Vermont Ordinances (2026)

Vermont law requires every municipality with zoning to permit at least one accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot as a permitted use, preempting local prohibitions. The HOME Act of 2023 further expanded…

Vermont's Residential Building Energy Standards and statewide adoption of the International Residential Code, including Appendix Q for tiny houses, set minimum construction standards for permanent tiny homes…

Vermont's animal cruelty law applies statewide and addresses neglect including hoarding situations. Under 13 V.S.A. § 352, depriving animals of adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care constitutes…

Vermont's Right to Farm law shields agricultural operations following accepted practices from nuisance suits. State law preempts local restrictions on farm animals when the operation qualifies as a farm under…

Vermont state law governs dog licensing, rabies vaccination, and owner liability for damage. Title 20 requires annual licensing and authorizes municipalities to adopt leash and control ordinances, while strict…

Vermont prohibits possession of unpermitted wild animals statewide under Fish & Wildlife regulations. Exotic species require permits from the Department of Fish & Wildlife, and many large carnivores, primates…

Vermont prohibits knowingly feeding black bears statewide under 10 V.S.A. section 4827a. Wardens may order removal of bear attractants such as bird feeders and garbage, and deer feeding is separately…

Vermont licenses cannabis retailers and dispensaries through the Cannabis Control Board, and a town must affirmatively opt in to host retail cannabis establishments, but once opted in, state licensing and…

Vermont state law authorizes adults 21 and older to cultivate a limited number of cannabis plants at their primary residence, and municipalities cannot ban personal home cultivation that complies with…

Commercial drone operations in Vermont are federally regulated under FAA Part 107, with Vermont law adding statewide privacy and law enforcement limits, while municipalities cannot directly regulate flight…

Recreational drone operation in Vermont is governed primarily by FAA regulations, with state law limiting government surveillance use under 20 V.S.A. Section 4622 and providing privacy protections that apply…

Vermont sets a statewide minimum wage under 21 V.S.A. 384 but does not preempt local minimum wage ordinances, allowing municipalities to set higher rates.

Vermont's Earned Sick Time Act under 21 V.S.A. 481 establishes statewide paid sick leave for most employees, with limited preemption of local mandates.

Vermont has no statewide predictive scheduling law and does not expressly preempt local scheduling ordinances, leaving municipalities limited regulatory authority.

Vermont uniformly regulates construction-site erosion and sediment control through the state Construction General Permit and Stormwater Management Rule, requiring approved erosion prevention plans on…

Vermont requires every municipality to adopt flood hazard area bylaws meeting state and National Flood Insurance Program standards, and the Agency of Natural Resources directly regulates state-owned and…

Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources administers a uniform statewide stormwater permit program covering construction, operational, and three-acre impervious surface sites, with rules that apply regardless of…

Vermont applies the state-adopted building code to residential and commercial swimming pools, requiring barriers, self-closing gates, and alarm features. These standards apply uniformly statewide through the…

Vermont does not impose statewide defensible-space brush clearance mandates, but disposal of cleared brush by burning requires a fire warden permit under 10 V.S.A. ยง 2645. Chipping and composting are…

Vermont treats outdoor fire pits and recreational fires under the same statewide warden permit system in 10 V.S.A. ยง 2641-2647. Small contained cooking or warming fires generally do not require a permit, but…

Vermont bans the sale, possession, and use of consumer fireworks statewide under 20 V.S.A. chapter 177. Only sparklers under 14 inches and listed novelties are exempt. Public displays need a municipal permit…

Vermont requires a permit from the town fire warden for any outdoor burning of natural wood debris under 10 V.S.A. ยง 2641-2647. The warden's permit system is statutory and applies in every municipality…

Vermont has adopted NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) statewide as part of the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code under 20 V.S.A. ยง 2731. The Division of Fire Safety enforces uniform tank siting…

Vermont's Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation may suspend outdoor burning statewide or regionally during periods of high wildfire danger under 10 V.S.A. ยง 2643. Town wardens enforce the suspension…

Vermont permits concealed carry without a license for individuals legally allowed to possess firearms, a longstanding policy known as Vermont Carry.

Vermont law preempts most municipal firearms regulation under 24 V.S.A. section 2295, with limited exceptions for discharge ordinances within municipal boundaries.

Vermont permits open carry of firearms without a license for individuals legally allowed to possess firearms, subject to state and federal restrictions.

Vermont allows lawful firearm transport in vehicles without a permit, with state preemption under 24 V.S.A. 2295 barring local restrictions on vehicle carry beyond state law.

Vermont Department of Health licenses all mobile food vendors statewide under food service establishment rules. State licensing applies uniformly, while municipalities may regulate location, hours, and zoning…

Vermont's Common Interest Ownership Act (27A V.S.A. Title 27A) gives associations an automatic lien for unpaid assessments and fines under 27A V.S.A. § 3-116, with a six-month super-priority over first…

Vermont's Common Interest Ownership Act imposes detailed governance rules: 27A V.S.A. § 3-108 requires open meetings with notice and owner comment, § 3-110 governs voting and proxies, and § 3-118 gives unit…

Vermont associations enforce the declaration, bylaws, and rules under 27A V.S.A. § 3-102, including the power to regulate common elements and adopt rules under § 3-120. Residential rules are limited to three…

Under 27A V.S.A. § 3-102(a)(11), a Vermont association may impose late charges and, after notice and a hearing, "reasonable fines" for violations of the declaration, bylaws, and rules. The Act sets no dollar…

Vermont's Common Interest Ownership Act protects flags and political signs: 27A V.S.A. § 3-120(d) bars associations from prohibiting display of the U.S. flag (per federal law), the Vermont state flag, or…

Vermont lets residents sell low-risk, shelf-stable home foods like baked goods, jams, and candy without a license up to $30,000 in annual sales, under Department of Health rules (18 V.S.A. chapter 85). Above…

Vermont state law licenses family child care homes through the Department for Children and Families and prohibits municipalities from using zoning to exclude state-registered or licensed home-based child care…

Vermont state law requires every municipality with zoning to permit residents to use a minor portion of their dwelling for home occupations customarily carried on in the home, limiting how strictly local…

Vermont does not impose a statewide E-Verify mandate on private employers or public contractors, leaving participation in the federal program voluntary under existing federal rules.

Under 20 V.S.A. section 2366, every Vermont law enforcement agency must adopt the Criminal Justice Council's model fair and impartial policing policy, which limits when officers cooperate with federal civil…

Vermont's Universal Recycling Law (Act 148) prohibits disposal of food scraps in landfills statewide. All residents and businesses must compost or otherwise divert food waste from trash, applying uniformly…

Vermont municipalities cannot regulate aircraft operations or in-flight noise because federal law preempts the field. The FAA controls airspace, flight paths, and operational noise standards uniformly across…

Vermont's Act 250 land use law requires industrial and commercial developments meeting jurisdictional thresholds to demonstrate they will not cause undue noise impacts. This statewide permit standard applies…

Vermont state law uniformly governs how abandoned motor vehicles are identified, reported, removed, stored, and disposed of, with municipalities required to follow statutory procedures before towing, sale, or…

Vermont requires written notice before eviction. For nonpayment of rent, 9 V.S.A. § 4467(a) requires at least 14 days' actual notice, which the tenant can cure by paying the rent due. For breach of a lease…

Vermont law implies a warranty of habitability in every residential lease. Under 9 V.S.A. § 4457 the landlord must deliver and maintain premises that are safe, clean, and fit for human habitation and comply…

Vermont's Residential Rental Agreements Act establishes statewide grounds and notice periods for terminating tenancies, including nonpayment of rent, breach of rental agreement, and no-cause termination after…

Vermont requires landlords to give at least 48 hours' notice before entering a rental unit, and entry must occur at reasonable times between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. A landlord may enter without notice only in…

Vermont's Residential Rental Agreements chapter (9 V.S.A. ch. 137) sets no cap on late rent fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee is enforceable only if the lease provides for it, and courts may…

To end a month-to-month tenancy without cause, a Vermont landlord must give at least 60 days' notice if the tenancy is two years or less, and at least 90 days' notice if it has lasted more than two years (9…

Vermont has no statewide rent control and no cap on rent increases. No statute preempts local rent control. Because Vermont follows Dillon's Rule, a municipality can adopt rent control only through a charter…

Vermont has no statewide rent control, but 9 V.S.A. § 4455(b) requires at least 60 days' actual notice before a rent increase takes effect. The increase begins on the first day of the rental period following…

Vermont's rental housing health and safety program moved to the Division of Fire Safety under Act 181 of 2022, codified at 20 V.S.A. chapter 172. Landlords must register rental units in the statewide rental…

Vermont sets no statutory cap on residential security deposits. A landlord must return the deposit with a written statement itemizing any deductions within 14 days after the tenant vacates. Missing that…

Vermont requires 15 years of possession before a squatter can claim land by adverse possession. Under 12 V.S.A. § 501, an action to recover land must be brought within 15 years after the cause of action…

Vermont law under 24 V.S.A. 4413 limits municipal zoning authority over accepted agricultural and silvicultural practices, preserving farming statewide.

Vermont's Right to Farm Act under 12 V.S.A. 5753 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits when complying with Required Agricultural Practices.

Vermont does not mandate liability insurance for short-term rentals and has no statewide insurance-disclosure requirement. Coverage is governed by private policies; many homeowner policies exclude short-term…

Vermont has no mandatory statewide short-term rental registry. Operators register with the Department of Taxes, collect the 9% Meals and Rooms Tax plus a 3% short-term rental surcharge, display their tax…

Vermont imposes a 9% Meals and Rooms Tax, an additional 3% short-term rental surcharge (since August 2024), and a 1% local option tax where adopted, on stays under 30 days. Hosts and platforms register with…

Vermont law restricts political signs in state highway rights-of-way and sets statewide content-neutral limits. Municipalities may regulate placement on private property but cannot ban political signs outright…

Vermont banned single-use plastic carryout bags statewide effective July 1, 2020 under Act 69 of 2019, with paper bag fees and exemptions for certain uses.

Vermont prohibits expanded polystyrene foam food service containers statewide under Act 69 of 2019, effective July 1, 2020 for restaurants and retailers.

Vermont restricts single-use plastic straws and stirrers under Act 69 of 2019, requiring food service establishments to provide them only on customer request.

Vermont law authorizes solar easements and limits some HOA restrictions on solar installation. While not as broad as some state solar rights laws, 24 V.S.A. § 4413 restricts municipal regulation of solar…

Vermont's Public Utility Commission preempts municipal review of grid-connected solar generation through a state Certificate of Public Good process. Net metered solar projects under 15 kW use streamlined…

Vermont regulates itinerant (transient) vendors who sell goods at temporary locations under 32 V.S.A. chapter 223. Sellers of tangible goods must also register with the Department of Taxes for sales tax. A…

Vermont adopts the International Residential Code and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, requiring 48-inch barriers around residential pools deeper than 24 inches. State code applies in towns without…

Vermont Department of Health regulates public swimming pools statewide under public health rules. Operators must maintain water quality, lifeguard staffing where required, and post safety signage. Standards…

Vermont prohibits the sale of tobacco products and substitutes to anyone under age 21 under 7 V.S.A. 1003, aligning with federal Tobacco 21 standards.

Vermont restricts flavored tobacco product sales through Department of Health rules and enforces FDA flavored e-cigarette restrictions, with proposals for broader bans pending.

Vermont regulates the retail sale of electronic cigarettes and vapor products through state licensing under Title 7, requiring tobacco licenses for all retailers.

Vermont bans tires, electronics, mercury thermostats, paint, batteries, and other designated wastes from landfills under product stewardship laws administered by the Agency of Natural Resources. Producers must…

Vermont law requires every solid waste hauler to offer collection of recyclables, leaf and yard debris, and food scraps alongside trash service under 10 V.S.A. ยง 6605k. Variable-rate pricing rules apply…

Vermont's Universal Recycling Law (Act 148, codified at 10 V.S.A. ยง 6605k) bans recyclables, leaf and yard debris, clean wood, and food scraps from landfill disposal statewide. Every household, business, and…