diff --git a/adapter/jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/adapter/jdbc/ResultSetUtilityTest.java b/adapter/jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/adapter/jdbc/ResultSetUtilityTest.java
index c7dc9b2791..833a199be2 100644
--- a/adapter/jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/adapter/jdbc/ResultSetUtilityTest.java
+++ b/adapter/jdbc/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/adapter/jdbc/ResultSetUtilityTest.java
@@ -43,15 +43,21 @@ public void testZeroRowResultSet() throws Exception {
                 .setReuseVectorSchemaRoot(reuseVectorSchemaRoot)
                 .build();
 
-        ArrowVectorIterator iter = JdbcToArrow.sqlToArrowVectorIterator(rs, config);
-        assertTrue(iter.hasNext(), "Iterator on zero row ResultSet should haveNext() before use");
-        VectorSchemaRoot root = iter.next();
-        assertNotNull(root, "VectorSchemaRoot from first next() result should never be null");
-        assertEquals(
-            0, root.getRowCount(), "VectorSchemaRoot from empty ResultSet should have zero rows");
-        assertFalse(
-            iter.hasNext(),
-            "hasNext() should return false on empty ResultSets after initial next() call");
+        try (ArrowVectorIterator iter = JdbcToArrow.sqlToArrowVectorIterator(rs, config)) {
+          assertTrue(iter.hasNext(), "Iterator on zero row ResultSet should haveNext() before use");
+          VectorSchemaRoot root = iter.next();
+          assertNotNull(root, "VectorSchemaRoot from first next() result should never be null");
+          assertEquals(
+              0,
+              root.getRowCount(),
+              "VectorSchemaRoot from empty ResultSet should have zero rows");
+          assertFalse(
+              iter.hasNext(),
+              "hasNext() should return false on empty ResultSets after initial next() call");
+          if (!reuseVectorSchemaRoot) {
+            root.close();
+          }
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseLargeVariableWidthVector.java b/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseLargeVariableWidthVector.java
index 6c451f10a7..3bb6842b4b 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseLargeVariableWidthVector.java
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseLargeVariableWidthVector.java
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ public BaseLargeVariableWidthVector(Field field, final BufferAllocator allocator
     lastValueCapacity = INITIAL_VALUE_ALLOCATION - 1;
     valueCount = 0;
     lastSet = -1;
-    offsetBuffer = allocator.getEmpty();
+    // Allocate offset buffer with at least OFFSET_WIDTH capacity to ensure
+    // offset[0] is always available according to Arrow spec.
+    offsetBuffer = allocateOffsetBuffer(OFFSET_WIDTH);
     validityBuffer = allocator.getEmpty();
     valueBuffer = allocator.getEmpty();
   }
@@ -373,7 +375,6 @@ private void setReaderAndWriterIndex() {
     valueBuffer.readerIndex(0);
     if (valueCount == 0) {
       validityBuffer.writerIndex(0);
-      offsetBuffer.writerIndex(0);
       valueBuffer.writerIndex(0);
     } else {
       final long lastDataOffset = getStartOffset(valueCount);
@@ -381,6 +382,23 @@ private void setReaderAndWriterIndex() {
       offsetBuffer.writerIndex((long) (valueCount + 1) * OFFSET_WIDTH);
       valueBuffer.writerIndex(lastDataOffset);
     }
+    // IPC serializer will determine readable bytes based on `readerIndex` and `writerIndex`.
+    // Both are set to 0 means 0 bytes are written to the IPC stream which will crash IPC readers
+    // in other libraries. According to Arrow spec, we should still output the offset buffer which
+    // is [0].
+    final long requiredOffsetBufferSize = (long) (valueCount + 1) * OFFSET_WIDTH;
+    if (offsetBuffer.capacity() < requiredOffsetBufferSize) {
+      // Allocate a new buffer with sufficient capacity. This can happen when vector
+      // was loaded via loadFieldBuffers() with an empty offset buffer.
+      ArrowBuf newOffsetBuffer = allocateOffsetBuffer(requiredOffsetBufferSize);
+      // Copy existing data if any
+      if (offsetBuffer.capacity() > 0) {
+        newOffsetBuffer.setBytes(0, offsetBuffer, 0, offsetBuffer.capacity());
+      }
+      offsetBuffer.getReferenceManager().release();
+      offsetBuffer = newOffsetBuffer;
+    }
+    offsetBuffer.writerIndex(requiredOffsetBufferSize);
   }
 
   /** Same as {@link #allocateNewSafe()}. */
@@ -492,7 +510,9 @@ private void allocateBytes(final long valueBufferSize, final int valueCount) {
 
   /* allocate offset buffer */
   private ArrowBuf allocateOffsetBuffer(final long size) {
-    ArrowBuf offsetBuffer = allocator.buffer(size);
+    // Ensure at least OFFSET_WIDTH capacity according to Arrow spec
+    final long curSize = Math.max(size, OFFSET_WIDTH);
+    ArrowBuf offsetBuffer = allocator.buffer(curSize);
     offsetBuffer.readerIndex(0);
     offsetBuffer.setZero(0, offsetBuffer.capacity());
     return offsetBuffer;
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseVariableWidthVector.java b/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseVariableWidthVector.java
index 96e2afbd29..58b5dd11aa 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseVariableWidthVector.java
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/BaseVariableWidthVector.java
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ public BaseVariableWidthVector(Field field, final BufferAllocator allocator) {
     lastValueCapacity = INITIAL_VALUE_ALLOCATION - 1;
     valueCount = 0;
     lastSet = -1;
-    offsetBuffer = allocator.getEmpty();
+    // Allocate offset buffer with at least OFFSET_WIDTH capacity to ensure
+    // offset[0] is always available according to Arrow spec.
+    offsetBuffer = allocateOffsetBuffer(OFFSET_WIDTH);
     validityBuffer = allocator.getEmpty();
     valueBuffer = allocator.getEmpty();
   }
@@ -389,14 +391,29 @@ private void setReaderAndWriterIndex() {
     valueBuffer.readerIndex(0);
     if (valueCount == 0) {
       validityBuffer.writerIndex(0);
-      offsetBuffer.writerIndex(0);
       valueBuffer.writerIndex(0);
     } else {
       final int lastDataOffset = getStartOffset(valueCount);
       validityBuffer.writerIndex(BitVectorHelper.getValidityBufferSizeFromCount(valueCount));
-      offsetBuffer.writerIndex((long) (valueCount + 1) * OFFSET_WIDTH);
       valueBuffer.writerIndex(lastDataOffset);
     }
+    // IPC serializer will determine readable bytes based on `readerIndex` and `writerIndex`.
+    // Both are set to 0 means 0 bytes are written to the IPC stream which will crash IPC readers
+    // in other libraries. According to Arrow spec, we should still output the offset buffer which
+    // is [0].
+    final long requiredOffsetBufferSize = (long) (valueCount + 1) * OFFSET_WIDTH;
+    if (offsetBuffer.capacity() < requiredOffsetBufferSize) {
+      // Allocate a new buffer with sufficient capacity. This can happen when vector
+      // was loaded via loadFieldBuffers() with an empty offset buffer.
+      ArrowBuf newOffsetBuffer = allocateOffsetBuffer(requiredOffsetBufferSize);
+      // Copy existing data if any
+      if (offsetBuffer.capacity() > 0) {
+        newOffsetBuffer.setBytes(0, offsetBuffer, 0, offsetBuffer.capacity());
+      }
+      offsetBuffer.getReferenceManager().release();
+      offsetBuffer = newOffsetBuffer;
+    }
+    offsetBuffer.writerIndex(requiredOffsetBufferSize);
   }
 
   /** Same as {@link #allocateNewSafe()}. */
@@ -509,7 +526,8 @@ private void allocateBytes(final long valueBufferSize, final int valueCount) {
 
   /* allocate offset buffer */
   private ArrowBuf allocateOffsetBuffer(final long size) {
-    final int curSize = (int) size;
+    // Ensure at least OFFSET_WIDTH capacity according to Arrow spec
+    final int curSize = (int) Math.max(size, OFFSET_WIDTH);
     ArrowBuf offsetBuffer = allocator.buffer(curSize);
     offsetBuffer.readerIndex(0);
     offsetBuffer.setZero(0, offsetBuffer.capacity());
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/NonNullableStructVector.java b/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/NonNullableStructVector.java
index 5a215608ef..edb9b30fef 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/NonNullableStructVector.java
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/NonNullableStructVector.java
@@ -509,7 +509,11 @@ public void close() {
   /** Initializes the struct's members from the given Fields. */
   public void initializeChildrenFromFields(List<Field> children) {
     for (Field field : children) {
+      FieldVector oldVector = getChild(field.getName());
       FieldVector vector = (FieldVector) this.add(field.getName(), field.getFieldType());
+      if (oldVector != null && oldVector != vector) {
+        oldVector.close();
+      }
       vector.initializeChildrenFromFields(field.getChildren());
     }
   }
diff --git a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestDenseUnionVector.java b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestDenseUnionVector.java
index 9ac30730c4..7cba7f3f75 100644
--- a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestDenseUnionVector.java
+++ b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestDenseUnionVector.java
@@ -412,23 +412,25 @@ public void testGetFieldTypeInfo() throws Exception {
     final Field field = new Field("union", fieldType, children);
 
     MinorType minorType = MinorType.DENSEUNION;
-    DenseUnionVector vector = (DenseUnionVector) minorType.getNewVector(field, allocator, null);
-    vector.initializeChildrenFromFields(children);
+    try (DenseUnionVector vector =
+        (DenseUnionVector) minorType.getNewVector(field, allocator, null)) {
+      vector.initializeChildrenFromFields(children);
 
-    assertEquals(vector.getField(), field);
+      assertEquals(vector.getField(), field);
 
-    // Union has 2 child vectors
-    assertEquals(2, vector.size());
+      // Union has 2 child vectors
+      assertEquals(2, vector.size());
 
-    // Check child field 0
-    VectorWithOrdinal intChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("int");
-    assertEquals(0, intChild.ordinal);
-    assertEquals(intChild.vector.getField(), children.get(0));
+      // Check child field 0
+      VectorWithOrdinal intChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("int");
+      assertEquals(0, intChild.ordinal);
+      assertEquals(intChild.vector.getField(), children.get(0));
 
-    // Check child field 1
-    VectorWithOrdinal varcharChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("varchar");
-    assertEquals(1, varcharChild.ordinal);
-    assertEquals(varcharChild.vector.getField(), children.get(1));
+      // Check child field 1
+      VectorWithOrdinal varcharChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("varchar");
+      assertEquals(1, varcharChild.ordinal);
+      assertEquals(varcharChild.vector.getField(), children.get(1));
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestSplitAndTransfer.java b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestSplitAndTransfer.java
index adf4eba10c..b30d8e13a6 100644
--- a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestSplitAndTransfer.java
+++ b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestSplitAndTransfer.java
@@ -111,60 +111,83 @@ private void populateDenseUnionVector(final DenseUnionVector vector, int valueCo
   @Test
   public void testWithEmptyVector() {
     // MapVector use TransferImpl from ListVector
-    ListVector listVector = ListVector.empty("", allocator);
-    TransferPair transferPair = listVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (ListVector listVector = ListVector.empty("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = listVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // BaseFixedWidthVector
-    IntVector intVector = new IntVector("", allocator);
-    transferPair = intVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (IntVector intVector = new IntVector("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = intVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // BaseVariableWidthVector
-    VarCharVector varCharVector = new VarCharVector("", allocator);
-    transferPair = varCharVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (VarCharVector varCharVector = new VarCharVector("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = varCharVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // BaseVariableWidthViewVector: ViewVarCharVector
-    ViewVarCharVector viewVarCharVector = new ViewVarCharVector("", allocator);
-    transferPair = viewVarCharVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (ViewVarCharVector viewVarCharVector = new ViewVarCharVector("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = viewVarCharVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // BaseVariableWidthVector: ViewVarBinaryVector
-    ViewVarBinaryVector viewVarBinaryVector = new ViewVarBinaryVector("", allocator);
-    transferPair = viewVarBinaryVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (ViewVarBinaryVector viewVarBinaryVector = new ViewVarBinaryVector("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = viewVarBinaryVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // BaseLargeVariableWidthVector
-    LargeVarCharVector largeVarCharVector = new LargeVarCharVector("", allocator);
-    transferPair = largeVarCharVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (LargeVarCharVector largeVarCharVector = new LargeVarCharVector("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = largeVarCharVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // StructVector
-    StructVector structVector = StructVector.empty("", allocator);
-    transferPair = structVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (StructVector structVector = StructVector.empty("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = structVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // FixedSizeListVector
-    FixedSizeListVector fixedSizeListVector = FixedSizeListVector.empty("", 0, allocator);
-    transferPair = fixedSizeListVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (FixedSizeListVector fixedSizeListVector = FixedSizeListVector.empty("", 0, allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = fixedSizeListVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // FixedSizeBinaryVector
-    FixedSizeBinaryVector fixedSizeBinaryVector = new FixedSizeBinaryVector("", allocator, 4);
-    transferPair = fixedSizeBinaryVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (FixedSizeBinaryVector fixedSizeBinaryVector =
+        new FixedSizeBinaryVector("", allocator, 4)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = fixedSizeBinaryVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // UnionVector
-    UnionVector unionVector = UnionVector.empty("", allocator);
-    transferPair = unionVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (UnionVector unionVector = UnionVector.empty("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = unionVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
     // DenseUnionVector
-    DenseUnionVector duv = DenseUnionVector.empty("", allocator);
-    transferPair = duv.getTransferPair(allocator);
-    transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
-    assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+    try (DenseUnionVector duv = DenseUnionVector.empty("", allocator)) {
+      TransferPair transferPair = duv.getTransferPair(allocator);
+      transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
+      assertEquals(0, transferPair.getTo().getValueCount());
+      transferPair.getTo().close();
+    }
 
     // non empty from vector
 
@@ -172,7 +195,7 @@ public void testWithEmptyVector() {
     IntVector fromIntVector = new IntVector("", allocator);
     fromIntVector.allocateNew(100);
     populateIntVector(fromIntVector, 100);
-    transferPair = fromIntVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
+    TransferPair transferPair = fromIntVector.getTransferPair(allocator);
     IntVector toIntVector = (IntVector) transferPair.getTo();
     transferPair.splitAndTransfer(0, 0);
     assertEquals(0, toIntVector.getValueCount());
diff --git a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestUnionVector.java b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestUnionVector.java
index 40c05f9b11..b485c7bce7 100644
--- a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestUnionVector.java
+++ b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestUnionVector.java
@@ -402,23 +402,24 @@ public void testGetFieldTypeInfo() throws Exception {
     final Field field = new Field("union", fieldType, children);
 
     MinorType minorType = MinorType.UNION;
-    UnionVector vector = (UnionVector) minorType.getNewVector(field, allocator, null);
-    vector.initializeChildrenFromFields(children);
+    try (UnionVector vector = (UnionVector) minorType.getNewVector(field, allocator, null)) {
+      vector.initializeChildrenFromFields(children);
 
-    assertTrue(vector.getField().equals(field));
+      assertTrue(vector.getField().equals(field));
 
-    // Union has 2 child vectors
-    assertEquals(2, vector.size());
+      // Union has 2 child vectors
+      assertEquals(2, vector.size());
 
-    // Check child field 0
-    VectorWithOrdinal intChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("int");
-    assertEquals(0, intChild.ordinal);
-    assertEquals(intChild.vector.getField(), children.get(0));
+      // Check child field 0
+      VectorWithOrdinal intChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("int");
+      assertEquals(0, intChild.ordinal);
+      assertEquals(intChild.vector.getField(), children.get(0));
 
-    // Check child field 1
-    VectorWithOrdinal varcharChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("varchar");
-    assertEquals(1, varcharChild.ordinal);
-    assertEquals(varcharChild.vector.getField(), children.get(1));
+      // Check child field 1
+      VectorWithOrdinal varcharChild = vector.getChildVectorWithOrdinal("varchar");
+      assertEquals(1, varcharChild.ordinal);
+      assertEquals(varcharChild.vector.getField(), children.get(1));
+    }
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestValueVector.java b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestValueVector.java
index df42d04e60..1999a4463a 100644
--- a/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestValueVector.java
+++ b/vector/src/test/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/TestValueVector.java
@@ -1154,9 +1154,9 @@ public void testSplitAndTransfer1() {
         final int dataRefCnt = sourceVector.getDataBuffer().refCnt();
 
         // split and transfer with slice starting at the beginning: this should not allocate
-        // anything new
+        // anything new. The target vector's initial offset buffer (4 bytes) is freed during transfer.
         sourceVector.splitAndTransferTo(0, 2, targetVector);
-        assertEquals(allocatedMem, allocator.getAllocatedMemory());
+        assertEquals(allocatedMem - 4, allocator.getAllocatedMemory());
         // The validity and offset buffers are sliced from a same buffer.See
         // BaseFixedWidthVector#allocateBytes.
         // Therefore, the refcnt of the validity buffer is increased once since the startIndex is 0.
@@ -1192,9 +1192,9 @@ public void testSplitAndTransfer2() {
         final int dataRefCnt = sourceVector.getDataBuffer().refCnt();
 
         // split and transfer with slice starting at the beginning: this should not allocate
-        // anything new
+        // anything new. The target vector's initial offset buffer (4 bytes) is freed during transfer.
         sourceVector.splitAndTransferTo(0, 2, targetVector);
-        assertEquals(allocatedMem, allocator.getAllocatedMemory());
+        assertEquals(allocatedMem - 4, allocator.getAllocatedMemory());
         // The validity and offset buffers are sliced from a same buffer.See
         // BaseFixedWidthVector#allocateBytes.
         // Therefore, the refcnt of the validity buffer is increased once since the startIndex is 0.
@@ -1239,7 +1239,8 @@ public void testSplitAndTransfer3() {
       final long validitySize =
           DefaultRoundingPolicy.DEFAULT_ROUNDING_POLICY.getRoundedSize(
               getValidityBufferSizeFromCount(2));
-      assertEquals(allocatedMem + validitySize, allocator.getAllocatedMemory());
+      // The target vector's initial offset buffer (4 bytes) is freed during transfer.
+      assertEquals(allocatedMem + validitySize - 4, allocator.getAllocatedMemory());
       // The validity and offset buffers are sliced from a same buffer.See
       // BaseFixedWidthVector#allocateBytes.
       // Since values up to the startIndex are empty/null, the offset buffer doesn't need to be
@@ -3701,7 +3702,7 @@ public void testEmptyBufBehavior() {
       assertEquals(1, vector.getOffsetBuffer().refCnt());
       assertEquals(0, vector.getDataBuffer().capacity());
       assertEquals(0, vector.getValidityBuffer().capacity());
-      assertEquals(0, vector.getOffsetBuffer().capacity());
+      assertEquals(4, vector.getOffsetBuffer().capacity());
 
       vector.allocateNew(valueCount);
       assertEquals(1, vector.getDataBuffer().refCnt());
@@ -3940,4 +3941,42 @@ public void testVectorLoadUnloadOnNonVariadicVectors() {
       }
     }
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testEmptyVarCharOffsetBuffer() {
+    // Validates that offset buffer has at least OFFSET_WIDTH bytes (for offset[0]=0)
+    // even when valueCount is 0, per Arrow specification.
+    try (VarCharVector vector = newVarCharVector("varchar", allocator)) {
+      vector.allocateNew();
+      vector.setValueCount(0);
+
+      List<ArrowBuf> buffers = vector.getFieldBuffers();
+      // buffers: [validity, offset, data]
+      assertTrue(
+          buffers.get(1).readableBytes() >= BaseVariableWidthVector.OFFSET_WIDTH,
+          "Offset buffer should have at least "
+              + BaseVariableWidthVector.OFFSET_WIDTH
+              + " bytes for offset[0]");
+      assertEquals(0, vector.getOffsetBuffer().getInt(0));
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testEmptyLargeVarCharOffsetBuffer() {
+    // Validates that offset buffer has at least OFFSET_WIDTH bytes (for offset[0]=0)
+    // even when valueCount is 0, per Arrow specification.
+    try (LargeVarCharVector vector = new LargeVarCharVector("largevarchar", allocator)) {
+      vector.allocateNew();
+      vector.setValueCount(0);
+
+      List<ArrowBuf> buffers = vector.getFieldBuffers();
+      // buffers: [validity, offset, data]
+      assertTrue(
+          buffers.get(1).readableBytes() >= BaseLargeVariableWidthVector.OFFSET_WIDTH,
+          "Offset buffer should have at least "
+              + BaseLargeVariableWidthVector.OFFSET_WIDTH
+              + " bytes for offset[0]");
+      assertEquals(0, vector.getOffsetBuffer().getLong(0));
+    }
+  }
 }