of a task force to study airspace safety and unidentified anomalous phenomena in Vermont. Specific drone law implications unclear.
Last action: January 13, 2026
S 246IntroducedAn Act Relating to Tax Exemptions for Noncommercial Aircraft and Revenue Sharing with Airports
Proposes changes to tax treatment of noncommercial aircraft and airport revenue sharing. May affect tax classification or treatment of drones if classified as aircraft.
Last action: January 14, 2026
University & College Drone Policies
| Institution | Policy Summary | Permit Required | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Vermont | UVM requires drone operators to coordinate with the Department of Risk Management and Safety and campus police before operating on university property. Restrictions: Risk Management coordination required. No flights over university events. Department approval required for all campus drone operations. | Yes | Department of Risk Management and Safety |
Last Updated
This page is automatically verified and updated weekly by our AI-powered legal research agent (v1.0.0). While we strive for accuracy, always verify critical information with official state sources.
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