What Stowe requires to register a short-term rental — the $100 fee, the April 30 renewal, the fire-department lock box and 45-minute rule — plus an estimate of the 10% lodging tax to add to a booking.
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From Town Tools. For the current version, visit https://www.towntools.org/stowe-vermont-us/short-term-rental
If you rent your place to visitors in Stowe — even a few weekends a year — two things apply: registering it with the town, and collecting the lodging tax on the stay.
Registering your rental
Stowe's first short-term rental (STR) registry took effect in May 2025. If you let your home to guests short-term, you register it with the town, renew it every year, and keep it reachable for the fire department.
Who has to register
Any place rented short-term for more than 14 days in a calendar year. Long-term lets of 30+ consecutive days don't count toward that.
Fee
$100 per unit, per year — registration isn't complete until the fee is paid.
Renewal
Renew every year by April 30 (the current round is due April 30, 2026).
If you don’t
Letting without registering can bring fines of up to $400.
Register the unit and pay the $100 fee
File the registration with the Town of Stowe for each unit you let, and pay the $100 fee — it isn't active until the fee is in.
Give the fire department 24-hour access
You must provide year-round, 24-hour access for the Stowe Fire Department — a Fire-Department-approved lock box (a KnoxBox) or another approved means. Budget for the box itself on top of the fee.
Name a responsible person who answers within 45 minutes
A designated responsible person must be able to respond in person within 45 minutes if Stowe fire or police call about the property while it's rented. Many owners hire a local manager for this.
Get a state wastewater permit if you add bedrooms
Adding bedrooms to increase occupancy can require a Vermont Agency of Natural Resources wastewater permit — the septic/system has to carry the load. Check before you advertise more sleepers.
Two taxes stack on a short-term stay in Stowe: Vermont's statewide Meals & Rooms Tax on the room charge, plus Stowe's 1% local option tax — 10% in all.
Tax
Rate
Vermont Meals & Rooms Taxthe statewide tax on rooms and short-term lodging
9%
Stowe local option taxthe town's 1% add-on, remitted with the state tax
1%
Estimate the tax on a booking
Cleaning, pet or extra-guest fees you charge — these are usually taxable too.
Enter a nightly rate and the number of nights to see the tax.
What’s taxable
The tax applies to the whole rental charge, not just the nightly rate — cleaning, pet and extra-guest fees are taxable too.
Who collects it
Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit both taxes on bookings made through them. If you take direct bookings, you register a Vermont Meals & Rooms Tax account and file and remit the tax yourself.
This applies the published rates to the figures you enter. Your own booking, exemptions, or a rule change can move the number. The town and the state tax office have the final word — check the official pages below.
The local rate stayed at 1% in 2026
In March 2026 Stowe voters approved doubling the local option tax to 2% — which would have made Stowe the first 2% town in Vermont — but the Legislature did not enact it, so the rate remains 1%. If that changes, this tool will be updated.
The registry rules may change
The Selectboard has been discussing amendments to the short-term rental ordinance (including for condominium-hotels). The figures here are the current rules — check the Town's STR page for the latest before you register or renew.