VT H0646

Municipalities may impose an annual fee on uninhabitable properties equal to the greater of 1% of appraised value or $5,000, due on the same date as property taxes

Municipal building inspectors, health officers, fire marshals, or designated officials may determine a building uninhabitable based on criteria including evidence of abandonment, boarded-up portions, existing unfit-for-habitation orders, or incomplete construction

Commissioner of Public Safety must publish guidance and model rules for habitability determinations by November 15, 2026, which municipalities may adopt

Property owners have 30 days after an uninhabitability determination (or denied appeal) to make repairs before the fee applies

Owners who subsequently repair uninhabitable properties may request abatement of a pro rata portion of the fee for that year