Appraisals

V.S.A. tit. 32, ch. 129, subch. 2

in effect

32 V.S.A. § 4041 Examination of property; appraisal [Effective until July 1, 2031; see also § 4041 effective January 1, 2031, set out below]

4041. Examination of property; appraisal [Effective until July 1, 2031; see also § 4041 effective January 1, 2031, set out below] On April 1, the listers shall proceed to take up such inventories and make such personal examination of the property that they are required to appraise as will enable them to appraise it at its fair market value. When a board of listers is of the opinion that expert advice or assistance is needed in making any appraisal required by law, it may, with approval of selectboard or by vote of the town, employ such assistance.

32 V.S.A. § 4041a Reappraisal

4041a. Reappraisal (a)(1) A municipality shall be paid $8.50 per grand list parcel per year from the General Fund to be used only for maintenance of the grand list. (2) During the year in which a municipality is scheduled to fully reappraise pursuant to subsection 3417(b) of this title, a municipality may notify the Commissioner in writing that it is prepared to commence the full appraisal. Within 30 days, the Commissioner shall estimate the cost of the municipality’s full reappraisal and transfer to the municipality the lesser of two-thirds of the estimated cost or $66.00 per grand list parcel in the municipality. (b) If the Director of Property Valuation and Review determines that a municipality’s education grand list has a coefficient of dispersion greater than 20 or that a municipality has not timely reappraised pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the municipality shall reappraise its education grand list properties. If the Director orders a reappraisal, the Director shall send the municipality written notice of the decision. The municipality shall be given 30 days to contest the finding under procedural rules adopted by the Director or to develop a compliance plan, or both. If the Director accepts a proposed compliance plan submitted by the municipality, the Director shall not order commencement of the reappraisal until the municipality has had one year to carry out that plan. (c) If a municipality fails to submit an acceptable plan or fails to carry out the plan, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the State shall withhold the education, transportation, and other funds from the municipality until the Director certifies that the town has carried out that plan. (d) Each municipality shall commence a full reappraisal not later than six years after the commencement of the municipality’s most recent full reappraisal unless a longer period of time is approved by the Director. (e) The Director shall adopt rules necessary for administration of this section. Added 1997, No. 60, § 46, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; amended 2005, No. 38, § 8; 2005, No. 215 (Adj. Sess.), § 284; 2015, No. 134 (Adj. Sess.), § 6, eff. May 25, 2016; 2019, No. 51, § 24; 2021, No. 20, § 265; 2023, No. 68, § 1, eff. July 1, 2023; 2023, No. 68, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; 2023, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. June 3, 2024; 2019, No. 51, § 24, eff. July 1, 2019; 2025, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 35, eff. July 1, 2026; 2025, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 31, eff. January 1, 2031.

32 V.S.A. §§ 4042, 4043 Repealed. 1957, No. 219, § 4, eff. July 1, 1961.

32 V.S.A. § 4044 Appraisal of personalty on April 1 [Effective until July 1, 2031; see also § 4044 effective July 1, 2031, set out below]

4044. Appraisal of personalty on April 1 [Effective until July 1, 2031; see also § 4044 effective July 1, 2031, set out below] Unless otherwise provided, the taxable personal estate contained in the inventory shall be appraised by the listers at its fair market value on April 1.

32 V.S.A. § 4045 Appraisal on other than April 1 [Effective until July 1, 2031; see also § 4045 effective July 1, 2031, set out below]

4045. Appraisal on other than April 1 [Effective until July 1, 2031; see also § 4045 effective July 1, 2031, set out below] If any business is normally operated for a period less than 12 consecutive months and is not in operation on April 1, an inventory shall be filed with the listers at least 15 days prior to the anticipated annual suspension of such business and the stock in trade shall be appraised for the period of operation so as to represent an average of values of such property during that period in which the business has been carried on.

32 V.S.A. § 4046 Notice

4046. Notice The listers shall notify the taxpayer in writing within five days after the filing of such inventory of the appraised value of such property.

32 V.S.A. § 4047 Amending tax list

4047. Amending tax list If no appeal is taken within the time allowed under section 4403 of this title, or if an appeal is taken, upon determination of such appeal, the listers shall amend the grand list and make a certificate thereon of that fact.

32 V.S.A. § 4048 Evaluating real estate of nonresidents

4048. Evaluating real estate of nonresidents When the last owner of record of real estate is a nonresident and not taxable for personal estate in the town where the real estate is situated, it shall be set to such owner at the same valuation as if he or she had made a legal inventory.

32 V.S.A. § 4049 Appraisal of orchard lands

4049. Appraisal of orchard lands Upon the request of the listers of a town wherein orchard lands lie or upon the request of an owner of orchard lands, the Director shall provide expert advice and assistance to the listers in making reappraisals of such lands. Amended 1957, No. 219, § 3, eff. July 1, 1961; 1977, No. 105, § 14(a).

32 V.S.A. § 4050 Appraisal in unorganized towns and gores

4050. Appraisal in unorganized towns and gores As soon as may be after March 31 next succeeding their appointment, the appraisers shall, in the respective unorganized towns and gores for which they are appointed, perform the same duties as are prescribed by law for listers in towns, and be subject to the same liabilities.

32 V.S.A. § 4051 Basis for appraisals

4051. Basis for appraisals The appraisals made under section 4050 of this title shall be the only appraisals for taxation in unorganized towns and gores. In making such appraisals, the appraisers shall appraise and set in the list, apart from the taxable real estate, lands sequestered for public, pious, or charitable uses and paying an annual rent.

32 V.S.A. § 4052 Contract appraisals; assessor and lister qualifications

4052. Contract appraisals; assessor and lister qualifications (a) No municipality shall employ or contract a person, firm, or corporation to perform and no elected lister or board of listers shall perform appraisals of real property for the purpose of property taxation unless approved by the Director of Property Valuation and Review as qualified under this section. (b) No person shall conduct the work of an elected lister, board of listers, or assessor employed or contracted by a municipality pursuant to 17 V.S.A. § 2651c(b) unless the person meets the training requirements established by the Director of Property Valuation and Review under this section. An elected lister or board of listers who does not meet the training requirements of this section at the time of election shall have one year after entering into the duties of the office of lister to comply with this section. (c) The Director shall establish by rule reasonable qualifications for approval and training requirements, which shall include successful completion of educational and training courses approved by the Director and, in the case of an appraiser hired to do a townwide reappraisal, at least one year’s experience with an appraiser who has satisfactorily completed townwide reappraisals. (d) [Repealed.] Added 1985, No. 264 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1987, No. 101; 1989, No. 264 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1995, No. 169 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. May 15, 1996; 2023, No. 68, § 7, eff. July 1, 2023; 2023, No. 68, § 8, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/32/129Fetched: 10/21/2026