Vermont has some of the strongest tenant protections in the country, set out in Title 9, Chapter 137. Source of income is protected — it is illegal to refuse a tenant “because a person is a recipient of public assistance” (9 V.S.A. § 4503), and the Human Rights Commission confirms this covers Section 8. There is no deposit cap but a fast 14-day return, nonpayment starts with a 14-day notice, and no-cause terminations require long notice that grows with your tenancy. Two agencies split the state role: VSHA runs statewide vouchers; VHFA handles tax-credit financing. This page covers where to apply, the tenant-law framework, and where to get help.
- 211 Vermont — dial 2-1-1 (or 802-652-4636) for rent, utility, and shelter help
- Vermont State Housing Authority (statewide vouchers): (802) 828-3295 · vsha.org
- Vermont Legal Aid / Legal Services Vermont: 1-800-889-2047 · vtlawhelp.org
- CVOEO Tenant Hotline: (802) 864-0099 · VT Human Rights Commission: (802) 828-2480
- Seasonal Fuel Assistance (DCF): 1-800-479-6151
- HUD fair housing: 1-800-669-9777
Major Vermont public housing authorities
Vermont splits the state housing role between two agencies. The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) runs the statewide Housing Choice Voucher program (HUD code VT901) and managed housing, while the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) handles tax-credit and bond financing (not vouchers). VSHA’s statewide voucher list closed in early 2025, so also apply to local authorities:
- Burlington Housing Authority — PHA VT001, (802) 864-0538; the largest, in the state’s tightest market
- Vermont State Housing Authority — PHA VT901, (802) 828-3295; statewide vouchers
- Brattleboro Housing Partnerships — PHA VT002, (802) 254-5590
- Rutland Housing Authority — PHA VT003, (802) 775-2926; and Winooski Housing Authority, VT006, (802) 655-5540
Use HUD’s PHA directory and read how to find your PHA. For tax-credit apartments, search HUD’s LIHTC database.
Source of income: your voucher is protected
Under 9 V.S.A. § 4503, it is unlawful to refuse to rent, or to offer different terms, “because a person is a recipient of public assistance” — and the Vermont Human Rights Commission treats “Sorry, I don’t take Section 8” as an illegal statement. So a landlord generally cannot refuse your Housing Choice Voucher. Complaints go to the Human Rights Commission (802-828-2480). See our source-of-income protections guide.
Emergency rent, fuel & mobile-home help in Vermont
- Seasonal Fuel Assistance (LIHEAP) — administered by the Department for Children & Families; the Benefits Service Center is 1-800-479-6151; Vermont uses a high income limit and no asset test; see utility assistance programs
- VSHA eviction-prevention / rent-arrears help — a state Rent Arrears Assistance Fund was created in 2024; reach it through VSHA and DCF
- Dial 211 for the current list of funds, plus emergency rental assistance
Vermont tenant law: key protections at a glance
Quick reference: Vermont
- Voucher administrator: VSHA statewide (VT901) plus Burlington, Rutland, Brattleboro, and Winooski
- Source-of-income protection: yes — vouchers protected (9 V.S.A. § 4503)
- Rent control: none statewide; Montpelier voters approved just-cause eviction in 2024
- Nonpayment notice: 14 days; paying rent due through the period’s end keeps the tenancy (9 V.S.A. § 4467)
- No-cause termination: 30–90 days, scaling with how long you have lived there (9 V.S.A. § 4467)
- Security deposit: no cap; returned with itemization within 14 days (60 for seasonal) (9 V.S.A. § 4461)
- Self-help eviction: illegal — injunctive relief plus damages (9 V.S.A. § 4463)
- Mobile-home parks: 60-day lot-rent notice, up to 18 months’ closure notice, resident right to buy the park (10 V.S.A. ch. 153)
Security deposits
Vermont sets no cap on the deposit, but the return is fast: within 14 days of the tenant vacating (60 days for a seasonal, non-primary residence), the landlord must return it with a written statement itemizing any deductions, or forfeit the right to withhold any of it (9 V.S.A. § 4461). Read how to recover your security deposit.
Eviction & long no-cause notice
For nonpayment, the landlord gives a 14-day notice, and the tenancy continues if you pay the rent due through the end of the rental period before termination (9 V.S.A. § 4467). No-cause terminations require long notice: with no written lease, 60 days if you have lived there two years or less, or 90 days if longer; a written agreement uses 30 or 60 days. Vermont evictions are slow and tenant-protective — often three to six months — and a rent-escrow mechanism applies while a case is pending. Get help from Vermont Legal Aid (1-800-889-2047) or the CVOEO Tenant Hotline (802-864-0099), and read how to avoid eviction.
Nearby states
New England rules vary — compare deposits, notice, and voucher protection:
- New Hampshire tenant rights — no source-of-income protection
- Maine tenant rights — voucher protection and Portland rent control
- Rhode Island tenant rights — voucher protection and a centralized waitlist
- Massachusetts tenant rights
- New York tenant rights
Where to get help in Vermont
Tenant help & legal aid: Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services Vermont share a statewide helpline (1-800-889-2047); CVOEO runs a statewide Tenant Hotline (802-864-0099).
Discrimination & source-of-income complaints: the Vermont Human Rights Commission (802-828-2480) enforces the voucher protection.
Vouchers: apply through the Vermont State Housing Authority (802-828-3295) or a local authority.
211 helpline: dial 2-1-1 for rent, fuel, and shelter help statewide.
Next Steps
Not sure where to start? Our Where to Start tool maps Vermont programs to your situation in about two minutes.
If a landlord refused your voucher, that may be illegal under 9 V.S.A. § 4503 — contact the Vermont Human Rights Commission (802-828-2480) or Vermont Legal Aid, and read eviction prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a landlord reject me because I have a Section 8 voucher in Vermont?
No. Receipt of public assistance, including Section 8, is a protected class under 9 V.S.A. § 4503, and the Vermont Human Rights Commission treats 'I don't take Section 8' as an illegal statement. A landlord generally cannot refuse your voucher; complaints go to the Human Rights Commission (802-828-2480).
Is there a limit on my security deposit in Vermont?
No — Vermont sets no cap on the deposit amount. But the landlord must return it with an itemized statement within 14 days of your moving out (60 days for a seasonal rental), or lose the right to keep any of it (9 V.S.A. § 4461).
I've lived here three years with no written lease — how much no-cause notice am I owed?
Ninety days. Vermont scales no-cause notice with tenancy length: month-to-month tenants who have lived there more than two years get 90 days' notice; two years or less gets 60 days (9 V.S.A. § 4467).
How much notice before eviction for unpaid rent in Vermont?
A 14-day notice, and the tenancy continues if you pay the rent due through the end of the rental period before termination (9 V.S.A. § 4467). Vermont evictions are slow — often three to six months — and a rent-escrow process applies while the case is pending.
Who runs Section 8 in Vermont?
The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) runs the statewide Housing Choice Voucher program (HUD code VT901), and local authorities in Burlington, Rutland, Brattleboro, and Winooski run their own. The Vermont Housing Finance Agency handles tax-credit financing, not vouchers. VSHA's statewide list closed in early 2025, so also apply locally.
I live in a mobile-home park — what protections do I have?
Vermont's mobile-home-park law (10 V.S.A. ch. 153) requires at least 60 days' notice of a lot-rent increase, up to 18 months' notice before a park closes, and gives residents a right of first refusal to buy the park. Vermont Legal Aid (1-800-889-2047) can help with park disputes.