In the adult, the apertural part of the shell is usually free, with the opening directed upward.

The Vermetidae were recognized as the only family in the superfamily Vermetoidea in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005) within the clade Littorinimorpha.

The following two subfamilies were recognized in the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005):[1] Family Vermetidae Rafinesque, 1815 This classification of the Vermetoidea has been somewhat controversial.

Studies, based on sperm ultrastructure,[2] and on molecular data[3] clearly place it within the clade Littorinimorpha.

The genera Campanile and Thylacodes form a clade that is sister to the Cerithioidea, as shown in a study by Lydeard et al.