Vermont Electronic Communication Privacy Act
VECPA
Communications · Government records · Location
Requires Vermont law enforcement to get a warrant, a recognised warrant exception, user consent or an emergency justification before compelling service providers to hand over protected user information, and to notify the targets. It bans real-time interception of communications content and cell-tower or GPS location except to find a fugitive under an arrest warrant. Service providers must produce warranted records within 30 days, or within 72 hours if the court orders it.
- Where
- Vermont
- Citation
- 13 V.S.A. ch. 232 (13 V.S.A. §§ 8101-8108)
- Status
- In force
- In force since
- 2016-10-01
- Enforced by
- Courts (suppression and motions to quash)
- People can sue
- No
- Penalties
- Remedies are exclusive: defendants may move to suppress unlawfully obtained electronic information, and service providers may move to quash subpoenas (§ 8104). No civil damages are provided.
- Applies to
- Law enforcement officers seeking protected user information
- Electronic communication service providers responding to Vermont warrants and subpoenas
What a privacy notice must say
- Officers executing a warrant or emergency request must notify the identified targets and include a copy of any warrant, unless notice is delayed as permitted.13 V.S.A. § 8103(a)
Practices it requires
- Law enforcement may not intercept real-time communications content or cell-tower or GPS location from a user's device except to locate a fugitive under an arrest warrant.13 V.S.A. § 8108
Other duties
- Law enforcement may compel protected user information from service providers only by warrant, a judicially recognised warrant exception, lawful user consent or a good-faith emergency.13 V.S.A. § 8102(a)-(b)
- Service providers must produce items listed in a warrant within 30 days, or within 72 hours if the court orders a shorter period for good cause, in a searchable format.13 V.S.A. § 8106(a)
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.
Unverified: Mainly a government-access law; included because it sets service provider response duties. Amendment history after 2016 was not checked for every section.
Research reference, not legal advice.