The Vermont Division of Fire Safety regulates short-term rentals in the state as they fall under public accommodations. The following is a brief summary:
- Short-term rentals are considered public buildings: Under Vermont law, short-term rental properties are classified as public buildings, meaning they must comply with the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code.
- Fire & Building Safety Code: The state has adopted the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, which is heavily used for short-term rentals. This code prescribes specific requirements for egress, fire ratings, and fire protection systems to ensure the safety of occupants.
- Classification and Code Requirements:
- Properties that accommodate 8 or fewer people fall under NFPA 101 Chapter 24. This category has less restrictive code requirements.
- Properties accommodating 9 to 16 people are governed by NFPA 101 Chapter 26, which has more stringent requirements.
- For more than 16 occupants, the regulations align with hotel occupancy standards in NFPA 101 Chapters 28 and 29, imposing the most restrictive safety requirements.
- Permits and Compliance:
- Existing buildings used for new types of occupancy (like transforming a private residence to a short-term rental) must meet the requirements for the relevant occupancy category. This might include installing fire alarm systems and meeting specific fire safety standards.
- A change of use permit and a certificate of occupancy are required for new occupancies in existing buildings.
For short-term rental owners, it’s crucial to understand these classifications and ensure compliance with the state’s fire and building safety standards to both protect guests and avoid legal issues. For Killington vacation rentals sleeping 8 or less people, you may self-certify to these requirements. For rental properties for large groups, with more than 8 occupancy, you are required to obtain a certificate of occupancy which requires a monitored fire alarm system or a sprinkler system.
This Vermont Division of Fire Safety presentation on short-term rentals provides a lot of additional details. If you have any questions or are looking for a Killington property manager who knows these requirements, please contact us.
