Short-Term Rental Management in Putney, VT

Why Guests Come to Putney

• The Putney Craft Tour. Held over Thanksgiving weekend, the tour opens the studios of blacksmiths, glassblowers, potters, jewelers, weavers and woodworkers across the area. It has run for decades and is billed as the oldest continuing craft studio tour in North America.
• Landmark College. Founded in 1985 for students who learn differently, including those with dyslexia, ADHD or autism, Landmark College bought two parcels totaling 264 acres in 2026, bringing its campus to about 400 acres.
• The Putney School. A progressive boarding and day school founded in 1935, it sits on a 500-acre hilltop campus with a working dairy farm.
• Putney Mountain Hawkwatch. Volunteers have counted migrating raptors on Putney Mountain since 1974, from late August to mid-November. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies reported a record season in 2024.
• Next Stage Arts. The nonprofit turned an 1841 church in the village into a performance space and presents music, theater, film and spoken word through the year.
• Green Mountain Orchards. Run by the Darrow family since 1914, the orchard offers pick-your-own apples and blueberries, pumpkins and Christmas trees.

The Putney Rental Year

Fall is Putney's strongest season: apple picking, foliage on the hills above the river, hawk migration on Putney Mountain into November, and then the Craft Tour over Thanksgiving weekend. Summer is steady with orchard visits, river days and Next Stage events. Both schools run on an academic calendar, so the start of term and graduation bring visiting families. Winter is the quiet stretch. Our seasonal pricing guide covers how to price a calendar shaped by events.

Short-Term Rental Rules in Putney

As of October 2026, Putney has no ordinance aimed at short-term rentals, and its Zoning Regulations, adopted May 22, 2021, do not use the term "short-term rental." The regulations define a bed and breakfast as a dwelling where rooms are rented to transients and the owner lives on or next to the property, and they treat boarding houses, inns and hotels as separate uses. Whether a particular whole-home rental needs a zoning permit is a question for the Zoning Administrator.

What the town does point owners to: the Zoning Office posts the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Short-Term Rental Drinking Water and Wastewater System Fact Sheet, which explains that wells and septic systems are designed for a set number of people, usually by bedroom count, and that adding bedrooms or sleeping space can require a new permit.

Contact the Zoning Office at (802) 387-5862, extension 17. It is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 4 p.m., by appointment.

On tax: Putney adopted a 1% local option rooms tax effective July 2025. It is a rooms-only tax; Putney does not levy the local meals or sales tax. A Putney short-term rental now charges 13%: the 9% rooms tax, the 3% short-term rental surcharge and the 1% local tax. See our Vermont rules and taxes page.

Running a Rental in Putney

• Septic first. Most homes outside the village rely on a well and a septic system. Before you add a bunk room or advertise more guests, check the permitted bedroom count against the DEC fact sheet.
• Rural roads. Many back roads are unpaved. Give winter and mud-season guests clear directions, and plan for plowing and sanding.
• Fire safety. Vermont's Division of Fire Safety treats a rented single-family home as 8 occupants or fewer unless it says otherwise, and asks owners to keep its short-term rental checklist in the house. See our insurance and safety page.
• Posting. State law requires a contact number for the responsible person, plus Health Department and Fire Safety contacts, posted inside.

How New England Host Co Works in Putney

New England Host Co manages short-term rentals across Vermont, and every home has to sit within 45 minutes of its crew's base, so tell us the address and we will confirm. Full-service management covers the listing and photography, daily pricing in PriceLabs, guest messaging, and housekeeping with an inspection after every stay; co-hosting is a separate option. Permit fees stay with the owner. More on the Lower Connecticut River Valley, or reach us on the contact page.

FAQ

Do I Need a Permit to Run an Airbnb in Putney?

As of October 2026, Putney has no short-term rental ordinance or registry. Its 2021 zoning regulations do not mention short-term rentals, so ask the Zoning Administrator whether your plans need a permit.

What Is the Lodging Tax on a Putney Rental?

13% since July 2025: Vermont's 9% rooms tax, the 3% short-term rental surcharge and Putney's 1% local option rooms tax.

When Is the Putney Craft Tour?

It is held over Thanksgiving weekend each year, which makes that weekend one of the busiest of the fall.

This page is general information as of October 2026, not legal or tax advice; confirm details with the Town of Putney before you list.