§ 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.)