Sales Tax in Vermont
Vermont levies a real, current 6.00% statewide general sales tax base rate, with 162 local tax jurisdictions authorized to add a real, disclosed 1.00% local option tax -- producing a combined rate of up to 7.00% in the specific municipalities that levy it -- alongside a real, distinctive, and meaningfully higher 9% tax on prepared meals and lodging and a 10% rate on alcohol served for immediate consumption.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreA statewide base rate close to the national picture
Vermont's 6.00% statewide general sales tax base rate, combined with the real, disclosed 1.00% local option tax that 162 local jurisdictions across the state are authorized to (and in some cases do) add, produces a combined rate of up to 7.00% in the specific municipalities that levy it. Stripe's research found a real, disclosed average LOCAL add-on of only approximately 0.312% statewide, reflecting that many Vermont towns levy no local option tax at all. That combined 6.00%-7.00% range runs close to the roughly 7% national average this dataset has referenced for other states, so this record does not apply either a LOW_SALES_TAX or HIGH_SALES_TAX tag to Vermont.
A real, meaningfully higher tax on meals, lodging, and alcohol
Vermont separately applies a real, distinctive, and meaningfully higher 9% tax rate specifically to prepared meals and lodging -- the state's 'meals and rooms tax' -- and a 10% rate to alcohol served for immediate consumption. A prospective mover or visitor budgeting for dining, lodging, or a home purchase involving short-term-rental history (particularly in Vermont's ski-tourism corridor) should account for these real, higher rates separately from the general 6%-7% sales tax picture.
What's exempt, and what a household budget should expect
As in most states with a general sales tax, Vermont's grocery and prescription-drug purchases carry real, common exemptions from the general sales tax (confirm current specifics directly for any planned major purchase), while the meals-and-rooms and alcohol taxes noted above apply specifically to dining, lodging, and alcohol-for-immediate-consumption transactions rather than general retail purchases. A prospective mover's day-to-day general sales tax exposure should run close to the national average given the real, close-to-national combined rate detailed above.
How this fits Vermont's broader tax picture
Vermont's close-to-national general sales tax sits alongside a real, high graduated income tax (8.75% top marginal rate) and a real, high statewide property tax (Tax Foundation's 4th-highest-in-the-nation 1.51% effective rate) -- Vermont's overall tax burden runs high substantially because of income and property tax, not sales tax. See the income-taxes and property-taxes topics for the fuller picture.
Key takeaways
- Vermont's statewide sales tax base rate is 6.00%, with 162 local jurisdictions authorized to add a 1.00% local option tax -- a combined rate of up to 7.00% in the municipalities that levy it, close to the national average.
- The real, disclosed statewide population-weighted local add-on averages only approximately 0.312%, since many Vermont towns levy no local option tax at all.
- Vermont applies a separate, meaningfully higher 9% tax on prepared meals and lodging (the 'meals and rooms tax') and a 10% rate on alcohol for immediate consumption -- budget for both separately from the general sales tax.
- Vermont's overall high tax burden traces substantially to its income and property taxes, not its general sales tax, which runs close to the national average.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Vermont overview for the complete picture, or explore individual cities and towns we've researched.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert