Vermont law

Municipal Laws in Vermont.

Vermont has 247 municipalities — towns, cities, villages, and gores — organized under Title 24 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated. Vermont is famous for Town Meeting governance on the first Tuesday in March, with most towns voting by Australian ballot or floor meeting to approve budgets and elect selectboards. Vermont's planning and zoning authority runs through 24 V.S.A. ch. 117. Town clerks maintain land records and vital records and serve as municipal election officials.

Last verified: 2026-04-20

State law

Key Vermont Statutes

Municipal and County Government24 V.S.A.

Vermont's principal title governing the organization, powers, and operation of towns, cities, villages, and counties.

Municipal Planning and Zoning24 V.S.A. ch. 117

Vermont's planning and zoning enabling statute for municipalities — including plan adoption, zoning bylaws, subdivision review, and appeal procedures.

Annual Town Meeting17 V.S.A. ch. 55

Vermont's statutory framework for annual town meetings — the distinctive direct-democracy institution for municipal governance in Vermont.

State law

Official Sources

Vermont Secretary of State — Municipal Assistance Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Vermont.

Next step

Move from state law into guided help or attorney search.

If you want help applying this information to your situation, start with guided help or browse attorneys for this issue in Vermont.

Get guided help Browse Municipal Law attorneys

Municipal Laws in Vermont.

Key Vermont Statutes

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

Move from state law into guided help or attorney search.

Other state law topics.