Rapid emergence and uniform seedling growth are essential attributes in the production of vegetables such as carrots, whose sowing is direct in the field. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of carrot seed vigor on seedling emergence, plant development, and yield. Four seed lots of carrot, cv. Brasília were characterized for their physiological potential by germination and vigor tests. A field experiment was conducted, where the seeds of each lot were sown in in the field to evaluate seedling emergence at 10 and 14 days, the length of the shoot and root at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing, the crop growth rate, commercial, non-commercial and commercial total roots yield. Seed vigor significantly affected the seedling emergence and development of carrot plants in the field. The less vigorous lot showed lower final emergence than the most vigorous lots and these negative vigor effects extended to the most advanced stages of plant development. Carrot seed vigor affects seedling emergence and plant growth in the field. Vigorous seeds causes greater emergence, plant height and plant dry matter during the vegetative phase. The use of less vigorous seeds causes yield losses of up to 27%.