Vermont · application fee law
Are Rental Application Fees Legal in Vermont?
What Vermont lets a landlord charge to apply — and how that compares to what screening actually costs.
The legal line in Vermont
$0 (banned) — Vermont prohibits residential application fees entirely. A landlord may not charge you to apply or to be screened.
What screening actually costs
A full tenant screen costs a landlord about $30. Landlords typically charge applicants $55 — so any fee well above ~$30 is mostly markup, and in Vermont that overage is refundable or unlawful.
| Cap type | Banned — no fee allowed |
|---|---|
| The legal line | $0 (banned) |
| Refund rights | Any application fee is unlawful and fully refundable. |
| Receipt required | Not specified |
| Reusable screening report | Not specified |
| Statute | 9 V.S.A. § 4456a |
Check your Vermont application fee
We'll compare it to the law and the real cost of screening.
How Vermont compares
See every state's cap, the real cost of screening, and the markup landlords add — the full picture in one place.
Informational only, not legal advice — verify 9 V.S.A. § 4456a and current screening costs before acting.