Burlington takes first step toward banning public nudity

A proposed ordinance would restrict what is currently legal under Vermont state law

Burlington City Hall, Sep 2019 | Bill Badzo | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The Burlington City Council voted unanimously Monday night to advance an ordinance that would ban public nudity in most situations, moving to impose local restrictions on behavior that is currently legal under Vermont state law.

Vermont is one of the only U.S. states where public nudity is not explicitly prohibited. Under state law, a person may be nude in public as long as they do not disrobe in public view and are not engaging in lewd or harassing behavior. Burlington, which does not currently have its own public nudity ordinance, has followed this standard by default.

If adopted, the new ordinance would add a layer of municipal regulation, making public nudity illegal in most public spaces within the city, regardless of whether a person disrobed in public or not.

According to MyNBC5, city councilors cited growing concerns from residents and downtown business owners—particularly about unclothed individuals appearing on Church Street and in city parks—as the impetus for the proposed change. Council members described the existing policy as too vague and difficult to enforce.

The measure now goes to the city’s ordinance committee, which will draft the formal language of the law and may consider possible exemptions. A final vote by the full council will follow later this summer.

Legal context

Vermont’s state-level legal framework makes a clear distinction: disrobing in public is prohibited, but simple nudity is not, provided it is nonsexual and nonthreatening. This has made Vermont one of the few states where public nudity, under specific conditions, is not criminalized.

Burlington has never formally embraced this distinction as a cultural value, but in the absence of a local ordinance, it has quietly tolerated occasional public nudity when it occurs. These instances have remained rare, though they have occasionally drawn attention or complaints.

Other Vermont cities have taken a different approach. In 2007, Brattleboro enacted a temporary ban on public nudity following public controversy over nude teenagers downtown. Montpelier prohibits “immodest” public exposure under its municipal code.

What comes next—and how to respond

The ordinance committee will now begin drafting Burlington’s proposed law. Once finalized, it will be brought back to the full city council for a vote.

Residents concerned about the measure can still take action:

• Contact your city councilor to share your perspective.

• Attend public meetings, especially those of the ordinance committee.

• Submit written comments to be entered into the public record.

• Connect with civil liberties, artistic, or naturist organizations to raise awareness and organize public testimony.

Burlington’s decision will not change state law, but it could reshape how public space is regulated at the local level—and whether Vermont’s rare legal tolerance for simple nudity continues to have any real expression in public life. 🪐