Vermont Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement (Investor PDF)
An investor-ready purchase and sale agreement drafted for Vermont transactions, plus a plain-English summary of what Vermont law expects in a residential purchase contract. Free PDF, no signup required.
Vermont Purchase and Sale Agreement
Free PDF • Updated July 2026
Part of our free real estate investor forms library.
What Vermont Requires in a Purchase Contract
These are the contract and disclosure requirements our research identified for Vermont residential transactions, with statute citations. Requirements change; always confirm the current rule before closing.
Flood risk disclosure
27 V.S.A. § 380 (added by 2023 Act 181 (Adj. Sess.) § 102, eff. June 17, 2024; amended by 2025 Act 52 § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2025)
Prior to or as part of a contract for conveyance of real property, seller must provide: (3) a copy/link of the FEMA flood insurance rate map (or notice that none is available for the community); (4) whether the property was subject to flooding or flood damage (including flood-related erosion or landslide damage) while the seller possessed it; and (5) whether the seller maintains or is required by federal/State law to maintain flood insurance. Failure to provide is grounds for buyer termination before title transfer or occupancy; buyer may sue for damages, attorney's fees, and punitive damages for knowing failure; noncompliance does not affect marketability of title.
Applies to: all conveyances of real property (not limited to residential)
Smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm certification at closing
9 V.S.A. § 2883 (as amended by 2025 Act 69 § 23, eff. July 1, 2025)
Seller of a single-family dwelling (including new construction) must certify to the buyer at closing, signed and dated, that the dwelling has photoelectric-type or UL 217 compliant smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms per 9 V.S.A. ch. 77; buyer has a 10-day certified-mail cure notice mechanism; violation does not create a defect in title.
Applies to: single-family dwellings transferred by sale or exchange
No general seller property condition disclosure statute
No Vermont analogue to a seller disclosure act; see Vermont Real Estate Commission Rules (licensee disclosure of known material defects) and common-law fraud/misrepresentation
Vermont has no statutory seller property condition disclosure form; sellers remain liable under common law for fraudulent concealment/misrepresentation, and LICENSED agents must disclose known material defects under Real Estate Commission rules; the industry-standard 'Seller's Property Information Report' (SPIR) is voluntary.
Applies to: all residential
Federal lead-based paint disclosure (note only) Verbatim language required
42 U.S.C. § 4852d
Federal pre-1978 lead disclosure/pamphlet/10-day inspection regime applies (Vermont's own lead law, 18 V.S.A. ch. 38, primarily targets rental housing and child care facilities, not sales contracts).
Applies to: pre-1978 residential housing
Vermont Closing Practice at a Glance
| Deed convention | Warranty Deed is customary for arm's-length residential sales |
| Transfer tax | Property Transfer Tax (32 V.S.A. ch. 231) |
| Customary payer | buyer - by statute the tax is the liability of the transferee unless the parties agree otherwise (32 V.S.A. § 9604). Rates (§ 9602): 1.25% general; principal residence of transferee 0.5% on first $200,000 and 1.25% above; 3.4% on habitable year-round residential property that will NOT be the transferee's principal residence (second homes/investment, added by 2023 Act 181, eff. Aug. 1, 2024); plus a 0.22% Clean Water Surcharge (§ 9602a) with a principal-residence exemption on the first $200,000. |
| Attorney closing | Attorney required or customary. Attorney closings are customary and near-universal in Vermont (attorneys conduct closings and certify/search title); no statute expressly mandates attorney presence, but practice and title insurance norms make Vermont function as an attorney state. |
| Witness and notary | Acknowledgment only - deeds must be signed by the grantor and acknowledged before a notary public, then recorded in the town clerk's office (27 V.S.A. § 341(a)); the historical two-witness requirement was eliminated (2004 amendment). Note the survey/plat recording requirements of 27 V.S.A. § 341(b) for subdivisions or boundary changes. |
More Investor Resources
Disclaimer: This template and summary are provided free for reference and educational purposes. Clearway Home Buyers is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by downloading or using these forms. Real estate law varies by state and by transaction. Review any form with a licensed Vermont attorney before use. Read the full disclaimer.
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