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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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.
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.
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.
Register and file with: Town of Stowe — Short-Term Rental Registration — the town's STR page, with the ordinance and the registration form
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% |
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.
An estimate, not tax or legal advice
The local rate stayed at 1% in 2026
The registry rules may change
Source: Town of Stowe STR ordinance and Vermont Department of Taxes, checked July 5, 2026 (last month).
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