Vermont Sales Tax Calculator 2026

Vermont Sales Tax Rate Quick Facts

Vermont has a 6.00% state sales/use tax rate, and the average combined state and local rate is about 6.39%. Most Vermont purchases use either 6.00% or 7.00%, depending on whether the municipality has adopted a 1.00% local option sales tax. Vermont is simpler than many local-rate states, but food, clothing, meals, rooms, alcohol, short-term rentals, software, SaaS, digital products, cannabis, use tax, marketplace sales, and remote sellers can change the final result.

How to Use the Vermont Sales Tax Calculator

For most taxable purchases in Vermont municipalities without a local option sales tax, use 6.00%. For taxable purchases in municipalities with a 1.00% local option sales tax, use 7.00%. For grocery food and qualifying clothing, the rate may be 0.00% because those items are generally exempt. For meals, rooms, alcohol served for immediate consumption, and short-term rentals, do not use the normal sales tax calculator without checking the special meals and rooms tax rules.

How Vermont Sales Tax Works

Vermont imposes a 6.00% sales tax on retail sales of taxable tangible personal property and selected taxable categories. The tax can also apply to public utility services, producing/fabricating/printing tangible personal property, admissions, telecommunications, directory assistance, specified digital products, and other listed taxable categories. Vermont does not have broad county sales taxes. Instead, municipalities may adopt a 1.00% local option tax after voter approval. Vermont exempts many everyday essentials — food for off-premises consumption and clothing are generally exempt. Vermont also taxes important digital and software categories, including specified digital products and prewritten computer software (including SaaS).

Vermont Sales Tax Formula

Vermont Sales Tax Examples

Major Vermont City Sales Tax Rates

Verify every city/town through Vermont's local option tax finder or current Department of Taxes list. Local option taxes can be adopted by municipality and category, so sales, meals/alcohol, and rooms do not always have the same local option treatment.

Why Sales Tax Varies in Vermont

Vermont sales tax varies because some municipalities add a 1.00% local option tax to the 6.00% state tax, making the normal taxable merchandise rate either 6.00% or 7.00%. The variation is municipal, not county-wide — two towns in the same county can have different local option tax treatment. Local option tax can also vary by category — a municipality may adopt it for sales, meals/alcohol, rooms, or a combination.

What Is Taxable in Vermont?

Online Purchases and Remote Sellers in Vermont

Online purchases delivered into Vermont may be subject to Vermont sales or use tax. If the seller collects Vermont tax, the rate should generally be 6.00% or 7.00% depending on whether the destination municipality has a local option sales tax. Vermont's remote seller rule applies to sellers making sales from outside Vermont — a remote seller can be required to collect if it has at least $100,000 in Vermont sales or 200 individual Vermont transactions during the relevant 12-month period. Marketplace sellers should also track Vermont sales and verify whether the facilitator collects.

Vermont Food, Meals, Rooms, and Alcohol Notes

Vermont food tax rules are important because grocery food and restaurant meals are not handled the same way. Food and food ingredients sold for human consumption off the premises are generally exempt. Meals are subject to Vermont meals tax, generally 9% (plus possible 1% local option). Rooms tax is generally 9% (plus possible 1% local option). Alcoholic beverages served for immediate consumption are generally taxed at 10% (plus possible 1% local option). Short-term rentals can also have a 3.00% surcharge.

Vermont Clothing Notes

Vermont generally exempts clothing from sales tax. Everyday clothing and footwear are usually exempt. However, the exemption does not include clothing accessories (jewelry, handbags, wallets, sunglasses), protective equipment (helmets, safety equipment), or sports/recreational equipment (ski equipment, recreational gear).

Vermont Software, SaaS, and Digital Product Notes

Vermont includes prewritten computer software in tangible personal property regardless of how it is paid for, delivered, or accessed. This means SaaS subscriptions, cloud software platforms, hosted tools, and remote software subscriptions can be taxable in Vermont if they are prewritten software. Custom software should be reviewed separately. Vermont also taxes specified digital products transferred electronically to an end user.

Vermont Local Option Tax Notes

Vermont local option tax is a 1.00% municipal add-on adopted after voter approval. A municipality can adopt it for sales, meals/alcohol, rooms, or a combination. Sales local option tax adds 1% to the 6% state rate (making taxable merchandise 7%). It applies only to items already subject to Vermont sales tax — exempt items do not become taxable. Local option tax does not apply to motor vehicles subject to VT purchase and use tax.

Vermont Cannabis and Use Tax Notes

Adult-use cannabis sales are subject to Vermont cannabis excise tax and may also involve ordinary sales tax and local option sales tax. Medical cannabis may have different treatment. Vermont use tax applies when taxable items are used in Vermont and the seller did not collect Vermont tax — for example, purchases from out-of-state sellers, untaxed business supplies, or items bought in another state and brought into Vermont.

Common Vermont Sales Tax Mistakes

• Assuming every Vermont sale is 6%.
• Assuming every Vermont sale is 7%.
• Applying local option tax by county instead of municipality.
• Forgetting local option tax can apply differently to sales, meals/alcohol, and rooms.
• Applying sales local option tax to exempt clothing or exempt grocery food.
• Treating restaurant meals like exempt grocery food.
• Treating rooms tax like ordinary sales tax.
• Forgetting the 3% short-term rental surcharge where it applies.
• Treating alcohol served for immediate consumption as ordinary merchandise.
• Taxing qualifying clothing incorrectly.
• Exempting clothing accessories, protective equipment, or sports/recreational equipment incorrectly.
• Treating SaaS as exempt because the customer does not download software.
• Treating prewritten software and custom software the same.
• Ignoring specified digital product taxability.
• Missing the $100,000 or 200-transaction remote seller threshold.
• Forgetting marketplace sellers may need to include direct and marketplace sales.
• Treating motor vehicles as ordinary retail sales instead of VT purchase/use tax.
• Forgetting use tax on untaxed online purchases.

Vermont Sales Tax for Businesses

Businesses selling taxable goods, digital products, prewritten software, SaaS, meals, lodging, alcohol, cannabis, or other taxable categories in Vermont may need to register, collect, file, and remit. The first issue is taxability. The second is the rate (6% or 7% for general merchandise, 9% meals, 10% alcohol, etc.). The third is local option verification by municipality. The fourth is remote seller and marketplace treatment. Keep records of all sales categories, exemption certificates, local option treatment, and filing obligations.

Official Vermont Sales Tax Sources

• Vermont Department of Taxes — Sales and Use Tax
• VT Dept of Taxes — Local Option Tax Finder
• VT Dept of Taxes — Meals and Rooms Tax
• VT Dept of Taxes — Software and Digital Products
• VT Dept of Taxes — Remote Sellers
• VT Statutes — 32 V.S.A. Chapter 233, Sales and Use Tax
• VT League of Cities and Towns — Local Option Tax
• Streamlined Sales Tax — VT Guidance
• Tax Foundation — State Sales Tax Rates

Last reviewed: June 2026. Rates and rules can change.