On state park land
Permission needed
A permit from the state historic preservation officer, and Vermont is unusual in opening those to amateurs as well as professionals.
This state also reaches city and county land — see below
1. The rule, in full
Vermont – 22 V.S.A. chapter 14
Read from the Vermont Statutes Online full chapter at legislature.vermont.gov, parsed locally. Note that site's own disclaimer: it is "an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience." Re-verify against the official printed VSA before publishing.
Definition, 22 V.S.A. 701(4) – the same New England definition, intent clause included:
"'Field investigations' means the study of the traces of human culture at any land or water site by means of surveying, digging, sampling, excavating, or removing surface or subsurface objects or going on a site with that intent."
Operative prohibition, 22 V.S.A. 791 (Penalty):
"A person who conducts field investigation activities on or under any land owned or controlled by the State or within the boundaries of any designated State archaeological landmark, without first obtaining a permit therefor from the State Historic Preservation Officer, or any person who appropriates, defaces, destroys, or otherwise alters any archaeological site or specimen located on or under State lands or within the boundaries of a designated State archaeological landmark, except in the course of activities pursued under the authority of a permit … shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, and in addition, shall forfeit to the State all specimens, objects, and materials collected or excavated, together with all photographs and records relating to that material."
Permits are open to amateurs, 22 V.S.A. 764 – worth carrying, because most states' permit routes are closed to hobbyists:
"The State Historic Preservation Officer … may issue permits for exploration and field investigations to be undertaken on State lands or within the boundaries of designated State archaeological landmarks to an amateur or professional whom the State Historic Preservation Officer deems properly qualified."
Why this is marked ambiguous rather than yes or no
The prohibition reaches "any designated State archaeological landmark", wherever it sits. The designation provision, 22 V.S.A. 763, contemplates only two kinds of owner:
"All State agencies administering State-owned lands containing State archaeological landmarks shall cooperate to ensure the protection of these landmarks. State archaeological landmarks located on privately owned land shall not be designated without the written consent of the owner."
Municipal land is in neither category. A city park is not State-owned land administered by a State agency, and it is not obviously "privately owned land" for the purpose of the consent proviso. So whether a Vermont municipal park can be designated – and therefore whether 791 can reach it – is not answered by the text.
Do not resolve this by inference in either direction. Either it is asked of the Division for Historic Preservation, or the Vermont entry says the reach on municipal land is unsettled and explains why in one sentence. The second is publishable; guessing is not.
By contrast 22 V.S.A. 762 is unambiguous and narrow: "The State reserves to itself the exclusive right of field investigation on sites owned or controlled by the State."
Source: legislature.vermont.gov Title 22 chapter 014, sections 701, 762, 763, 764, 766, 767 and 791. Checked 20 Sep 2026.
2. Cities in Vermont that publish a rule
Awaiting review. None of the city or county rows publishes until its status is set and its quotation chosen by hand.
3. County rules
Awaiting review. None of the city or county rows publishes until its status is set and its quotation chosen by hand.
4. Cities checked — no published rule
Awaiting review. None of the city or county rows publishes until its status is set and its quotation chosen by hand.