Renter Rebate

Information and FAQs about Vermont's Renter Rebate.

What is the Renter Rebate?
I Want to Get the Renter Rebate. What Do I Do?
Do you want to file your own Renter Rebate? Follow These Three Steps
Step 1) Find Out If You Qualify for the Renter Rebate
Step 2) The Landlord's Certificate
My Landlord Didn't Give Me a Landlord's Certificate. What Can I Do?
My Landlord Gave Me the Landlord's Certificate, But It's Wrong. What Can I Do?
I Called the Vermont Tax Department. My Landlord Still Won't Give Me the Landlord's Certificate or the Information on the Landlord's Certificate is Still Wrong.
Does Your Landlord Refuse to Give You a Landlord's Certificate? You Can File the Landlord's Certificate Yourself.
Step 3) Form 141: Renter Rebate Claim

What is the Renter Rebate?

The Renter Rebate is a tax credit. You must have a low enough income to get the credit. You must have paid rent in Vermont for all 12 months of the tax year. You must have been a legal resident of Vermont for the whole tax year. You can't be somebody else's dependent. Only one member of the household can claim the credit.

I Want to Get the Renter Rebate. What Do I Do?

You can get free, professional tax preparation at a VITA site or TCE site near you. Ask them to prepare the Renter Rebate for you. You will need to bring in the Landlord's Certificate that your landlord gave you.

Do you want to file your own Renter Rebate? Follow These Three Steps

Step 1) Find Out If You Qualify for the Renter Rebate

The Renter Rebate has income limits. Do you want to find out if you qualify? Fill out Vermont Department of Taxes Form 144: Household Income form.

You can only get the Renter Rebate if your household income is low enough. Form 144 allows you to not count certain income so that you can figure out your Renter Rebate. That income still counts for other parts of your tax return. But it doesn't count for figuring out if you qualify for the Renter Rebate.

Step 2) The Landlord's Certificate

Your landlord must give you a completed and accurate Vermont Tax form. The tax form is called a "Landlord's Certificate." The Landlord's Certificate must show how much rent you paid during the tax year.

When Does My Landlord Have to Give Me the Landlord's Certificate?

It depends.  Does your apartment or house have more than one rented unit in it? Then your landlord must give you your Landlord Certificate by January 31st. Landlords must give their tenants this form.  Does your landlord rent out only one unit--your apartment or house? Then your landlord must give you your Landlord's Certificate a reasonable amount of time after you ask for it. A reasonable time usually means within about a week.  The State may fine landlords for each Landlord Certificate they don't provide.

What if I move before December 31st? Your landlord must give you your Landlord's Certificate when you leave or mail the Certificate to your new address or to the last address your landlord has for you.

My Landlord Didn't Give Me a Landlord's Certificate. What Can I Do?

Ask your landlord for the Vermont Tax Department Landlord's Certificate: Form LC-142. Your landlord is required to give it to you.

I Asked, But My Landlord Still Won't Give Me the Landlord's Certificate

Call the Vermont Tax Department toll free at (866) 828-2865. Tell them your landlord won't give you the Landlord's Certificate for the Renter Rebate. The Vermont Tax Department could fine your landlord if he refuses to give you your Landlord's Certificate or gives you a Certificate with the wrong information on it. The fine is $200.00.

My Landlord Gave Me the Landlord's Certificate, But It's Wrong. What Can I Do?

Does the Landlord Certificate have the wrong amount of rent or other wrong information? Ask your landlord to explain what the form means. You might just misunderstand the form.

What if it's not a mistake or misunderstanding? Call the Vermont Tax Department toll free at (866) 828-2865. Tell them that the information your landlord put on the Landlord's Certificate is wrong. Ask them to help you get your landlord to correct it.

I Called the Vermont Tax Department. My Landlord Still Won't Give Me the Landlord's Certificate or the Information on the Landlord's Certificate is Still Wrong.

Call Vermont Legal Aid to see if you qualify for free legal help.

Does Your Landlord Refuse to Give You a Landlord's Certificate? Or is the Information on the Landlord's Certificate Wrong?

You can file the Landlord's Certificate yourself. You must fill out the Landlord's Certificate: form LC-142. The Vermont Tax Department now has this form online.  If you want them to mail you a paper copy call the Vermont Tax Department for the form. Their toll-free telephone number is (866) 828-2865. Ask them to mail you a blank Landlord's Certificate form.

You must attach copies of your cancelled checks or rent receipts to the Landlord's Certificate. You also must attach a letter explaining why you aren't attaching a Landlord Certificate filled out by your landlord. Write your landlord's name, address, and telephone number on the LC-142. Also write this information on the letter you send explaining why you aren't sending a Landlord Certificate filled out by your landlord.

Step 3) Form 141: Renter Rebate Claim

Fill out Vermont Department of Taxes Form 141: Renter Rebate Claim. You will need more information from the Vermont Department of Taxes website. Read the 2011 Vermont Income Tax Return booklet on their website. Here's the link to the School District Codes on the Vermont Tax Department's website.