Accessory Dwelling Units

Vermont’s law on equal treatment of housing and town bylaws requires municipalities to allow homeowners to add one Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to their house as a permitted use as long as certain conditions are met. 

DHCD developed this brochure to assist homeowners interested in creating an ADU.

Get color brochure in PDF 

Other ADU resources

Brattleboro Area Affordable Housing (BAAH): Technical assistance to homeowners in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls who want to add an apartment to their house. BAAH has assisted in the creation of more than 50 new apartments.

Vermont State Housing Authority: VSHA was awarded funds in 2019 to develop a two-year ADU Pilot program in Montpelier. "ADUP aims to assist with the building and initial leasing of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), including help with pre-construction design and securing of finances, permitting and compliance, contractor procurement and project management, and finally, tenant selection and lease up procedures."

HomeShare Vermont:  Materials from a 2018 ADU workshop in Burlington co-sponsored by HomeShare Vermont, AARP-VT, and the Heineberg Community Senior Center.

Vermont Natural Resource Council:  Community Planning Toolbox for municipalities interested in encouraging ADU's.

Mad River Valley Housing Coalition: Serving the towns of Towns of Fayston, Warren, Waitsfield, Moretown and Duxbury published a Guide to Creating & Renting Accessory Apartments in the Mad River Valley.

New Hampshire Housing: Publishes ADU guidebooks for homeowners and municipalities for residents of that state that includes many helpful ideas for design, construction and budgeting as well as resources. Note that the statutes and regulations cited are not applicable in Vermont.