Is It Legal to Grow Cannabis at Home in Vermont? (2026 Rules)

Jurisdiction: Vermont  |  Last verified: September 4, 2026  |  Program: Adult personal cultivation

Quick answer: Yes. A person age 21 or older may grow cannabis in Vermont, but the limit is shared by the entire dwelling: no more than two mature plants and four immature plants. The grow must be secure, screened from public view and located on property lawfully possessed by the grower, or used with written consent from the person lawfully possessing the property.

Vermont home-grow rules in plain language

• Minimum age: 21.
• Mature plants: two per dwelling.
• Immature plants: four per dwelling.
• Location: property lawfully possessed by the grower, or used with written consent from the person lawfully possessing the property.
• Privacy: cultivate in an enclosure screened from public view.
• Security: take reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized access.
• Registration: adult personal cultivation does not require a cannabis-control registration.

What counts as mature or immature?

Vermont defines a mature cannabis plant as one that is flowering. An immature plant is a nonflowering plant. This matters because a plant moving into flower changes categories, so the grower must keep the mature count at two or fewer.

Where and how the plants must be kept

Under 18 V.S.A. § 4230e(b), cultivation must be on property lawfully possessed by the cultivator or with written consent from the person in lawful possession. The statute does not make ownership the only way to qualify. Plants must be in an enclosure screened from public view, with access limited to the cultivator and people age 21 or older who have the cultivator’s permission.

Renters should also check applicable lease and property rules before growing. Effective July 1, 2026, Act 176 protects cannabis possession on rental premises and use inside dwellings, while allowing restrictions on lighted cannabis and products intended for inhalation and preserving federally required bans. Those provisions do not expressly authorize cultivation, so they should not be read as blanket permission to disregard a cultivation restriction.

Cannabis harvested from the permitted plants may be stored indoors on the property where it was grown. The statute requires reasonable precautions against unauthorized access. Keep the harvest secured rather than treating the grow allowance as permission for public display or distribution.

Medical cultivation is a separate program

Vermont’s medical cannabis registry has different plant allowances and eligibility rules. A registered patient who has elected to cultivate, or the patient’s registered caregiver, may cultivate up to six mature and 12 immature plants. Do not combine the medical and adult-use limits without reviewing the current registry rules for the specific address.

Before you start

1. Confirm age and property rights. Be 21 or older, satisfy the lawful-possession or written-consent requirement, and check applicable lease and property restrictions.
2. Count the dwelling, not each adult. The two-mature/four-immature cap covers everyone living there.
3. Screen the enclosure. Plants should not be visible to the public.
4. Restrict access. Use a secure area and keep children and unauthorized people out.
5. Track flowering plants. Recount when a plant enters flower.

Official Vermont sources

• 18 V.S.A. § 4230e: Personal cultivation of cannabis
• 7 V.S.A. § 952: Medical cannabis registry limits
• 2026 Act 176, sections 30–32: Rental protections and effective dates (PDF)

Ready to learn the cultivation side?

After the property and enclosure meet Vermont’s rules, use the HWGrow complete beginner guide for a practical seed-to-harvest workflow.

Compare Vermont with the HWGrow U.S. cannabis home-grow law guide.

Vermont home-grow FAQ

How many cannabis plants may a Vermont household grow?

A dwelling may have no more than two mature plants and four immature plants, regardless of how many adults live there.

May a Vermont renter grow cannabis?

The cultivation statute allows growing on property lawfully possessed by the cultivator or with written consent from the person in lawful possession. Renters must also consider applicable lease and property restrictions; the 2026 rental protections for possession and use do not expressly authorize cultivation. The enclosure must be screened from public view, with access limited as required by the statute.

Do Vermont medical patients have the same plant limit?

No. The medical registry is separate and may authorize a registered patient or caregiver to cultivate up to six mature and 12 immature plants.