Last updated on October 18, 2025
Yes, it is legal to whistle underwater in Vermont.
The claim that Vermont bans underwater whistling is one of those persistent legal myths that often appears in trivia books and viral “weird laws” lists. But according to the official Vermont legal code, there is no statute, ordinance, or regulation that prohibits this behavior.
A full review of the Vermont Statutes Online, maintained by the Vermont General Assembly, confirms that whistling—underwater or otherwise—is not mentioned anywhere in the state’s laws. You can search the entire legal database yourself, and you won’t find a single reference to this supposed ban.
The Vermont Secretary of State, which oversees legal records and historical statutes, also provides no documentation of such a law ever being enacted or enforced. These are the two most authoritative sources for Vermont’s legislative and regulatory framework, and both confirm the same thing: the law doesn’t exist.
So while Vermont does have some unique laws—such as restrictions on billboards and strict maple syrup labeling—whistling underwater remains perfectly legal. If you can pull it off, you’re free to impress the fish. See more on the US.
Sources
Vermont Statutes Online – https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/
Vermont Secretary of State – https://sos.vermont.gov/