Vermont Sword Laws

A katana on a wall in Burlington, a longsword in a Montpelier study, a fantasy claymore in a Brattleboro apartment. Vermont sword laws are among the cleanest in the country at the state level: ordinary knife and sword carry is unrestricted, with felony exposure reserved for criminal-intent and location-specific contexts. Vermont sword laws impose no general state-level concealed-carry restriction. Article 16 of the Vermont Constitution protects the right to bear arms. The 1903 Vermont Supreme Court decision in State v. Rosenthal struck down a Rutland concealed-weapons ordinance and remains the foundational ruling for Vermont weapon-carry law.

Vermont sword laws live in Title 13, Chapter 85 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated. The central provisions are 13 V.S.A. § 4003 (carrying dangerous weapons), § 4004 (possession of dangerous or deadly weapon on a school bus, in a school building, or on school property), § 4005 (carrying a dangerous or deadly weapon while committing a crime), § 4013 (zip guns and switchblade knives), and § 4016 (weapons in court). 24 V.S.A. § 2291 delegates limited regulatory authority to municipalities. The 2018 amendment to § 4003 (Act 135, § 1, effective May 21, 2018) clarified the intent-to-injure element. This guide walks through what current Vermont sword laws say.

What do Vermont sword laws actually say?

13 V.S.A. § 4003 provides: "A person who carries a dangerous or deadly weapon with the intent to injure another shall be imprisoned for not more than two years or fined not more than $2,000.00, or both. It shall be a felony punishable by not more than 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of $25,000.00, or both, if the person intends to injure multiple persons." The 2018 amendment under Act 135 cleaned up the prior language and made the intent-to-injure element explicit. The statute applies to open and concealed carry alike. The intent element is essential: ordinary collector carry without intent to injure is not within the statute.

13 V.S.A. § 4013 provides: "A person who possesses, sells or offers for sale a weapon commonly known as a 'zip' gun, or a weapon commonly known as a switchblade knife, the blade of which is three inches or more in length, shall be imprisoned not more than 90 days or fined not more than $100.00, or both." The statute is the only knife-specific design restriction under Vermont sword laws. A switchblade with a blade under 3 inches is not restricted by § 4013. Traditional swords are not switchblades and fall outside § 4013 entirely.

Is it legal to own a sword in Vermont?

Yes. Vermont sword laws impose no restriction on the ownership of swords or any other knife category. Katanas, longswords, sabers, machetes, rapiers, kukris, claymores, sword canes, and fantasy replicas can all be purchased and kept in a private residence without a permit, registration, or background check. There is no blade-length cap for ownership, no inventory limit, and no list of generally prohibited sword types at the state level under Vermont sword laws.

Butterfly knives, gravity knives, balisongs, OTF knives, dirks, daggers, stilettos, bowie knives, sword canes, throwing stars, ballistic knives, and double-edged blades are all legal to own. The only knife-specific design restriction is the § 4013 switchblade rule, which applies only to switchblade knives with a blade 3 inches or more in length. Switchblade ownership and sale of such knives is prohibited; ownership of switchblades with shorter blades is unrestricted. Traditional swords are not covered by § 4013.

Does § 4003 apply to traditional swords?

Only when carried with intent to injure another person. 13 V.S.A. § 4003 requires the criminal-intent element: a person must carry a dangerous or deadly weapon "with the intent to injure another." A collector transporting a katana in a vehicle, a martial arts practitioner carrying a longsword to a dojo, or a costume enthusiast carrying a saber to a renaissance fair are not engaged in carry "with the intent to injure another." The statute is conduct-based and intent-based, not design-based.

The practical effect is that ordinary open and concealed carry of any sword in Vermont is legal at the state level. There is no general concealed-carry restriction equivalent to the rules in most other states. Vermont sword laws treat the collector and the assailant differently based on conduct and intent. Vermont sword laws focus enforcement on actual misuse rather than categorical carry restrictions, which places the state firmly in the permissive tier nationally, and Vermont sword laws give collectors substantial latitude under the intent-based framework.

Vermont's 1903 Rosenthal decision held that the Vermont Constitution protects open and concealed carry. The state's modern framework still reflects that century-old constitutional position.

What about schools and other restricted locations?

13 V.S.A. § 4004 prohibits possession of a firearm or "dangerous or deadly weapon" in a school building, on a school bus, or on school property. The statute applies to elementary and secondary schools. Penalty is up to 1 year in prison and a $1,000 fine. The statute requires no intent element: mere possession on the listed school premises is the offense. 13 V.S.A. § 4016 prohibits possession of dangerous or deadly weapons in a court without court authorization. Penalty is up to 1 year in prison and a $500 fine. Other restricted locations include:

• School buildings, school buses, and school property (13 V.S.A. § 4004)
• Courthouses without court authorization (13 V.S.A. § 4016)
• State institutions and grounds without warden approval (former § 4003 language carried forward)
• Federal buildings (governed by federal law)
• Secure areas of airports past TSA screening
• Aircraft regardless of carrier
• Detention facilities and jails
• Burlington and other municipalities may have limited local rules under 24 V.S.A. § 2291
• Private property where the owner has banned weapons

How should collectors transport swords across Vermont?

Transport under Vermont sword laws is simple at the state level. A sword in a hard case in the trunk, a katana in original packaging, a sheathed longsword in the back seat, a blade openly carried on a back-mounted scabbard, or a concealed sword inside a coat are all lawful at the state level absent intent to injure. The state framework imposes no general carry restrictions on knives or swords. There is no permit requirement, no blade-length cap (except the narrow § 4013 switchblade rule), and no statewide categorical ban on traditional sword types.

The principal practical adjustments for collectors are the school and courthouse rules under § 4004 and § 4016 and limited municipal authority under 24 V.S.A. § 2291. Burlington, Rutland, Montpelier, and other Vermont municipalities have narrow regulatory authority. For collectors heading to knife shows, dojos, hunting trips, or interstate travel, Vermont sword laws give substantial latitude at the state level, and Vermont sword laws focus enforcement on the criminal-intent and location-based contexts.

The bottom line on owning and carrying swords in Vermont

Vermont sword laws sit in the permissive tier of the national spectrum. Ownership is unrestricted (with the narrow exception of switchblades with blades 3 inches or longer under § 4013). Open carry is unrestricted. Concealed carry is unrestricted absent intent to injure. The 1903 Rosenthal decision established the state's constitutional position that the right to bear arms protects both open and concealed carry. The principal state-level location restrictions are 13 V.S.A. § 4004 (school property) and § 4016 (court). 13 V.S.A. § 4005 separately covers carrying a dangerous weapon while committing a crime.

For anyone building a sword collection in Vermont, the practical takeaway is short. Buy what you want (with the narrow switchblade exception), carry openly or concealed as preferred at the state level, stay clear of school property and courthouses entirely, and remember that the § 4003 framework is intent-based. Vermont sword laws treat adult collectors with substantial trust and reserve enforcement for criminal-intent and location-specific contexts.

Frequently Asked Questions

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