In December 2022, the town of Chester adopted a short-term rental ordinance that requires vacation rental operators to register with the town, pay a registration fee, and abide by health and safety regulations.
When a vacation rental operator registers their property, they must provide a series of documents, including proof of liability insurance and the host’s name, mailing address, email, and phone number.
And in the case of units with more than eight occupants, hosts must provide documentation regarding sewer or septic capacity, plus an approved inspection report and certificate of occupancy from the State of Vermont Division of Fire Safety.
The registration fee is $150 per year for hosted short-term rentals (units within a host’s primary residence), while operators of unhosted rentals must pay $300 per year. Chester limits short-term rental unit capacity to two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests.
