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Vermont Closing Cost Calculator
Vermont property transfer tax on a principal residence is 0.5% of the first $200,000 and 1.47% above that. Vermont property use changes the transfer tax calculation. Select the use after closing and confirm any assistance exemption before adding title, lender, recording and other quotes.
Vermont transfer tax and settlement worksheet
Choose the property use that will apply after transfer. The estimate includes the 0.22% clean-water surcharge where due; Act 37 of 2025 repealed the prior July 2027 reduction. General-rate nonexempt property has a $1 base-tax minimum before that surcharge. A year-round rental must have a required landlord certificate and bona fide landlord-tenant relationship under Act 164 of 2026; the calculator cannot establish those facts. Exemption 99 requires confirmed qualifying assistance; the calculator does not decide eligibility. The buyer is the statutory payer unless the parties agree otherwise.
Principal residence: a lower rate on the first $200,000
The Department of Taxes publishes a 0.5% principal-residence rate on the first $200,000, without a clean-water surcharge on that portion. Value above $200,000 is subject to 1.25% transfer tax plus the 0.22% surcharge, totaling 1.47%. The worksheet computes those portions separately.
The general-rate base tax is at least $1 before the clean-water surcharge. For $10 of confirmed nonexempt general-rate value, the base tax is $1 and the surcharge is $0.022, yielding $1.02 after cent rounding. The ordinary principal-residence and assisted categories follow their separate statutory exceptions. Act 37 of 2025, sections 2–5 repealed the former July 2027 surcharge reduction and sunset; the reviewed continuation uses 0.22%.
Second homes, rentals and qualifying assistance differ
A year-round non-principal residence that is not a long-term rental generally uses 3.40% plus the 0.22% surcharge. General-rate property, including qualifying long-term rentals, land and property not fit for year-round habitation, uses 1.47% combined. For a year-round rental, confirm a required landlord certificate and an actual bona fide landlord-tenant relationship. Act 164 of 2026, section 2 permits the higher rate when the relationship is artificial, considering related parties, market rent and avoidance purposes. Choosing a dropdown does not establish eligibility.
For confirmed exemption 99 assistance, the first $250,000 is exempt and value above that threshold uses 1.47%. Use that option only when the qualifying program and property requirements have been confirmed. Other special exemptions should be entered as a quoted transfer-tax amount.
Rates and classification source: Vermont Department of Taxes: property transfer tax.
The buyer amount belongs in cash to close
Vermont law places liability on the transferee unless the parties agree otherwise. The worksheet therefore starts with a 0% seller share and a 100% buyer share. It adds the selected buyer tax to the entered closing fees and down payment, then deducts deposits and buyer credits. A mortgage payoff belongs only in the seller calculation.
Liability source: 32 VSA 9604. The transfer-tax table below compares the four supported classifications at one price. It is not a quote for lender, title, attorney or recording services.
Vermont transfer-tax worked examples
| Scenario | Taxable value | State tax | Local amount | Tax subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal residence | $400,000.00 | $3,940.00 | $0.00 | $3,940.00 |
| Confirmed exemption 99 assistance | $400,000.00 | $2,205.00 | $0.00 | $2,205.00 |
| Year-round second home, not a long-term rental | $400,000.00 | $14,480.00 | $0.00 | $14,480.00 |
| Long-term rental or general-rate property | $400,000.00 | $5,880.00 | $0.00 | $5,880.00 |
Last reviewed 2026-10-05. How the settlement worksheet works.
Questions about Vermont
- What is transfer tax on a $400,000 Vermont principal residence?
- The first $200,000 is taxed at 0.5%, producing $1,000. The remaining $200,000 is taxed at 1.47%, including the clean-water surcharge, producing $2,940. The combined modeled tax is $3,940 before other closing charges.
- Why does the same Vermont price produce a different second-home result?
- A year-round residence that is neither a principal residence nor a long-term rental is generally taxed at 3.62% including the surcharge. At $400,000 that is $14,480. The general 1.47% category and confirmed assistance exemption have different calculations, so select the actual post-transfer use.