Local Airbnb rules2026 11 sources cited

Is Airbnb Legal in Stowe? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes

Q: Is Airbnb legal in Stowe?

Yes, with a town license. Stowe requires a Short-Term Rental License for each dwelling unit rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days on more than 14 days a year, and has capped General licenses at 850 since September 15, 2026.

Q: Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Stowe?

Yes. Register each unit on the town portal and hold the resulting license, which runs May 1 to April 30. Hotels, inns and units in the mapped Ski and Resort planned unit developments are commercial lodging outside it, and Vermont adds a Health Department lodging license only for three or more units or food service.

Q: How much is the Stowe short-term rental license?

$100 per dwelling unit to register and $100 a year to renew, as of August 2026. The Selectboard has not yet set the lottery fee, and a Fire Department-approved lockbox costs extra, from $210 on the town's list.

Q: Can I rent a home in Stowe that I don't live in?

Yes, with a General license; no owner residency is required. But General licenses are capped at 850 and the roughly 1,300 existing ones shrink by attrition, so new ones come only from the July lottery (20 in each of 2027 and 2028) or by inheriting a licensed property.

Q: Can I get a new Stowe license right now?

A General license, not until the July 2027 lottery, because registrations submitted after September 14, 2026 are not accepted. Owners whose primary residence is in Stowe can apply for a Homestead license at any time.

Q: Does the license transfer if I sell my Stowe rental?

No. Licenses cannot be transferred or assigned in a sale, so the buyer needs a Homestead license or a lottery win. Moving the property into an LLC voids the license; transfers to close family members or a trust where the owner is the settlor are the exceptions.

Q: Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Stowe?

Yes. Airbnb collects and remits the 9% Vermont rooms tax, the 3% short-term rental surcharge and the 1% local option tax to the Vermont Department of Taxes, so a host who rents only on Airbnb needs no Vermont tax account.

Q: What is the total lodging tax on an Airbnb stay in Stowe?

13%: the 9% rooms tax, the 3% short-term rental surcharge and Stowe's 1% local option tax, charged on the price including cleaning and guest fees for stays of 29 nights or fewer.

Q: What is the fine for running an unlicensed Airbnb in Stowe?

Civil penalties are $200 for a first offense, then $400, $600 and $800 for a fourth and later offense, counted from May 1 to April 30; those who do not contest can pay waiver fees of $100 to $400. Each day can count as a separate offense seven days after notice.

Q: Do I need to show a registration number on my Airbnb listing in Stowe?

Yes. The town-issued registration number must be included in every advertisement for the unit, and advertising without it is a violation of the ordinance.

Yes, with a Stowe town license at $100 per unit. General licenses are capped at 850 and new ones come only from a July lottery; Stowe homeowners can get a Homestead license for up to two units. Lodging taxes total 13%.^1,5,6

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

From 10 official sources and 1 Airbnb help page, checked October 17, 2026. Not legal advice.

The short answer

Stowe Airbnb Rules in Brief

A town license is needed for every unit rented fewer than 30 nights on more than 14 days a year: $100 to register and $100 a year to renew, valid May 1 to April 30.
General licenses are capped at 850 from September 15, 2026; about 1,300 existing registrations converted and shrink by attrition, and licenses do not transfer in a sale.
Stowe homeowners can hold up to two Homestead licenses with no cap; no owner residency is required for a General license.
Every rental needs a responsible person who can arrive within 45 minutes, a Fire Department lockbox and the registration number in the ad; civil penalties run $200 to $800 per offense.

Browse the live Stowe Airbnb market Search by revenue, occupancy and neighborhood on an interactive map See Every Stowe Listing

Revenue, occupancy and nightly rates are in the Stowe Airbnb market report .

At a glance

Stowe Airbnb Rules at a Glance

License required: Yes
Taxes on a stay: 13%
Fine for hosting without a permit: $800
Listings showing a permit number: 10%
Next rule change: Jan 1, 2027

Listing figures: AirROI, 12 months to October 2026. A number on a listing doesn't prove the permit or license is valid, and a missing one doesn't prove there is none.

The rules in brief

The rules a Stowe host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.

Stowe Airbnb Rules at a Glance
Topic	Rule
Permit	Register before renting¹
Who can host	Homestead license for Stowe residents, no cap^1,6
Where	850-license cap from September 15, 2026^1,6
Guests	Eight guests without a fire-safety report¹⁰
Listing display	Registration number in every advertisement^1,5
Safety	Fire Department lockbox^1,5
Neighbors	Responsible person within 45 minutes^1,5

Your home

Can You Host an Airbnb in Stowe? It Depends on the Home

Whether you can host in Stowe turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.

Your own home in Stowe, rented whole while you're away, or a second unit on the same parcel

Allowed with conditions

Allowed with a Homestead license, which covers up to two units on the primary-residence parcel, has no cap and can be obtained at any time. The home must keep being your primary residence, shown by a current-year homestead declaration or voter registration at that address.^1,6

A second home or investment property you don't live in

Allowed with conditions

Allowed only with a General license. Registrations closed after September 14, 2026; current licensees keep renewing by April 30, and a new owner can obtain a license only through the July lottery (20 licenses in each of 2027 and 2028) or by inheriting one. A seller's license does not pass to a buyer.^1,5,6

A room in your home with you present

Allowed with conditions

The ordinance covers rooms and portions of a dwelling as well as whole homes, so the unit needs a registration and license; a Stowe resident uses the Homestead license.^1,6

A hotel, inn, bed and breakfast, or a unit in a mapped Ski or Resort planned unit development

Allowed

Treated as commercial lodging and excluded from the short-term rental ordinance, so no Stowe license applies. Owners of other condominiums who believe their unit is commercial lodging can appeal the registration requirement to the Selectboard.^1,5

A building with three or more rental units, or any prepared food

Allowed with conditions

Needs a Vermont Department of Health food and lodging license in addition to the town's rules for units that are short-term rentals.^5,9

Permit

Do You Need a Permit for Airbnb in Stowe?

Yes. Short-term rental hosts in Stowe need the Stowe Short-Term Rental License from the Town of Stowe, Town Manager's office (online registration portal). It costs $100 in the first year (A one-home host pays $100 to register and $100 a year to renew, plus a Fire Department-approved lockbox, which the town's list prices from $210. The Selectboard has not yet set the fee to enter the lottery for a new General license.) and $100 a year to renew.^1,5,6

Who needs it: Every owner renting a dwelling unit in Stowe for fewer than 30 consecutive days on more than 14 days in a calendar year, with one registration per unit. Hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, units in the mapped Ski and Resort planned unit developments and timeshares in place when the ordinance was adopted fall outside it.^1,5,6
Issued by: Town of Stowe, Town Manager's office (online registration portal)
Valid for: A license runs from May 1 to April 30 and must be renewed by April 30 each year (the first renewal deadline is April 30, 2027); it cannot be transferred or assigned in a sale.
On listings: The number must appear on every listing
Platform checks: The host must put the town-issued registration number in every advertisement; the town runs registration through an online portal operated by Deckard Technologies.

Fees

Fees
Fee	Amount	When
Registration (new rental)Paid when a rental is first registered; registration is not complete until the fee is paid, and fees can change each year.	$100	per dwelling unit, one-time
RenewalPaid with the renewal form each year by April 30; the Selectboard sets the amount.	$100	per dwelling unit, annual

Who qualifies

The unit must have a Certificate of Occupancy from the town, or have been built before the town required one
General license: open to any owner, with no residency requirement, but capped at 850; new ones come only from the July lottery or by inheriting a licensed property
Homestead license: the owner's primary residence is in Stowe (a current-year homestead declaration or voter registration at that address), for up to two units on that parcel, with no cap and available at any time
A responsible person who can arrive within 45 minutes and a Fire Department-approved lockbox

How to apply

Choose the license: a Homestead license if Stowe is your primary residence (contact the Assistant Town Manager, available at any time), or a General license, which now comes only from the lottery (forms and fee June 1 to 30) or by inheriting a licensed property.
Register each dwelling unit on the town's online portal, entering the E-911 street address or the parcel ID (prefix 195), and pay $100 per unit; the town sends no invoices.
Name a designated responsible person, post their phone number in the unit and install a Fire Department-approved lockbox.
Put the town-issued registration number in every advertisement, and keep the state safety form on site.

Applications go through the Town of Stowe, Town Manager's office (online registration portal) application portal .

Permit rules

Register before renting: An owner or authorized agent must submit a Short-Term Rental Registration form and pay the fee for each dwelling unit before renting it.¹
Existing registrations became General licenses: Every registration in place on September 15, 2026 converted to a General license; the roughly 1,300 licenses for 2026-2027 exceed the cap and shrink to 850 through attrition such as property sales.⁶ In force since September 15, 2026
Current licensees may renew even over the cap: From January 1, 2027, every holder of a valid license may submit a renewal form for the next year even while the town is above 850 licenses.¹ Takes effect January 1, 2027
New General licenses: June lottery forms, mid-July drawing: Owners without a license submit a lottery form and fee between June 1 and June 30; the town draws winners around July 15 and holds one alternate, and a winner then has about two weeks to register the unit.^1,6
20 lottery licenses in 2027 and 2028: The lottery issues the number of licenses open below the 850 cap, except in 2027 and 2028, when it issues 20; with no licenses available there is no lottery in other years.^1,6 Takes effect July 2027
A license does not pass to a buyer: Licenses cannot be transferred or assigned, including in an arm's-length sale; the buyer needs their own Homestead license or a lottery win. Transfers to a spouse, parent, child, grandparent or grandchild, or into a trust where the owner is the settlor, are the exceptions.^5,6
Registration number in every advertisement: The town-issued registration number must appear in the advertisement for the unit, and advertising without it is a violation of the ordinance.^1,5
One registration and fee per dwelling unit: A house and an accessory apartment on the same property are two units: each needs its own registration and its own $100 fee.⁵
Three or more units need a state lodging license: A property with three or more units, or any food beyond prepackaged items, needs a Vermont Department of Health food and lodging license.^5,9 Applies to: operators of three or more units or food service

Who can host

Who Can Host an Airbnb in Stowe, and Where

Vermont state law applies on top of Stowe's own rules: the Vermont short-term rental regulations page covers the state license and what cities and counties can and can't regulate.

850-license cap from September 15, 2026: Stowe caps General licenses at 850. Since September 15, 2026 a General license comes only from the annual lottery or by inheriting a property that already holds one.^1,6 In force since September 15, 2026
Homestead license for Stowe residents, no cap: Owners whose primary residence is in Stowe can hold up to two Homestead licenses for units on that parcel, such as a main house plus a garage apartment, at any time and outside the 850 cap.^1,6 Applies to: Stowe homeowners · In force since July 22, 2026
No owner residency requirement for a General license: Owners do not have to live in Stowe or in the rental to hold a General license, but a Stowe resident needs a General license for any unit that is not on the home parcel.⁶
Moving a rental into an LLC voids the license: Transferring a licensed property into corporate ownership, such as an LLC, or into a trust where the owner is not the settlor, invalidates the license.⁶
Inherited licenses: re-register within 30 days: A relative who inherits a licensed property must file a new registration form within 30 days of the transfer being recorded in the land records, or loses eligibility until the next lottery.⁶
Certificate of Occupancy required: A unit can be licensed only if it has a Certificate of Occupancy from the town or was built before the town required one.^1,6
Hotels and mapped resort units are outside the ordinance: Hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts and units in the Ski and Resort planned unit developments shown on the ordinance's Exhibit A maps count as commercial lodging, not short-term rentals. An owner who disputes a registration requirement can appeal to the Selectboard by written notice to the Town Manager within 15 days.^1,5 Applies to: Ski and Resort planned unit developments · In force since July 22, 2026

Operating rules

Operating Rules for Stowe Short-Term Rentals

What counts as a short-term rental: A short-term rental is a rental of residential property, including a single room, for fewer than 30 consecutive days and for more than 14 days per calendar year; commercial lodging establishments are excluded.¹
Only short stays count toward the 14 days: The 14-day threshold counts days rented on a short-term basis; bookings of 30 days or more are left out of the count.⁵
Responsible person within 45 minutes: Each rental needs a designated responsible person, who may be the owner or a property manager, able to arrive in person within 45 minutes of a call from a Stowe firefighter or police officer while the home is rented.^1,5
Fire Department lockbox: Before renting, owners must give the Stowe Fire Department round-the-clock access through an approved lockbox; the town uses Knox Box products, which start at $210 on its list.^1,5
Post the responsible person's phone number: The phone number of the designated responsible person must be posted in a visible place inside the unit; the state safety form satisfies this.^1,6
Eight guests without a fire-safety report: A single dwelling unit rented to guests may sleep 8 people or fewer unless a Division of Fire Safety report sets a different occupant load.¹⁰
Smoke alarms in every sleeping room and on every level: State rules require smoke alarms near sleeping rooms, inside each sleeping room and on all floors including the basement; carbon monoxide alarms are required on every occupied level.¹⁰
State safety form kept on site: The operator completes a state self-certification form before renting and keeps it on site; it is not filed with the state.⁵
Own tax account number in your own ads: A host who collects the lodging taxes personally, rather than through Airbnb, must post the Vermont Meals and Rooms Tax account number in any advertisement for the rental.⁵ Applies to: hosts collecting taxes themselves

Taxes

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Stowe?

13% on the nightly price plus cleaning and guest fees for stays of 29 nights or fewer: 9% rooms tax, 3% short-term rental surcharge and Stowe's 1% local option tax.

13% in all

How the 13% on a Stowe stay splits between the taxes in the table below

Median nightly rate, booked nights: $440
Taxes on that night (13%): $57
Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees: $497

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Stowe?
Tax	Rate	Collected by
Vermont Meals and Rooms Tax (rooms) 9% of the listing price, including cleaning and guest fees, for stays of 29 nights or fewer	9%^4,11	Airbnb
Vermont short-term rental surcharge 3% of the rent on top of the rooms tax, since August 1, 2024; not charged on licensed lodging establishments	3%^3,7,11	Airbnb
Stowe local option rooms tax 1% of the rent, adopted by Stowe voters and collected with the state taxes	1%^5,8,11	Airbnb

Total on a stay 13% · All by Airbnb

At Stowe's median booked rate of $440 a night, the taxes collected on a booking come to about $57 a night.

What the host still handles

The Stowe short-term rental license, with one registration for each dwelling unit
A Vermont Meals and Rooms Tax account (free) with the Department of Taxes for bookings made off Airbnb; its number must be posted in any ad the host places
A Vermont Department of Health food and lodging license for three or more units or any food other than prepackaged^5,7,8,11

Fines

How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Stowe

Fines in Stowe fall on hosting without the Stowe Short-Term Rental License, or outside the rules above. With it in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.

Stowe civil penalties are $200 for a first offense, $400 for a second, $600 for a third and $800 for a fourth and later offense, counted from May 1 to April 30; each day a violation continues after seven days' notice is a separate offense.¹
Violators who do not contest a municipal complaint can pay a waiver fee of $100, $200, $300 or $400 for a first through fourth offense, and an officer may give a first-offense warning instead.¹
Renting without registering, giving false information on the form, not paying the fee within 21 days and advertising without the registration number are each violations of the ordinance.¹
A license that the town revokes under the ordinance, which follows a third ticket, bars a new registration application for at least twelve months from the revocation; the owner can appeal to the Selectboard.¹
The town can also sue in court for an injunction to stop an unlicensed rental.¹
State administrative penalty of up to $1,000 per violation when a rental does not correct violations found in a Division of Fire Safety inspection report.²

Changes

What's Changed in Stowe's Airbnb Rules, and What's Next

3 changes are scheduled after November 4, 2026; the most recent rules are listed first.

July 2027 Upcoming
Next General license lottery
Lottery forms and the fee are due June 1 to 30, 2027, and the drawing is held around July 15; 20 new licenses are offered in 2027 and again in 2028 if none are open under the cap.^5,6
April 30, 2027 Upcoming
First license renewal deadline
Licenses must be renewed with the renewal fee by April 30, 2027, and by each April 30 after that, or the right to rent in Stowe lapses.¹
January 1, 2027 Upcoming
Current licensees may renew regardless of the cap
From January 1, 2027 every holder of a valid license can submit a renewal form for the next year even while the town is above 850 licenses.¹
September 15, 2026
850-license cap takes effect
No more than 850 General licenses may be issued from September 15, 2026; existing registrations convert to General licenses, and new ones come through the lottery or inheritance.^1,6
September 14, 2026
Open registration closes
Registrations submitted after 11:59 pm on Monday, September 14, 2026 are no longer accepted for a General license.⁵
July 22, 2026
Selectboard adopts the license cap
The Stowe Selectboard adopted amendments that turn the registry into a licensing system, cap General licenses at 850, add the uncapped Homestead license and exclude commercial lodging and the mapped resort districts.⁶
August 1, 2024
State 3% short-term rental surcharge begins
Vermont added a 3% surcharge on short-term rental rent, on top of the 9% rooms tax and Stowe's 1% local option tax.^3,7

Listing data

What Stowe's Listings Show

AirROI, a short-term-rental data firm, counted 909 active Airbnb listings in Stowe over the 12 months to October 2026. 10% of them displayed a permit, license or registration number.

Minimum stay set on Stowe listings

Share of active listings by the shortest stay they accept

14%

57%

22%

<1%

Minimum stay in numbers

Minimum stay set on Stowe listings
Shortest stay accepted	Share of listings
1 night	14%
2 nights	57%
3 nights	22%
4–6 nights	3%
7–29 nights	3%
30+ nights	<1%

What officials report

850: General licenses allowed under the cap · as of September 15, 2026Stowe caps General short-term rental licenses at 850 from September 15, 2026.⁶
1,300: General licenses expected for 2026-2027 · as of September 2026The town expects approximately 1,300 General licenses for the 2026-2027 registration year, above the cap, falling to 850 through attrition such as property sales.⁶

Earnings

What Could a Stowe Short-Term Rental Earn?

The rules shape the numbers: a license that costs $100 in the first year and taxes of 13% that Airbnb adds to guests' bills. For a specific address, the short-term rental calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.

Estimate what a Stowe home could earn

FAQ

Stowe Airbnb Rules: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Airbnb legal in Stowe?

Yes, with a town license. Stowe requires a Short-Term Rental License for each dwelling unit rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days on more than 14 days a year, and has capped General licenses at 850 since September 15, 2026.^1,5,6

Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Stowe?

Yes. Register each unit on the town portal and hold the resulting license, which runs May 1 to April 30. Hotels, inns and units in the mapped Ski and Resort planned unit developments are commercial lodging outside it, and Vermont adds a Health Department lodging license only for three or more units or food service.^1,5,9

How much is the Stowe short-term rental license?

$100 per dwelling unit to register and $100 a year to renew, as of August 2026. The Selectboard has not yet set the lottery fee, and a Fire Department-approved lockbox costs extra, from $210 on the town's list.^5,6

Can I rent a home in Stowe that I don't live in?

Yes, with a General license; no owner residency is required. But General licenses are capped at 850 and the roughly 1,300 existing ones shrink by attrition, so new ones come only from the July lottery (20 in each of 2027 and 2028) or by inheriting a licensed property.^1,6

Can I get a new Stowe license right now?

A General license, not until the July 2027 lottery, because registrations submitted after September 14, 2026 are not accepted. Owners whose primary residence is in Stowe can apply for a Homestead license at any time.^5,6

Does the license transfer if I sell my Stowe rental?

No. Licenses cannot be transferred or assigned in a sale, so the buyer needs a Homestead license or a lottery win. Moving the property into an LLC voids the license; transfers to close family members or a trust where the owner is the settlor are the exceptions.^5,6

Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Stowe?

Yes. Airbnb collects and remits the 9% Vermont rooms tax, the 3% short-term rental surcharge and the 1% local option tax to the Vermont Department of Taxes, so a host who rents only on Airbnb needs no Vermont tax account.^5,11

What is the total lodging tax on an Airbnb stay in Stowe?

13%: the 9% rooms tax, the 3% short-term rental surcharge and Stowe's 1% local option tax, charged on the price including cleaning and guest fees for stays of 29 nights or fewer.^5,8,11

What is the fine for running an unlicensed Airbnb in Stowe?

Civil penalties are $200 for a first offense, then $400, $600 and $800 for a fourth and later offense, counted from May 1 to April 30; those who do not contest can pay waiver fees of $100 to $400. Each day can count as a separate offense seven days after notice.¹

Do I need to show a registration number on my Airbnb listing in Stowe?

Yes. The town-issued registration number must be included in every advertisement for the unit, and advertising without it is a violation of the ordinance.^1,5

Do resort condos in Stowe need a short-term rental license?

Hotels, inns and units in the Ski and Resort planned unit developments shown on the ordinance's maps count as commercial lodging and are excluded. An owner who disagrees with a registration requirement can appeal to the Selectboard by written notice to the Town Manager within 15 days.^1,5

Who has to respond if there is a problem at my Stowe rental?

A designated responsible person, who can be the owner, must arrive in person within 45 minutes of a call from a Stowe firefighter or police officer, and the Fire Department needs lockbox access around the clock.^1,5

How many Stowe Airbnbs are registered?

General licenses allowed under the cap: 850 as of September 15, 2026⁶. In AirROI's listing data, 10% of the 909 Stowe Airbnb listings active in the 12 months to October 2026 displayed a permit, license or registration number. A number on a listing shows the host entered one; it doesn't confirm the permit is valid.

How much does an Airbnb make in Stowe?

The average Stowe listing earned $60,800 in the 12 months to October 2026, according to AirROI, averaged across every active listing including those booked for only part of the year. The Stowe Airbnb market report breaks it down by month, property size and neighborhood.

Method

How These Rules Were Checked

Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out. The Town of Stowe registration page, ordinance and ordinance guide were read from Internet Archive copies.

Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the local authority has the final word on any application.

Listing figures come from AirROI's tracking of 909 active Stowe Airbnb listings over the 12 months to October 2026.

Sources

Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.

1. Short-Term Rental Ordinance (July 2026) · Town of Stowe
2. 20 V.S.A. chapter 172 - Rental Housing Health and Safety · Vermont Legislature
3. 32 V.S.A. § 9301 - Imposition; short-term rental impact surcharge · Vermont Legislature
4. 32 V.S.A. § 9241 - Imposition of tax · Vermont Legislature
5. Short-Term Rental Registration · Town of Stowe
6. Stowe Short-Term Rental Ordinance Guide 2026 · Town of Stowe
7. Short-Term Rentals · Vermont Department of Taxes
8. Local Option Tax · Vermont Department of Taxes
9. Lodging Establishments · Vermont Department of Health
10. Short-Term Rental / Transient Lodging · Vermont Division of Fire Safety
11. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Vermont · Airbnb Help Center