State resource guide

Vermont Recovery Houses & Sober Living: Resources & Directory

Find recovery residence and sober living resources for Vermont: voluntary VTARR certification, Act 103 of 2026, fair housing sources, helplines, and organizations that serve the state. Browse the guide below or choose your county to find local information.

Open a home in Vermont Find homes by county

Last reviewed October 29, 2026Every resource links to its source

Vermont recovery house rules at a glance

Voluntary certification: Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR)
State license: None. Recovery residences fall under the Vermont Department of Health's Division of Substance Use Programs (18 V.S.A. 4806)
Immediate exits: Only certified residences that meet Act 103's conditions may immediately exit or transfer a resident (9 V.S.A. 4452(b))
State rule: Voluntary state certification rule due by December 1, 2028 under Act 103 of 2026

Step by step

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in Vermont

Vermont has no state license for recovery residences or sober living homes. To open one, check local zoning, follow fair housing law, write a residential agreement and house policies, and consider certification from the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR). Under Act 103 of 2026, only certified residences that meet set conditions may immediately exit or transfer a resident outside the normal landlord-tenant process.

The steps most new operators follow to open a recovery house in Vermont, in order. Each one links to the official form or rule behind it.

1
Choose your level of support
Voluntary certification
VTARR certifies at four National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) levels: peer run, monitored, supervised, and service provider. Decide which fits your home before you write policies.
- Certification | Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR)
2
Check zoning with your town
Local requirement
Vermont has no state license for recovery residences, so local zoning is the main rule to check before you sign a lease or buy. The federal Fair Housing Act bars zoning rules that exclude group homes for people with disabilities.
- The Fair Housing Act
3
Know your fair housing protections
Local requirement
Disability is a protected category in Vermont housing law. Complaints can go to the Vermont Human Rights Commission or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- Housing Discrimination | Vermont Human Rights Commission
- Report Housing Discrimination
4
Write your residential agreement
State requirement
If you want to use Act 103's immediate exit and transfer exception, the residential agreement must include an approved exit and transfer policy, program rules, alternative housing plans, and a substance use policy that exempts prescribed medication. Residents sign it and reaffirm their consent after seven days.
- Act 103 (2026, S.157): An act relating to recovery residence certification
5
Plan for exits and grievances
State requirement
Arrange a stabilization bed or other temporary housing for exits, prepare written notices that give the reason and options for return, hold possessions at least 60 days after a permanent removal, and set up a grievance process approved by your certifier.
- Act 103 (2026, S.157): An act relating to recovery residence certification
6
Apply for VTARR certification
Voluntary certification
Complete VTARR's application for a new recovery home and pay the certification fee online. Certified residences appear in VTARR's public directory.
- Certification | Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR)
- Certified Recovery Residences
7
Stay certified and watch for the state rule
Voluntary certification
Pay VTARR's annual renewal fee. Watch for the Vermont Department of Health's proposed voluntary certification rule, due by September 1, 2027.

Startup checklist

Choose a NARR level of support
Call your town zoning office about group living rules
Read the Fair Housing Act and the Human Rights Commission's housing page
Write a residential agreement with an exit and transfer policy
Write a substance use policy that exempts prescribed medication
Line up a stabilization bed or temporary housing for exits
Set up a grievance process and written exit notices
Plan to hold possessions at least 60 days after a move-out
Apply to VTARR and pay the certification fee
Pay VTARR's annual renewal fee and watch for the state rule

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Licensing and certification

Recovery house requirements in Vermont

Vermont does not license recovery residences. Certification from the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), is voluntary. Act 103 of 2026 (S.157), effective July 1, 2026, gives certified residences an exception to landlord-tenant law for immediate exits and transfers, and directs the Vermont Department of Health to adopt a voluntary state certification rule by December 1, 2028.

State requirements, local requirements, and voluntary certification are labeled separately. Confirm how they apply to your home with the agency or qualified counsel.

State requirement

No state license for recovery residences in Vermont

Vermont does not license recovery residences or sober living homes. Act 103 of 2026 defines a recovery residence in 18 V.S.A. 4802 as a shared living residence for people recovering from a substance use disorder that provides peer support, help accessing support services, and other community resources, and adds recovery residences to the duties of the Department of Health's Division of Substance Use Programs (18 V.S.A. 4806).

State requirement

Immediate exit or transfer: certified residences only (9 V.S.A. 4452(b))

A recovery residence may immediately exit or transfer a resident, outside the usual landlord-tenant process, only if it is certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) or another organization the Department of Health approves, and its residential agreement includes an approved exit and transfer policy (how long a bed is held, criteria for returning, and possessions held at least 60 days after a permanent removal), program rules, alternative housing plans, and a substance use policy that exempts prescribed medication used as prescribed. The resident's written consent must be reaffirmed after seven days, and the residence must arrange a stabilization bed or other temporary housing, give written notice with the reason and options for return, and have an approved grievance process.

Act 103 (2026, S.157): An act relating to recovery residence certification

Voluntary certification

Future state certification rule

Act 103 directs the Vermont Department of Health to file a proposed rule for a voluntary state recovery residence certification program by September 1, 2027, and adopt it by December 1, 2028. The rule must require certified residences to meet the standards of VTARR or another approved organization. Any state fee must first be proposed to the General Assembly.

Act 103 (2026, S.157): An act relating to recovery residence certification

Voluntary certification

VTARR certification

The Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) certifies recovery residences to the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) standard, at one of four levels of support: peer run, monitored, supervised, or service provider. Apply with VTARR's application, and pay the new certification and annual renewal fees online.

Local requirement

Local zoning and fair housing

Towns set their own zoning rules, so check with the local zoning office before opening. The federal Fair Housing Act bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude group homes for people with disabilities, and the Vermont Human Rights Commission investigates state housing discrimination complaints.

For residents and families

Finding and paying for sober living in Vermont

To find a certified recovery residence in Vermont, search the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) directory by town or region, or see the Vermont Department of Health's recovery residence page. For help with substance use, VT Helplink offers free, confidential referrals 24/7 at 802-565-5465.

Official directories for finding a licensed recovery house or sober living home, and programs that can help pay for a stay. Programs set their own eligibility, and funding or openings are never guaranteed. Contact each organization to confirm what it can offer.

Finding a recovery house or sober living home

Vermont Department of Health, Division of Substance Use Programs · Vermont

Recovery Residences | Vermont Department of Health

The Department of Health's recovery residence page. It explains that the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) certifies residences to the national standard, describes the Act 163 (2024) certification recommendations and residence inventory, and links certified residences and a statewide map.

Division of Substance Use Programs 802-651-1550

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) · Vermont

Certified Recovery Residences

VTARR's directory of certified recovery residences, filterable by town or region and labeled by population served. Contact a residence directly to confirm openings.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

United Ways of Vermont · Vermont

Vermont 211

A free, confidential information and referral service that connects Vermonters with housing, food, health care, crisis support and other services. Dial 211, text your ZIP code, or search online.

Dial 211; text your ZIP code to 898211; [email protected]

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Oxford House, Inc. · United States

Oxford House Vacancies

Search tool for open beds in Oxford Houses (self-run, self-supported recovery homes), filterable by state (including Vermont), county, and house type, with an online application.

Oxford House, Inc. (301) 587-2916; toll-free (800) 689-6411

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Oxford House, Inc. · United States

Oxford House, Inc.

Nonprofit that charters democratically run, self-supported Oxford House recovery homes, where residents split expenses equally and there is no house manager.

(301) 587-2916; (800) 689-6411

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Help paying for sober living or a recovery house

Vermont Department of Health, Division of Substance Use Programs · Vermont

Recovery Housing Supports: Vouchers

The Vermont Department of Health's recovery housing voucher program, run by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR), pays the entry fee at a certified recovery residence and puts the rest toward the resident's weekly fees until the voucher runs out. It is mainly for people in early recovery with little or no income who are leaving treatment or the justice system and are at risk of homelessness. It can cover room and board for a short time while they apply to a certified recovery home.

Published or revised Jul 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Treatment and referral navigation

VT Helplink · Vermont

VT Helplink

Free, confidential information and referrals to substance use services for Vermonters, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, text or chat.

Call or text LINK to 802-565-5465

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) · Vermont

Apply for Health Insurance (Vermont Medicaid)

How to apply for Vermont Medicaid and other health coverage: online through Vermont Health Connect, by phone, with a local assister, or by mailing a paper application.

Customer Support Center 1-855-899-9600

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Recovery community organizations

Vermont Association for Mental Health & Addiction Recovery · Vermont

Vermont Association for Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (VAMHAR)

A Vermont organization working on mental health and addiction recovery through trainings, Recovery Friendly Workplaces, the Beyond Bars program and Recovery Day events.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Vermont Department of Health, Division of Substance Use Programs · Vermont

How do I find recovery support services?

The Department of Health's page for finding recovery support, including a map of recovery centers, which give information and support to people in recovery from substance use disorder. Use it to find the recovery center nearest you or to reach VT Helplink for a referral.

VT Helplink 802-565-5465 or toll-free 833-565-5465; Division of Substance Use Programs 802-651-1550

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

VT Helplink · Vermont

Recovery - Vermont Helplink

Explains Vermont's 12 recovery centers, which are alcohol- and drug-free places that offer peer support, recovery coaching, support groups and activities, and links a search for the center near you. It also points to mutual-help groups such as AA and NA in Vermont.

Call or text LINK to 802-565-5465

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Employment and education

State of Vermont (vocational rehabilitation) · Vermont

HireAbility Vermont

Vermont's vocational rehabilitation program for people with disabilities, offering career assessment, individualized employment plans, job placement, on-the-job training and work incentives counseling.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Funding

Recovery house grants and funding in Vermont

In Vermont, the Vermont Department of Health funds residences certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR). For fiscal year 2027, Act 141 gives the Department $1.6 million in opioid settlement money from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund for these residences. Money to buy, build or renovate a home also comes from the federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Recovery Housing Program (RHP), which towns apply for through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), and from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB). Residents with little or no income can ask about a VTARR-run voucher that covers the entry fee at a certified home.

Grants and public programs that can pay operators or cover residents’ stays. Public funding often requires a state license or certification, and every program sets its own eligibility and timeline, so confirm details with the agency.

Grants and funding programs

Vermont General Assembly · Vermont

Act 141 (2026): Opioid Abatement Special Fund appropriations, including recovery residences

For fiscal year 2027, Act 141 gives the Vermont Department of Health $1.6 million in opioid settlement money for recovery residences certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR). It also states the intent to fund them every year while the fund has enough money. A separate $1.2 million is shared between new opioid treatment beds and new recovery residence beds at National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) level III or higher, with priority for unserved and underserved regions. The Act doesn't set an application process, so operators should ask the Department of Health how the money is given out.

Published or revised 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), Department of Housing and Community Development · Vermont

Vermont Recovery Housing Program Action Plan (Fourth Amendment)

Vermont's share of the federal HUD Recovery Housing Program (RHP) pays to buy, build or rehabilitate housing for people in recovery from a substance use disorder, and can pay rent, leases and utilities to the landlord for a resident for up to 2 years. Only Vermont municipalities apply, online through ACCD's GEARS system, for $100,000 to $2,000,000, and partnerships with experienced housing developers get priority. Projects must be certified to VTARR standards or meet Agency of Human Services standards, operating and staffing costs are not eligible, and the state accepts applications until all funds are awarded, so start by talking with your town.

Published or revised Mar 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) · Vermont

Specialized Housing: Recovery Residences | Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

VHCB invests in recovery residences through renovations, new construction and program development. VHCB's housing funding applications page says only nonprofit housing development organizations, municipalities and state agencies can apply for VHCB's own funds, but private developers can also apply for some federal programs VHCB runs: HOME (for rental housing), the National Housing Trust Fund and HOME-ARP. VHCB staff must visit the site before an application is submitted, and VHCB asks applicants to call its staff to discuss the project before completing the application. The next housing application round closes February 24, 2027.

802-828-3250

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Vermont Department of Health · Vermont

Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee | Vermont Department of Health

This committee advises the Governor and Legislature on how Vermont's opioid settlement money in the Opioid Abatement Special Fund is spent. That money has paid for opening new recovery residences, renovating them and running them through the Department of Health. For fiscal year 2028, its recommendations cover only programs the law already names for annual funding, so this page is mainly useful for meeting materials and program reviews on recovery housing.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

USDA Rural Development · Vermont

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in Vermont

Low-interest loans and grants to buy, build, or improve essential facilities, including transitional housing, in rural areas of 20,000 people or fewer. Open to public bodies, community-based nonprofits and federally recognized tribes, not for-profit operators. Applications are accepted year round; contact the Vermont Rural Development state office first.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Public payment and scholarships for residents’ stays

Vermont Department of Health, Division of Substance Use Programs · Vermont

Recovery Housing Supports: Vouchers

Published or revised Jul 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Official documents

Vermont recovery house forms, regulations, and agency pages

Each entry shows who issued it, where it applies, and when we last checked the source.

Operating requirements

Vermont General Assembly · Vermont

Act 103 (2026, S.157): An act relating to recovery residence certification

Defines a recovery residence in 18 V.S.A. 4802, adds recovery residences to the Division of Substance Use Programs' duties, and makes permanent the landlord-tenant exception in 9 V.S.A. 4452(b) that lets a certified residence immediately exit or transfer a resident when set conditions are met. It also directs the Department of Health to create a voluntary state certification rule. Effective July 1, 2026.

Published or revised May 19, 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 8, 2026

Inspections and applications

Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) · Vermont

Certification | Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR)

VTARR's certification page, with the application to become a certified recovery home, the four National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) levels of support, and online payment for new certifications and the annual renewal fee.

P.O. Box 793, Burlington, VT 05402

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Zoning and fair housing

Vermont Human Rights Commission (HRC) · Vermont

Housing Discrimination | Vermont Human Rights Commission

Disability is a protected category in Vermont housing law, and refusing accommodations because of a disability can be discrimination. The Human Rights Commission investigates complaints.

802-828-2480; [email protected]

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division · United States

The Fair Housing Act

DOJ's overview of the federal Fair Housing Act, which bars disability discrimination in housing and bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude group homes for people with disabilities.

Published or revised Jun 22, 2023 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) · United States

Report Housing Discrimination

HUD's page for reporting housing discrimination under the federal Fair Housing Act.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Common questions

Vermont recovery house and sober living FAQ

Do I need a license to open a sober living home in Vermont?

No. Vermont does not license recovery residences or sober living homes. Certification from the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) is voluntary, but only certified residences can use the immediate exit and transfer exception in 9 V.S.A. 4452(b). Local zoning rules apply either way.

What did Act 103 of 2026 change for Vermont recovery residences?

Act 103 (S.157), effective July 1, 2026, defines a recovery residence in state law, adds recovery residences to the Department of Health's Division of Substance Use Programs, makes the landlord-tenant exception for immediate exits and transfers permanent for certified residences, and directs the Department of Health to adopt a voluntary state certification rule by December 1, 2028.

Can a Vermont recovery residence remove a resident right away?

Only if it is certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) or another organization approved by the Department of Health and meets every condition in 9 V.S.A. 4452(b): an approved exit and transfer policy in the residential agreement, consent reaffirmed after seven days, a stabilization bed or other temporary housing, written notice with the reason and options for return, and an approved grievance process. Otherwise the normal landlord-tenant process applies.

How do I get VTARR certification?

Complete the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences (VTARR) application for a new recovery home, choose one of the four National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) levels of support, and pay the certification fee online. Certified homes pay an annual renewal fee.

Can a Vermont town use zoning to keep a sober living home out?

The federal Fair Housing Act bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude group homes for people with disabilities, but homes still follow neutral local rules. Complaints can go to the Vermont Human Rights Commission or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

How do I list my recovery residence in this guide for free?

Request a free listing. You choose what it shows, such as who the home serves and its certification. The street address is shown only if you want it to be. Listing never requires ARKHE software.

Nearby state guides

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Vermont recovery house rules at a glance

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in Vermont

Choose your level of support

Check zoning with your town

Know your fair housing protections

Write your residential agreement

Plan for exits and grievances

Apply for VTARR certification

Stay certified and watch for the state rule

Startup checklist

Opening your first house?

Nearby state guides

Help improve this guide