Title 32, Title 32: Taxation and Finance

§ 3846. Farmland appraisal contracts (a) As used in this section: (1) “Farmland” means real estate that is actively and exclusively devoted to farming and that is at least 25 acres in area and is operated or leased as a farm enterprise by the owner. (2) “Forestland” means any lan…

§ 3847. Neighborhood housing improvement programs At an annual or special meeting, a municipality may vote to exempt, for a period not exceeding five years, the property tax on the value of improvements made to principal dwelling units with funds provided in whole or in part by a…

§ 3848. Inventory tax; local option (a) At an annual or special meeting warned for the purpose, a municipality may, by a majority vote of those present and voting, elect not to tax inventory of manufacturers and merchants and of other trades and businesses, including professional…

§ 3849. Business personal property; local option (a) At an annual or special meeting warned for the purpose, a municipality may, by a majority vote of those present and voting, elect not to tax, in whole or in part, business personal property according to this section. An electio…

§ 3850. Blighted property improvement program (a) At an annual or special meeting, a municipality may vote to authorize the legislative body of the municipality to exempt from municipal taxes for a period not to exceed five years the value of improvements made to dwelling units c…

§ 4001. Inventory forms (a) Annually on April 1, at the expense of the State, the Director shall furnish to the several town clerks and boards of appraisers for unorganized towns and gores inventory forms sufficient in number to meet the requirements of this chapter. Such forms s…

§ 4002. Oath Such form shall contain the following: I do solemnly swear (or affirm), under the pains and penalties of perjury, that, to my best knowledge and belief, the foregoing inventory by me subscribed is a full, true, and correct list and description of all taxable property…

§ 4003. Distribution of inventories Inventory forms and printed copies of the law prepared as provided in subdivision 3411(6) of this title shall be delivered by the town clerk or listers to all taxpayers requesting the same. At the expense of the town, listers shall forward by m…

§ 4004. Return of inventories by individuals On or before April 20, unless otherwise required, every taxable person shall procure such inventory form, make full answers to all interrogatories therein, subscribe the same, make oath thereto, and deliver or forward the same to one o…

§ 4005. Return by corporations, estates, or fiduciaries The officer of a corporation on whom service of process may be made shall procure such form and the same shall be executed by its president or other principal officer and the same shall be delivered or forwarded to one of th…

§ 4006. Failure to return inventory Failure of a taxpayer to make and return a signed, sworn to, or affirmed inventory within 45 days after the mailing of such inventory by the town listers shall bar the taxpayer from any statutory appeal under this chapter or chapter 131 of this…

§ 4007. Final disposition of inventories Inventories filled out by taxpayers shall be lodged by the listers in the town clerk’s office on or before June 1, shall be maintained in a manner reasonably calculated to protect the confidentiality of the information contained in the inv…

§ 4008. Willful destruction A person who willfully destroys or removes an inventory from the office of the town clerk during the time the same is required to be preserved, except in obedience to process, shall be fined $500.00.

§ 4009. Examination of inventories (a) Any inventory collected pursuant to section 4001 or 4452 of this title that is in the custody of the town clerk shall be available for inspection, tabulation, and copying by any commission authorized to do so by the General Assembly, a membe…

§ 4010. Inventories in unorganized towns and gores Persons liable to pay taxes in unorganized towns or gores, except as otherwise provided, shall be subject to the same provisions in regard to making out and returning inventories of property to which taxpayers in organized towns …

§ 4041. Examination of property; appraisal On April 1, the listers shall proceed to take up such inventories and make such personal examination of the property that they are required to appraise as will enable them to appraise it at its fair market value. When a board of listers …

§ 4041a. Reappraisal (a) A municipality shall be paid $8.50 per grand list parcel per year from the General Fund to be used only for reappraisal and costs related to reappraisal of its grand list properties and for maintenance of the grand list. (b) If the Director of Property Va…

§ 4044. Appraisal of personalty on April 1 Unless otherwise provided, the taxable personal estate contained in the inventory shall be appraised by the listers at its fair market value on April 1.

§ 4045. Appraisal on other than April 1 If any business is normally operated for a period less than 12 consecutive months and is not in operation on April 1, an inventory shall be filed with the listers at least 15 days prior to the anticipated annual suspension of such business …

§ 4046. Notice The listers shall notify the taxpayer in writing within five days after the filing of such inventory of the appraised value of such property.

§ 4047. Amending tax list If no appeal is taken within the time allowed under section 4403 of this title, or if an appeal is taken, upon determination of such appeal, the listers shall amend the grand list and make a certificate thereon of that fact.

§ 4048. Evaluating real estate of nonresidents When the last owner of record of real estate is a nonresident and not taxable for personal estate in the town where the real estate is situated, it shall be set to such owner at the same valuation as if he or she had made a legal inv…

§ 4049. Appraisal of orchard lands Upon the request of the listers of a town wherein orchard lands lie or upon the request of an owner of orchard lands, the Director shall provide expert advice and assistance to the listers in making reappraisals of such lands. (Amended 1957, No.…

§ 4050. Appraisal in unorganized towns and gores As soon as may be after March 31 next succeeding their appointment, the appraisers shall, in the respective unorganized towns and gores for which they are appointed, perform the same duties as are prescribed by law for listers in t…

§ 4051. Basis for appraisals The appraisals made under section 4050 of this title shall be the only appraisals for taxation in unorganized towns and gores. In making such appraisals, the appraisers shall appraise and set in the list, apart from the taxable real estate, lands sequ…

§ 4052. Contract appraisals; assessor and lister qualifications [Effective January 1, 2026; see also 32 V.S.A. § 4052 effective until January 1, 2026 set out above] (a) No municipality shall employ or contract a person, firm, or corporation to perform and no elected lister or boa…

§ 4081. Procedure when inventory properly completed When an inventory is properly filled out, sworn to, and delivered and, in the opinion of the listers, contains full, true, and correct answers to all the interrogatories therein that such taxpayer is required to answer, and a fu…

§ 4082. Taxpayer’s grand list One percent of the listed value of the real estate taxable to a person shall be added to one percent of the listed value of his or her personal estate, and the sum so obtained shall constitute his or her grand list.

§ 4084. Procedure upon failure to return correct inventory When a person willfully omits to make, swear to, and deliver an inventory, or to answer any interrogatory therein as required by this chapter, or makes a false answer or statement therein, or if the listers believe that a…

§ 4085. Notice to taxpayers on nonreturn of inventory When the list of a person has been made under the provisions of section 4084 of this title, he or she shall be notified thereof by the listers on or before 14 days from the day fixed by law on or before which abstracts of indi…

§ 4086. Omissions in inventory When, prior to December 15, the listers learn that real or personal estate is omitted from the inventory of a person returned in such year or that a person has failed to return an inventory for such year, they shall notify such person in writing. If…

§ 4087. Notice to taxpayer of list prepared under preceding section When the list of a person has been made under the provisions of section 4086 of this title, he or she shall be notified thereof by the listers on or before 14 days from the day on which the listers will meet to h…

§ 4088. Contents The notice to a corporation shall be delivered or mailed to the officer whose duty it is to make the inventory. Such notice shall be in writing and signed by the listers, setting forth their doings in respect thereof, and the time and place at which they will the…

§ 4111. Abstracts of individual lists (a) Subject to the provisions of section 4341 of this title, on or before May 5, the listers shall arrange in alphabetical order, in a book or books required by law to be furnished for the abstract of individual lists and the grand lists, the…

§ 4112. Legalizing defective or invalid abstracts If an abstract of individual lists is not lodged in the town clerk’s office or is not lodged therein within the time prescribed by section 4111 of this title; or if a defective abstract is lodged therein within the time so prescri…

§ 4113. Certificate to amended abstract The listers shall add to such abstract so lodged or amended a certificate setting forth the particulars wherein it was defective or invalid, their doings in respect thereto, and the date whereon such abstract was so lodged or amended. Failu…

§ 4114. Certificate of clerk When such abstract is so lodged or amended, the town clerk shall affix thereto his or her certificate showing the date whereon it was so lodged with him or her, or such amendments were added to one theretofore filed. Thereupon such abstract shall beco…

§ 4115. Notice by listers The listers shall attach thereto a notice in writing signed by them setting forth their doings in respect thereto and the time and place at which they will thereafter meet to hear all taxpayers therein named who are aggrieved by any of their actions rela…

§ 4116. Notices posted and published; mail to nonresidents (a) The listers shall forthwith post copies of such notice in the town clerk’s office and in five or more public places within the town and shall, at the expense thereof, publish such notice for two weeks successively in …

§ 4151. Grand list of town (a) Subject to the provisions of section 4341 of this title, on or before June 25, the listers shall make all corrections in the abstracts and shall lodge such completed book in the office of the town clerk. (b) Subject to the provisions of section 4341…

§ 4152. Contents (a) When completed, the grand list of a town shall be in such form as the Director prescribes and shall contain such information as the Director prescribes, including: (1) In alphabetical order, the name of each real property owner and each owner of taxable perso…

§ 4152a. Property tax classifications [Effective July 1, 2028 if contingencies met] (a) The grand list of a town shall include one or more tax classifications for each parcel of real estate. A parcel shall be classified using one of the general classes of real estate listed under…

§ 4154. Endorsement of time of reception When a grand list is completed and lodged in the office of the town or city clerk, such clerk shall duly endorse thereon the time of its reception and place the same with the permanent files of the office.

§ 4154a. State-owned land At least two months prior to each annual town meeting, the listers of each municipality in which the Agency of Natural Resources or one of its subdivisions holds title to lands and premises shall report to the selectboard of the municipality regarding th…

§ 4155. Certificate and attestation—No appeal or suit pending When no statutory appeal as provided by law from the appraisal of the listers and no suit to recover taxes paid under protest is pending on the first Tuesday of February following such lodgment, the selectboard and lis…

§ 4156. After appeal and suit determined When any such appeal or suit is then pending, such certificate shall be made as soon as such appeal or suit has been finally determined.