Municipal Laws & Regulations

We hope this compilation of publications and other resources will help both local officials and members of the public as they strive to understand and improve their municipalities. Return to the A to Z search and index page to peruse more topics.

Please remember that the laws governing municipalities and local governments are ever changing. We always recommend noting the date of the document, taking a look at the relevant statutes, and, if possible, checking in with the organization that produced the document. As always, requests for legal advice and legal opinions should be directed to a private attorney.

The Secretary of State’s Office fields many thousands of phone calls and emails from Vermonters with questions about the laws that apply to Vermont’s municipalities.

Our Municipal Law Basics publication was written to be a resource for local officials and members of the public who want to better understand the legal context of municipal government. It does not cover all of the hundreds of specific statutes that govern the activities of Vermont municipalities but, rather, provides an overview of the laws that generally govern and limit municipal authority. This handbook also covers those laws that govern the relationships between and among municipal officials and which guarantee accountability to the public.

We hope this resource will make it easier for Vermont’s local officials to effectively serve their communities.

Of course, we cannot cover everything in a few pages. For specific advice about a particular legal problem please be sure to consult your legal counsel.

Secretary of State Resources: