Vermont call recording law
Is Vermont a one-party consent state?
One-party (federal law)
Under federal law, yes. Federal law sets a one-party rule that applies in every state: a person who is a party to a call, or who has one party’s prior consent, may record it unless the call is recorded to commit a criminal or tortious act (18 U.S.C. § 2511). The sources on this page are federal; confirm Vermont law with a Vermont lawyer.
Last checked October 13, 2026 · 6 quoted facts from official pages
Vermont at a glance
- Phone calls
- One-party (federal law)
- The law
- 18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d) (federal one-party consent exception) (official source, opens in a new tab)
- Criminal penalty
- Under federal law, unlawful interception is punishable by a fine, imprisonment of up to five years, or both (18 U.S.C. § 2511).
- Lawsuits
- Under federal law, a court may award the greater of actual damages plus the violator’s profits, or statutory damages of the greater of $100 a day for each day of violation or $10,000 (18 U.S.C. § 2520).
- Last checked
- October 13, 2026
The law
Penalties
- Criminal
- Under federal law, unlawful interception is punishable by a fine, imprisonment of up to five years, or both (18 U.S.C. § 2511).
- Civil (lawsuits)
- Under federal law, a court may award the greater of actual damages plus the violator’s profits, or statutory damages of the greater of $100 a day for each day of violation or $10,000 (18 U.S.C. § 2520).
What this means for a business that records calls
Callers can be in any state. The state-by-state table compares every state's rule, and the disclosure generator writes a plain notice sentence such as “This call may be recorded.” Whether a notice is enough under Vermont's law is a question for a lawyer licensed in Vermont.
Recording notices on CallFlux numbers
CallFlux plays a recording notice to callers on every tracking number that records, before the call connects.
What the official sources say
Federal law permits a private person who is a party to a call to intercept it...
“It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication”
Source: govinfo.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
...when the person is a party or one party has given prior consent.
“where such person is a party to the communication or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent”
Source: govinfo.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
The federal exception does not cover interception for a criminal or tortious purpose.
“unless such communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act”
Source: govinfo.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Federal criminal penalty: a fine, up to five years' imprisonment, or both.
“shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”
Source: govinfo.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Federal civil damages: actual damages plus profits, or statutory damages, whichever is greater.
“the sum of the actual damages suffered by the plaintiff and any profits made by the violator as a result of the violation”
Source: govinfo.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Federal statutory damages: the greater of $100 per day or $10,000.
“statutory damages of whichever is the greater of $100 a day for each day of violation or $10,000.”
Source: govinfo.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Vermont call recording questions
Is Vermont a one-party consent state?
Under federal law, yes. Federal law sets a one-party rule that applies in every state: a person who is a party to a call, or who has one party’s prior consent, may record it unless the call is recorded to commit a criminal or tortious act (18 U.S.C. § 2511). The sources on this page are federal; confirm Vermont law with a Vermont lawyer.
What is the penalty for recording a call illegally in Vermont?
Under federal law, unlawful interception is punishable by a fine, imprisonment of up to five years, or both (18 U.S.C. § 2511).
What does Vermont's law say about lawsuits over recorded calls?
Under federal law, a court may award the greater of actual damages plus the violator’s profits, or statutory damages of the greater of $100 a day for each day of violation or $10,000 (18 U.S.C. § 2520).