Which Vermont Towns Regulate Short-Term Rentals?

Working list as of August 25, 2026

Vermont does not have one uniform municipal system for short-term rentals. Owners must comply with applicable state requirements, but local rules vary considerably. Depending on the community, an owner may need to register annually, obtain a zoning permit or license, pay a registration fee, designate a local contact, limit occupancy, complete a fire safety inspection, or determine whether other certain restrictions are lawful and nondiscriminatory.

While challenging to track and monitor, VTSTRA has compiled information gathered from municipal survey responses, resident reporting, and government websites on municipalities with STR-specific ordinances or other regulations.

Municipalities with active STR requirements

Burlington

Burlington regulates short-term rentals through a detailed framework that includes registration, owner-occupancy and eligibility rules, fees, annual filings, and a local gross-receipts tax. Different requirements apply to whole-unit and partial-unit rentals.

Chester

Chester requires annual registration. Its 2024 ordinance established different fees for hosted and unhosted rentals, a town-wide registration cap, a limit on the number of units one person or entity may register, and a waiting period following a property transfer. Read Chester’s notice of adoption.

Dorset

Dorset requires STR registration and compliance with local operating, contact, occupancy, safety, and enforcement provisions. The town adopted an amended ordinance in January 2025.

Dover

Dover requires STR registration, an annual fee, state fire-safety compliance, emergency and local contact information, and compliance with local trash and enforcement standards.

Fairlee

Fairlee has adopted an STR ordinance addressing registration and local operating requirements. Owners should confirm the current application, fee, and renewal requirements directly with the town. View Fairlee’s ordinance.

Grafton

Grafton adopted an STR ordinance in 2026. It requires annual registration, establishes a $200 annual fee, and limits registrations to 47 dwelling units, with a waitlist if the cap is reached. View Grafton’s ordinance.

Hartford

Hartford requires rental properties, including short-term rentals, to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy and Fire Permit from the town. This includes a fire-safety inspection. Owners in Quechee, White River Junction, Wilder, and the other Hartford villages should verify whether additional zoning or property-specific approvals apply. Review Hartford’s fire-prevention guidance.

Killington

Killington requires annual registration for STR dwelling units. The registration process addresses fees, occupancy, parking, insurance, safety documentation, and operator or emergency-contact information.

Londonderry

Londonderry requires STR registration and provides a town-administered application, safety form, fee-payment process, and supporting tax information. Owners should review the current ordinance carefully because its operating limitations and fees have changed over time.

Manchester Village

Manchester Village has an STR ordinance requiring annual registration, inspection, a fee, caretaker availability, occupancy compliance, required guest postings, and adherence to local noise and enforcement rules. Properties elsewhere in the Town of Manchester may be governed differently, so owners must first determine the correct jurisdiction.

Montpelier

Montpelier requires annual STR registration.

Morristown

Short-term rentals in Morrisville & Morristown are restricted to owner-occupied properties.

Norwich

Norwich’s interim STR bylaw took effect in July 2026. It requires registration for qualifying rentals and includes an annual fee. Because the bylaw is interim and scheduled for future review, owners should confirm current eligibility and permit requirements with the town.

Pawlet

Pawlet requires STR registration, a local fee, a geographically proximate owner or manager, safety and tax documentation, posted contact information, and timely trash removal. The ordinance allows STRs in all zoning districts but requires a new registration after a change in ownership. Read Pawlet’s ordinance.

Peru

Peru requires annual registration and addresses fire-safety documentation, occupancy, caretaker availability, required postings, and the handling of trash and fireplace or woodstove ashes.

Rutland Town

Rutland Town’s ordinance requires annual registration, a local registration number, a fee, an annual report, occupancy and parking compliance, a nearby property manager for non-owner-occupied rentals, and an initial fire-safety inspection. Read the Rutland Town ordinance.

South Burlington

South Burlington regulates STRs through its residential rental registry. Registration and inspection requirements may depend on whether the property qualifies as an existing STR and whether it is owner- or tenant-occupied.

Stowe

Stowe requires an STR license through registration. The number of issued licenses is capped at 850, a cap that is currently exceeded. A lottery system for new licenses is in development. Owner-occupancy is required for new licenses exempt from the cap.

Warren

Warren requires an STR permit and annual renewal. Its ordinance addresses town and state compliance, inspections, enforcement, penalties, and the effect of a property transfer on the authorization to rent.

West Windsor

West Windsor’s ordinance took effect in 2025 and requires annual registration. The town uses different fee structures for hosted and unhosted rentals and authorizes civil penalties for violations. Review West Windsor’s ordinance summary.

Wilmington

Wilmington requires a zoning permit before a property is used as an STR. The town’s review may include a site plan, floor plan, wastewater capacity, occupancy, and additional fire-safety documentation for rentals advertising more than eight guests.

Winhall

Winhall adopted an STR ordinance in April 2026, effective June 2026. It establishes annual registration, a fee, and local operating requirements. Read Winhall’s adoption notice.

Winooski

Winooski requires a separate STR license for each unit. Its rules distinguish between owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied properties and include fees, renewal requirements, and a limit on the number of licenses available.

Woodstock Town and Village

Woodstock requires registration and distinguishes between owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRs. New STRs may require conditional-use approval, and the local framework includes caps, exemptions, renewal rules, and property-transfer considerations. Owners must confirm whether Town rules, Village rules, or both apply to the property.

Towns with proposals, drafts, or active discussions

As of August 2026, Ludlow, Poultney, and Williston have considered or published STR proposals that should not automatically be described as adopted law. Poultney, for example, identifies its March 2026 ordinance as a working draft for discussion and public input. Follow Poultney’s STR process.

VTSTRA has also received reports of past or ongoing discussions in Cavendish,  Charlotte,  Cornwall, Marlboro,  Middlebury, Newfane,  Pownal,  Rupert,  Shaftsbury,  South Hero,  Sunderland, and  Waterbury. Discussion by a planning commission, housing committee, or selectboard does not necessarily mean an STR ordinance has been adopted, but it is often the first step in the process and a sign that new regulations are coming soon.

Always verify before operating or purchasing

This is a working educational list, not legal advice, nor a comprehensive list of the latest regulatory status. Municipal rules change quickly and may depend on the town’s charter, zoning bylaws, or a property’s Act 250 permits.

Before advertising, operating, buying, or selling a property based on potential STR income, contact the municipality directly and ask:

• Is short-term renting allowed at this specific address?

• Is registration, licensing, zoning approval, or inspection required?

• What occupancy, parking, wastewater, and local-contact rules apply?

• Are there caps, owner-occupancy rules, waiting periods, or rental-day limits?

• Does an existing authorization transfer when the property is sold?

• Are amendments currently pending?

VTSTRA will continue to monitor local policy activity and update its members as municipalities adopt or amend regulations.

Report changes in local STR regulation: CLICK HERE

Property owners can help keep this resource accurate by alerting VTSTRA to new ordinances, bylaw amendments, public hearing notices, and enforcement changes through VTSTRA’s website.