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Vermont rental application rules to know

• •Vermont law prohibits landlords from charging any residential rental application fee, including fees for background or credit checks (9 V.S.A. § 4456a).
• •A landlord cannot require a Social Security number to complete a rental application or refuse your application for lacking one. They must accept alternatives like a government-issued ID or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (§ 4456a).
• •Vermont sets no statutory limit on how large a security deposit can be, so the amount is negotiable and should always be put in writing (9 V.S.A. § 4461); Burlington and Brattleboro cap deposits at one month's rent by local ordinance.
• •The landlord must return your deposit with an itemized statement within 14 days of your move-out. If they miss the 14-day deadline, they forfeit the right to keep any of it (§ 4461).
• •Vermont's Fair Housing Act bars discrimination against recipients of public assistance, which includes tenants using housing subsidies like Section 8 (9 V.S.A. § 4503).
• •Vermont also protects victims of abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and applicants who intend to live with minor children, among other classes beyond the federal list (§ 4503).
• •Some Vermont cities, such as Burlington, add local rental-registration and minimum-housing inspection requirements on top of state law; Burlington also caps deposits at one month's rent and requires them to be held in an interest-bearing account with the interest paid to you.

Last reviewed 2026-07-15. General information, not legal advice.