South Burlington

Chittenden County, Vermont

Last verified September 16, 2026

South Burlington is a jurisdiction in Chittenden County, Vermont, with an online portal for searching and pulling active or historical building permits. Use the contact information below to reach the local building department, or the mailing address if the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Certificate Holder Mailing Address

South Burlington Fire Department
575 Dorset Street
South Burlington, VT 05403

Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Additional Notes

Building/fire/electrical construction permits are issued by the Fire Marshal's Office under a municipal inspection agreement with the VT Division of Fire Safety, not a separate 'Building Department.' Land-use/zoning permits are handled separately by Planning & Zoning, 802-846-4106, 180 Market Street.

What You Need Before Applying for a Permit

Most building departments ask for the same core package before they'll issue a permit: a completed application naming the property owner and contractor, the contractor's state license number and proof of insurance (general liability, and workers' comp if employees are on the job), a notice of commencement or equivalent recorded filing for larger jobs where the state requires one, and scaled plans or a site plan for anything beyond minor repairs. Roofing, fence, pool, and solar permits typically have their own simplified checklists — South Burlington's department (above) can confirm exactly what applies to your project.

Why this matters for insurance: permit history is one of the first things an underwriter or adjuster checks. Unpermitted work — a finished basement, an added bedroom, a rebuilt roof — can complicate a claim or even void coverage for that portion of the loss, and it routinely surfaces during a home inspection. Pulling the right permit up front, and keeping the closed-permit record on file, protects both the property's value and its insurability at resale.

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