Vermont Backyard Chicken Laws: Permits, Limits and Setbacks by City and County
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Vermont Statewide Poultry Regulations & Statutes
Cities and towns set flock sizes, rooster rules, permits, zoning and coop setbacks. Urban areas often cap hens and ban roosters, while rural towns are more permissive. This guide covers major cities and counties and answers questions about how many chickens you can have within your city limits.
Official Sources & Data Integrity
We refer to Vermont municipal bylaws and ordinances from verified platforms like ecode360.com, municode.com, and local government websites at the time of publication. You can review state-level rules via Vermont Livestock and Poultry Programs
Note: Not specified means no specific requirement was identified in the applicable municipal sources reviewed. No published ordinance means no hen, rooster, permit, or setback rule was found in the city’s published code.
⚠️ Important: Vermont ordinances may change without notice. Always verify the current rules with your local jurisdiction and any HOA before you build your coop.
Vermont Ordinances by City & County
Addison County, VT
Bristol, VT
No published ordinance
Middlebury, VT
No published ordinance
New Haven, VT
No published ordinance
Vergennes, VT
No published ordinance
Bennington County, VT
Arlington, VT
No published ordinance
Bennington, VT
No published ordinance
Manchester Center, VT
No published ordinance
North Bennington, VT
No published ordinance
Pownal, VT
No published ordinance
Shaftsbury, VT
No published ordinance
Caledonia County, VT
Danville, VT
No published ordinance
Hardwick, VT
No published ordinance
Lyndonville, VT
No published ordinance
Saint Johnsbury, VT
No published ordinance
Chittenden County, VT
Burlington, VT
Hen Limit: Set by enclosure (min. 1.5 sq ft coop and 3 sq ft pen per bird) | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Not specified | Setback: Not specified
Charlotte, VT
No published ordinance
Colchester, VT
No published ordinance
Essex Junction, VT
Hen Limit: Up to 4 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required | Setback: 10 ft from side lines; 15 ft from rear lines; no front yard
Hinesburg, VT
No published ordinance
Huntington, VT
No published ordinance
Jericho, VT
No published ordinance
Milton, VT
No published ordinance
Richmond, VT
No published ordinance
Shelburne, VT
Hen Limit: Up to 8 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required | Setback: Not specified
South Burlington, VT
Hen Limit: Up to 6 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required | Setback: 20 ft from property lines, or 5 ft with written neighbor approval; rear yard
Underhill, VT
No published ordinance
Westford, VT
No published ordinance
Williston, VT
No published ordinance
Winooski, VT
No published ordinance
Franklin County, VT
Cambridge, VT
No published ordinance
Enosburg Falls, VT
No published ordinance
Fairfax, VT
No published ordinance
Franklin, VT
No published ordinance
Highgate Center, VT
No published ordinance
Richford, VT
No published ordinance
Saint Albans, VT
No published ordinance
Sheldon, VT
No published ordinance
Swanton, VT
No published ordinance
Grand Isle County, VT
Alburgh, VT
No published ordinance
Grand Isle, VT
No published ordinance
South Hero, VT
No published ordinance
Lamoille County, VT
Hyde Park, VT
No published ordinance
Jeffersonville, VT
No published ordinance
Johnson, VT
No published ordinance
Morrisville, VT
No published ordinance
Stowe, VT
No published ordinance
Wolcott, VT
No published ordinance
Orange County, VT
Bradford, VT
No published ordinance
Randolph, VT
No published ordinance
Williamstown, VT
No published ordinance
Orleans County, VT
Barton, VT
No published ordinance
Derby, VT
No published ordinance
Newport, VT
No published ordinance
North Troy, VT
No published ordinance
Orleans, VT
No published ordinance
Rutland County, VT
Brandon, VT
No published ordinance
Castleton, VT
No published ordinance
Fair Haven, VT
No published ordinance
North Clarendon, VT
No published ordinance
Pittsford, VT
No published ordinance
Poultney, VT
No published ordinance
Proctor, VT
No published ordinance
Rutland, VT
No published ordinance
Wallingford, VT
No published ordinance
West Rutland, VT
No published ordinance
Washington County, VT
Barre, VT
Hen Limit: Up to 15 poultry | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Not specified | Setback: 10 ft from property lines; 30 ft from another occupied dwelling
East Montpelier, VT
No published ordinance
Montpelier, VT
No published ordinance
Moretown, VT
No published ordinance
Northfield, VT
No published ordinance
Plainfield, VT
No published ordinance
Waitsfield, VT
No published ordinance
Waterbury, VT
No published ordinance
Waterbury Center, VT
No published ordinance
Windham County, VT
Bellows Falls, VT
No published ordinance
Brattleboro, VT
No published ordinance
Putney, VT
No published ordinance
Vernon, VT
No published ordinance
Westminster, VT
No published ordinance
Wilmington, VT
No published ordinance
Windsor County, VT
Bethel, VT
No published ordinance
Chester, VT
No published ordinance
Hartland, VT
No published ordinance
Ludlow, VT
No published ordinance
Norwich, VT
No published ordinance
South Royalton, VT
No published ordinance
Springfield, VT
No published ordinance
White River Junction, VT
No published ordinance
Windsor, VT
No published ordinance
Woodstock, VT
No published ordinance
Permits and Local Requirements
Vermont does not issue a statewide backyard-chicken permit. South Burlington and Essex Junction require an annual town permit. Burlington sets flock size by coop and pen space and bans roosters. Most towns have no published hen permit.
Selling Backyard Eggs in Vermont
Sell only eggs from your own hens. Put the producer name and address on the carton. Retail cartons need a size and grade mark under 6 V.S.A. § 354. “Ungraded” and “nest run” are not the usual retail grade terms.
Vermont Poultry Slaughter Rules
Birds you raise may be processed on your property for your household. Sale of meat without inspection is limited: under the 1,000-bird exemption in 6 V.S.A. § 3312(b), birds must be your own, processed on your premises, kept in-state, and sold from the farm, at a farmers market, or to a licensed restaurant with the required label. City nuisance rules can still block on-lot processing in residential zones.
Essential Guides for Backyard Chicken Success
Ready to build your coop?
Vermont’s high-latitude winters and intense "mud seasons" require specific coop features to keep birds healthy. Our winter-ready DIY coop plans prioritize heavy-duty insulation and elevated flooring to protect your flock from frozen ground and spring saturation.
Once your structure is set, our Vermont-specific resources address the most common hurdles for Green Mountain keepers.
Get ahead of the seasons by exploring our Complete Vermont Backyard Poultry Management Guide.