Bennington, VT News

North Bennington Short Term Rental Regulations Approved with $100 Fee

North Bennington trustees approved a $100 annual registration fee for short-term rentals to enforce safety ordinances. Meanwhile, Shaftsbury is advancing new bylaws to regulate short-term rentals across all zoning districts and require state safety compliance.

Published

3 hours ago

September 27, 2026

Randy Breland, Managing Editor

Illustration depicting North Bennington and Shaftsbury short-term rental — North Bennington Short Term Rental Regulations

What's Happening Local

North Bennington Short Term Rental Regulations Approved with $100 Fee

Local leaders in Bennington County are taking new steps to manage the rise of short-term rentals. Specifically, both the Village of North Bennington and the Town of Shaftsbury are establishing local oversight rules. Local newspapers VTDigger and the Bennington Banner first reported on these efforts. Ultimately, these programs aim to track local properties and ensure safety compliance.

Why it matters

Short-term rentals have grown rapidly across Vermont. However, the state does not have a uniform registry or a municipal cap law. Therefore, local towns and villages must create their own tracking and safety policies. These new rules help local officials monitor housing trends while keeping neighborhoods safe.

What are the new North Bennington short term rental regulations?

In September 2026, North Bennington Village Trustees approved a $100 annual registration fee for short-term rentals. This new policy establishes a clear framework to enforce a safety ordinance from November 2025. Consequently, the village can now actively track local rentals and ensure safety compliance.

Under the policy, operators must pay the $100 North Bennington STR registration fee by July 1 each year. Previously, the village Planning Commission unanimously recommended this fee during a meeting on July 22, 2026. Soon after, they referred the enforcement procedures to the trustees for final approval.

Village Clerk Lori Elwell will handle the primary administration of the program. However, the trustees will provide support if she requests it. To identify local rentals, Elwell will monitor hosting platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. In addition, she will distribute registration packets and collect the annual fees.

The village ordinance covers whole homes and individual rooms rented to transient guests. Specifically, this applies to rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days and more than 14 days per calendar year. Meanwhile, standard month-to-month and annual leases are exempt. Currently, village officials know of only two active short-term rentals operating within village boundaries.

Trustee Chair Mary Rogers explained the need for these active enforcement steps. Indeed, Rogers stated that an ordinance is only useful if the village can ensure compliance. She noted:

“If we have an ordinance, it’s only a good idea unless you have some way to follow up and make sure that people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Fortunately, Elwell does not expect the work to be overwhelming. However, she will ask for help if needed.

How will the Shaftsbury short term rental bylaws change local rules?

The proposed Shaftsbury bylaws will expand short-term rental locations to all zoning districts. Additionally, they will establish a local permitting process and require state safety checklists. These updates aim to track local rentals while ensuring landlords follow Vermont safety regulations.

The commission held a public hearing on September 9, 2026, to discuss the Shaftsbury short term rental bylaws. Following a continued review on September 23, the commission moved the proposal forward. Now, the Shaftsbury Selectboard must hold two formal public hearings before a final vote.

Planning Commission Chair Tim Scoggins noted that the town previously regulated short-term rentals as home occupations. However, this rule is no longer adequate because the industry has grown. Still, Scoggins emphasized that the town does not want to limit anyone’s ability to earn money. Instead, the town wants to ensure landlords follow Vermont short term rental regulations and share basic contact information. Scoggins stated:

“Currently, short-term rentals are treated as a home occupation, and this is really no longer adequate given the changes that we’re making and the way the industry has grown, and we want to make sure that we’re not trying to limit anybody’s ability to earn money from a short-term rental.”

He also added:

“Really, mostly what we’re doing is making sure that landlords are aware of the current state regulations governing short-term rentals, which are fairly numerous, and collect information on what’s going on in Shaftsbury in terms of short-term rentals, just so we know where they are and how to react if there is an issue.”

What are the proposed Shaftsbury Selectboard short term rentals rules?

Under the proposed rules, operators must obtain a permit from the town zoning administrator and submit state safety checklists. Additionally, owners or local managers must remain nearby during guest stays. These rules also require hosts to enforce noise bylaws and provide off-road parking.

The initial draft proposed a $150 annual fee due on March 1. However, Scoggins suggested removing the specific dollar figure from the zoning text. Consequently, this change allows the Selectboard to adjust the fee by policy later. Meanwhile, the commission discussed lowering the fee to $50, or even $25 if the host joins the town’s business directory.

What is the background of Vermont short term rental regulations?

Vermont lacks a uniform statewide registry or municipal cap law for short-term rentals. Consequently, local communities must design their own tracking, registration, and safety policies. This local approach helps towns manage a rental market that has expanded rapidly across the state since 2018.

Statewide, short-term rentals grew from 6,753 listings in 2018 to 11,194 in late 2025. According to housing data from December 2025, the size of the rental market varies widely across our region. While some towns have hundreds of listings, others have very few. Here is how active listings compared in late 2025:

Manchester: 228 active listings
Winhall: 201 active listings
Peru: 92 active listings
Town of Bennington: 84 active listings
Shaftsbury: 15 active listings
North Bennington: 2 active listings

As these numbers show, resort and commercial hubs hold the bulk of local listings. Yet, smaller communities like Shaftsbury and North Bennington are acting now to prepare for future growth. Ultimately, these local updates will give municipal leaders the tools they need to manage their housing markets effectively.