The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 23 : Motor Vehicles
Chapter 013 : Operation of Vehicles
Subchapter 014 : EQUIPMENT
(Cite as: 23 V.S.A. § 1252)-
§ 1252. Law enforcement and emergency services vehicles; issuance of permits for sirens or emergency warning lamps, or both; use of amber lamps
(a) Law enforcement vehicles.
(1) Law enforcement vehicles owned and operated by the government. The following are authorized for use, without permit, on all law enforcement vehicles owned or leased by the federal government, a municipality, a county, the State, or the Vermont Criminal Justice Council:
(A) Sirens, blue emergency warning lamps, or blue and white emergency warning lamps, or a combination thereof.
(B) A red emergency warning lamp or a red and amber emergency warning lamp provided that the emergency warning lamp is mounted so as to be visible primarily from the rear of the vehicle.
(2) Law enforcement vehicles owned or leased by a certified law enforcement officer.
(A) When satisfied as to the condition and use of the vehicle, the Commissioner shall issue and may revoke, for cause, permits for sirens and emergency warning lamps in the following manner:
(i) sirens, blue emergency warning lamps, or blue and white emergency warning lamps, or a combination thereof; and
(ii) a red emergency warning lamp or a red and amber emergency warning lamp, provided that the emergency warning lamp is mounted so as to be visible primarily from the rear of the vehicle.
(B) No motor vehicle, other than one owned by the applicant, shall be issued a permit until the Commissioner has recorded the information regarding both the owner of the vehicle and the applicant for the permit.
(3) Law enforcement vehicles owned or leased by a certified constable.
(A) The following are authorized for use, without permit, on all law enforcement vehicles owned or leased by a Vermont Criminal Justice Council certified constable for a municipality that has not voted to limit the constable’s authority to engage in enforcement activities under 24 V.S.A. § 1936a: a red emergency warning lamp or a red and amber emergency warning lamp, provided that the emergency warning lamp is mounted so as to be visible primarily from the rear of the vehicle.
(B) A constable for a municipality that has voted to limit the constable’s authority to engage in enforcement activities under 24 V.S.A. § 1936a shall not operate, in the course of the constable’s elected duties, a motor vehicle with a siren or an emergency warning lamp.
(b) Emergency services vehicles.
(1) Emergency services vehicles owned and operated by the government. The following are authorized for use, without permit, on all emergency services vehicles owned or leased by the federal government, a municipality, or the State:
(A) sirens and red emergency warning lamps or red and white emergency warning lamps; and
(B) a blue emergency warning lamp or a blue and amber emergency warning lamp provided that the emergency warning lamp is mounted so as to be visible primarily from the rear of the vehicle.
(2) Emergency services vehicles not owned and operated by the government.
(A) When satisfied as to the condition and use of the vehicle, the Commissioner shall issue and may revoke, for cause, permits for sirens and emergency warning lamps in the following manner:
(i) Sirens and red emergency warning lamps or red and white emergency warning lamps may be authorized for all ambulances and other emergency medical service (EMS) vehicles, vehicles owned or leased by a fire department, vehicles used solely in rescue operations, or vehicles owned or leased by, or provided to, volunteer firefighters and voluntary rescue squad members, including a vehicle owned by a volunteer’s employer when the volunteer has the written authorization of the employer to use the vehicle for emergency fire or rescue activities.
(ii) A blue emergency warning lamp or a blue and amber emergency warning lamp may be authorized for all EMS vehicles or vehicles owned or leased by a fire department, provided that the Commissioner shall require the emergency warning lamp be mounted so as to be visible primarily from the rear of the vehicle.
(B) No motor vehicle, other than one owned by the applicant, shall be issued a permit until the Commissioner has recorded the information regarding both the owner of the vehicle and the applicant for the permit.
(C) Upon application to the Commissioner, the Commissioner may issue a single permit for all the vehicles owned or leased by the applicant.
(c) Restored vehicles. Restored vehicles. A combination of one or more of red signal lamps, red and white signal lamps blue signal lamps, or blue and white signal lamps may be authorized for restored emergency or enforcement vehicles used for exhibition purposes. Sirens and lamps authorized under this subsection may only be activated during an exhibition, such as a car show or parade.
(d) Amber signal lamps. Amber signal lamps shall be used on road maintenance vehicles, service vehicles, and wreckers and shall be used on all registered snow removal equipment when in use removing snow on public highways, and the amber lamps shall be mounted so as to be visible from all sides of the motor vehicle. (Amended 1967, No. 265 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1969, No. 259 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 1985, No. 85, § 7; 1987, No. 5, § 1; 1987, No. 241 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1991, No. 128 (Adj. Sess.), § 1 eff. April 10, 1992; 1995, No. 88 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2001, No. 106 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2013, No. 57, § 21; 2021, No. 76, § 34; 2023, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 19, eff. July 1, 2024.)
