Vermont Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
Vermont rules on rent increases & late fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap. Landlord must give at least 60 days' actual notice of a rent increase, effective the first day of the next rental period. 9 V.S.A. 4455(b); 24 App. V.S.A. ch. 3, § 48(64)-(65) (Burlington charter)
The rules in Vermont
| Rent control / increase limits | No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap. Landlord must give at least 60 days' actual notice of a rent increase, effective the first day of the next rental period. Local rent control: no state statute expressly preempts or authorizes it, and the city charters of Burlington, Montpelier and Winooski do not authorize rent control. Burlington's charter lets the City Council, by ordinance, require at least 90 days' written notice of a rent increase, and (where there is no written lease) at least 90 days' notice of a no-cause termination for tenancies under two years and 120 days for longer ones, but it does not allow limits on the amount of rent. Burlington charter: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/24APPENDIX/003. The Montpelier (24 App. V.S.A. ch. 5) and Winooski (ch. 19) charters contain no rent or landlord-tenant provisions: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/24APPENDIX/005 ; https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/24APPENDIX/019. A 2026 proposal (H.772, House-passed version) to limit rent increases to once a year died in the Senate on May 27, 2026. |
|---|---|
| Late fees | No statutory cap or grace period. No late-fee provision appears anywhere in 9 V.S.A. ch. 137, including 9 V.S.A. 4455 (rent payment). Late fees, if any, are set by the rental agreement, and general contract law may limit a fee that works as a penalty. Source: 9 V.S.A. ch. 137 |
Free calculators
- Late Fee Checker — Check a late fee against your state's cap and grace period.
- Rent Increase Calculator — In states with a statewide rent cap, see the most your rent can go up this year.
Related questions
- Can a landlord raise the rent in the middle of a lease?
- How much can a landlord charge for a late fee?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent?
- Can a landlord evict you for no reason?
Vermont vs. neighboring states
| State | Rent control / increase limits | Late fees |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap. Landlord must give at least 60 days' actual notice of a rent increase, effective the first day of the next rental period. Local rent control: no state statute expressly preempts or authorizes it, and the city charters of Burlington, Montpelier and Winooski do not authorize rent control. Burlington's charter lets the City Council, by ordinance, require at least 90 days' written notice of a rent increase, and (where there is no written lease) at least 90 days' notice of a no-cause termination for tenancies under two years and 120 days for longer ones, but it does not allow limits on the amount of rent. 9 V.S.A. 4455(b); 24 App. V.S.A. ch. 3, § 48(64)-(65) (Burlington charter) | No statutory cap or grace period. 9 V.S.A. ch. 137 |
| Massachusetts | Banned statewide by state law, and the ban is still in force. 'No city or town may enact, maintain or enforce rent control of any kind,' except a narrow program in a municipality that accepts c. 40P. Owner compliance with that program must be voluntary after 6 months, it cannot cover owners of fewer than 10 units or units with a fair market rent above $400, and the town must pay owners the difference from general funds. There is no statewide cap on rent increases. Rent control is NOT on the November 3, 2026 state ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth lists nine binding statewide questions (Questions 1-8 are initiative laws and Question 9 is a referendum on the 2024 firearms law), and none of them deals with rent control or rent stabilization. The rent-control initiative (Initiative Petition 25-21, 'An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases') was challenged at the Supreme Judicial Court in Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893. G.L. c. 40P, §§ 3-4; Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2026 State Election Ballot Questions; Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893 | No interest or penalty for late rent may be charged until rent is 30 days overdue. There is no statutory dollar or percentage cap. G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c) |
| New Hampshire | No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap in RSA ch. 540. On restricted property, a tenant's refusal of a rent increase is good cause for eviction only if the landlord gave at least 30 days' written notice of the amount and effective date. Local rent control: no statute expressly preempts it, but none authorizes it either. The general bylaw and ordinance powers of towns (RSA 31:39) and cities (RSA 47:17) list specific subjects and do not include regulating rents, so no New Hampshire city or town has clear authority to adopt rent control. RSA 540:2, IV; RSA 31:39; RSA 47:17 | No statutory cap or grace period found. RSA ch. 540 (no late-fee section) |
| New York | Local rent control/stabilization allowed. Rent stabilization covers many NYC buildings and other localities that declare a housing emergency (allowed statewide since June 15, 2019). Good Cause Eviction Law (RPL Art. 6-A, 2024) applies automatically in NYC and in localities that opt in: rent increases above the 'local rent standard' (5% + regional CPI, capped at 10%) are presumed unreasonable and eviction/non-renewal requires good cause. N.Y. RPL §§ 211, 212, 213, 214, 216 | Rent is not late until more than 5 days after the due date. Late fee capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. N.Y. RPL § 238-a(2) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Compare rent increases & late fees in all 50 states and DC →
Vermont Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws FAQ
Is there rent control or a limit on rent increases in Vermont?
No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap. Landlord must give at least 60 days' actual notice of a rent increase, effective the first day of the next rental period. Local rent control: no state statute expressly preempts or authorizes it, and the city charters of Burlington, Montpelier and Winooski do not authorize rent control. Burlington's charter lets the City Council, by ordinance, require at least 90 days' written notice of a rent increase, and (where there is no written lease) at least 90 days' notice of a no-cause termination for tenancies under two years and 120 days for longer ones, but it does not allow limits on the amount of rent. (9 V.S.A. 4455(b); 24 App. V.S.A. ch. 3, § 48(64)-(65) (Burlington charter))
Is there a limit on late fees in Vermont?
No statutory cap or grace period. (9 V.S.A. ch. 137)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.