State guide
Vermont property taxes (2026)
✓ Verified August 2026 against official county pages — 2 sources linked below.
County pages for Vermont are on the way — the statewide dates below apply everywhere, and county pages will add local rates, contacts, and exact appeal windows.
How Vermont property taxes work
Vermont's property tax has two layers: municipal taxes set by your town, and the statewide education tax that funds schools — with a lower homestead rate for the home you live in, but only if you file the annual Homestead Declaration (Form HS-122) with the state by April 15.
Towns set their own billing calendars — some annual, many in installments spread across the year — so due dates are on your town's bill. The state layer, though, is uniform: HS-122 by April 15 (late filings accepted with penalty until October 15), which also opens the income-based property tax credit that caps education taxes for most Vermont households.
Challenging your appraisal is called grieving: when listers change your value they mail a notice, and grievance hearings run in the spring (dates set per town). After the listers' decision, you have 14 days to appeal in writing to the Board of Civil Authority through the town clerk — and onward to the state appraiser or court.
Towns reappraise when their common level of appraisal drifts too far from market, so reappraisal years arrive in waves, town by town — and those are the years to grieve.
When payments are due
Town-set — annual or installment billing varies by town; the statewide constant is the April 15 Homestead Declaration.
| Payment | Due | Delinquent after | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town tax bill (2026–27) | — | — | Each town sets its own due date(s) — commonly one to four installments between August and the following spring; interest and penalty per town vote |
Exact dates can vary by county — use your county's page above for the dates on your bill.
How to grievance your assessment
The statewide rule: Grieve to your town's listers during the spring grievance period; appeal their decision in writing to the Board of Civil Authority within 14 days, via the town clerk
Change-of-appraisal notices announce your town's grievance day(s). The 14-day window to reach the Board of Civil Authority is strict, and the BCA must inspect and decide within its statutory clock.
- Watch for the change-of-appraisal notice (spring)It lists your town's grievance hearing dates — reappraisal years bring everyone's notice at once.
- Grieve to the listersFile your grievance (in person or writing) with comparable sales — the listers can adjust before the grand list finalizes.
- Appeal to the Board of Civil Authority within 14 daysA written appeal lodged with the town clerk after the listers' decision; the BCA inspects the property and hears the case.
- Escalate if neededBCA decisions can go to the state appraiser (informal, inexpensive) or superior court.
- Check the CLA effectYour education tax reflects the town's common level of appraisal — sometimes the CLA, not your value, explains a jump.
County pages have the exact local deadlines, forms, and filing links.
Statewide exemptions
| Exemption | What it's worth | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead Declaration (HS-122) | Classifies your home at the lower homestead education tax rate — an annual filing, not automatic, and the gateway to the property tax credit | File by April 15 every year (late until October 15 with penalty) |
| Property tax credit (income-based) | Caps education (and part of municipal) taxes as a share of household income for most owner-occupants under the income ceiling — claimed with the HS-122/HI-144 filing | April 15 with the Homestead Declaration |
| Disabled veteran exemption | At least $10,000 (up to $40,000 by town vote) of appraisal value exempt for veterans receiving qualifying VA disability compensation | Annual application with the state Office of Veterans Affairs by May 1 |
Reassessment
Towns reappraise when their common level of appraisal falls outside statutory bounds, so reappraisals arrive town by town in waves. Between them, the CLA adjusts education tax rates to market.
Value notices (Change of appraisal notice) usually mail in spring (reappraisal years).
Common questions
- When are property taxes due in Vermont?
- Your town decides — one payment or several installments between late summer and spring, printed on the town bill. The date every Vermont homeowner shares is April 15: the annual Homestead Declaration.
- What happens if I forget the Homestead Declaration?
- Your home gets billed at the nonhomestead education rate and you lose the income-based credit. File HS-122 by April 15; late filings are accepted to October 15 with a penalty. It's annual — set a reminder with your taxes.
- How do I grieve my Vermont appraisal?
- Go to your town's grievance hearings in spring with comparable sales, then — if the listers don't move — lodge a written appeal with the town clerk for the Board of Civil Authority within 14 days. The state appraiser is the inexpensive next step.
- What is the property tax credit?
- Vermont's income-based cap: most owner-occupied households under the income ceiling pay education tax based on income rather than value, with the credit applied to the fall bill. It rides along with the April 15 HS-122/HI-144 filing.
- What is the CLA and why did it raise my bill?
- The common level of appraisal measures how far your town's values sit below market; the education rate is divided by it. A town that hasn't reappraised lately gets a low CLA and a higher adjusted rate — no change to your appraisal required.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from an official page. Check them yourself:
- Vermont Dept. of Taxes — Form HS-122 instructions — checked 2026-08-12
- Vermont Dept. of Taxes — property owners — checked 2026-08-12