Rental Housing Health Code Amended—Effective March 1, 2006 In 2005, the Vermont Department of Health initiated an amendment to the Rental Housing Health Code, which dates back to 1974. This process has been completed and the new code has been adopted and filed by the Secretary of State. The amended code will be in effect as of March 1, 2006. The Rental Housing Health Code establishes minimum health and habitability standards for all residential rental housing in Vermont. The Code is designed to protect the health, safety and well-being of the occupants of rental housing. The new Code addresses inadequacies in current rental health and habitability standards, and the overlap between the Code and the VT Fire Prevention and Building Code and the Electrical Safety Rules implemented by the Department of Public Safety. With regard to enforcement, town health officers will continue to investigate rental housing complaints as in the past, utilizing the new Code as their investigative tool. The new Code is also available on the Department’s website at

Link to the Department of Health Website