In 2024, Vermont enacted the Vermont Ghost Guns Act, a law prohibiting the possession of ghost guns. ¹

Beginning on February 25, 2025, it will be illegal² to possess or transfer unserialized firearms, unserialized frames or receivers, or unfinished frames or receivers. ³ People already possessing unserialized firearms, frames, or receivers must have them serialized by a Federal Firearm Licensee before the law’s effective date.

Generally, an unfinished frame or receiver is often called a ghost gun kit and can be readily assembled into a firearm. The law defines an “unfinished frame or receiver” as “any forging, casting, printing, extrusion, machined body, or similar article that has reached a stage in manufacture when it may readily be completed, assembled, or converted to be used as the frame or receiver of a functional firearm or that is marketed or sold to the public to become or be used as the frame or receiver of a functional firearm once completed, assembled, or converted.”

Vermonters will have until February 25, 2025, to bring any unfinished frames or receivers already in their possession into compliance by having them serialized by a Federal Firearm Licensee.

The law also prohibits the possession or transfer of an unserialized firearm or the frame or receiver of a firearm. The law defines “frame or receiver” as “a part of a firearm that, when the complete firearm is assembled, is visible from the exterior and provides housing or a structure designed to hold or integrate one or more fire control components, even if pins or other attachments are required to connect the fire control components. Any part of a firearm imprinted with a serial number is presumed to be a frame or receiver of a firearm.”

Vermonters will have until February 25, 2025, to bring any unfinished frames or receivers already in their possession into compliance by having them serialized by a Federal Firearm Licensee.

By February 25, 2025, people already possessing unserialized firearms, frames, or receivers must have them serialized by a Federal Firearm Licensee.⁴ The statute includes firearms manufactured by three-dimensional printing devices.

The federally licensed dealer tasked with imprinting the device must imprint a serial number comprised of the first three and last five digits of their federal license number, followed by a hyphen that precedes a unique identification number. The serial number must be imprinted in a manner that complies with the requirements under federal law for affixing serial numbers to firearms, including that the serial number be at the minimum size and depth and not susceptible to being readily obliterated, altered, or removed. Although the return of a newly serialized firearm is exempt from Vermont’s waiting period, the Federal Firearm Licensee serializing the firearm must conduct a background check in accordance with Vermont law before returning the firearm.

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1. See VT. S. 209[↩]
2. See 13 V.S.A. chapter 85 § 4083[↩]
3. See 13 V.S.A. chapter 85 § 4082(distinguishing between “frames or receivers” and “unfinished frames or receivers). [↩]
4. See 13 V.S.A. chapter 85 § 4084[↩]