Homestead Declarations

Property owners whose dwellings meet the definition of a Vermont homestead must file a Homestead Declaration annually by the unextended personal income tax due date,  April 15. If eligible, it is important that you file so that you are correctly assessed the homestead tax rate on your property.

By Vermont law, property owners whose homes meet the definition of a Vermont homestead must file a Homestead Declaration annually by the April filing deadline. If eligible, it is important that you file so that you are correctly assessed the homestead tax rate on your property. Here is the information you as the property owner need to know about the Vermont Homestead Declaration.

In Vermont, all property is subject to education property tax to pay for the state’s schools. For this purpose, the property is categorized as either non-homestead or homestead. A homestead is the principal dwelling and parcel of land surrounding the dwelling, owned and occupied by the resident as the person’s domicile.

All property is considered non-homestead, unless it is declared as a homestead. The education property tax rate levied on non-homestead property differs from the rate levied on homestead property. It is your responsibility as the property owner to claim the property as a homestead if you meet, or expect to meet, the following requirements:

Non-homestead Property

Property is considered non-homestead if one of the following applies:

  • Your property is leased for more than 182 days out of the calendar year.

  • The property is used exclusively for commercial, including rental, purposes.

  • The property is used for a second home, camp, vacation, or summer cottage.

Vermont Homestead Declaration Website