The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 9: Commerce and Trade

Chapter 083: Innkeepers and Victualers

• Subchapter 001: LICENSING

• § 3061. Issuance and revocation

  (a) The selectboard members may license for one year, or a less time, suitable persons to keep restaurants, or other places dispensing food or drink to the public, and inns or hotels in their respective towns, and may revoke such licenses granted by them or by their predecessors when the public good requires it. This subsection shall not apply to homes catering to tourists, tearooms, or tourist camps.

  (b) The judges of the Superior Court may grant licenses to keep inns or hotels in unorganized towns and gores in their respective counties and may revoke the same when the public good so requires.

  (c) A person who keeps an inn, hotel, restaurant, or other place dispensing food or drink to the public without a license, when one is required, as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, shall be fined not less than $10.00 nor more than $50.00. (Amended 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974.)

• § 3062. Recording of license and revocation of license

  Licenses granted by the selectboard members shall be signed by a majority of them and shall not be effectual until recorded in the office of the clerk of the town. The expense of recording shall be paid by the person receiving the same, but a charge shall not be made to the person for such license. If such license is revoked, a certificate thereof shall be recorded in the office of the clerk of the town and notice given to the person holding the same.

• § 3063. Revocation by assistant judges of Superior Court

  If the selectboard members do not revoke a license granted by them when the public good so requires, the assistant judges of the Superior Court may vacate the same on application of the State’s Attorney of the county in which such license was granted. Six days’ notice in writing of the hearing on such application shall be given to the person licensed. (Amended 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974; 2017, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), § 10.)

• Subchapter 002: REGISTRATION OF GUESTS

• § 3101. Registration records

  Each keeper of a hotel, inn, lodging house, or roadside camp or cabin shall keep or cause to be kept a record in which shall be recorded the true name and residence of each person engaging or occupying a private room containing a bed or couch or opening into a room containing a bed or couch for any period of the day or night, in any part of the premises controlled by the owner, manager, or lessee. Each keeper shall preserve such registration record for three years.

• § 3102. False registration; failure to register

  A person shall not write, or cause to be written, or if in charge of the registration record, knowingly permit to be written, in any such registration record of any hotel, inn, lodging house, or roadside camp or cabin any other or different name or designation than the true name in ordinary use of the person registering or causing himself or herself to be registered therein. Nor shall any person occupying such room fail to register or fail to cause himself or herself to be so registered.

• § 3103. Penalties

  A person who violates a provision of sections 3101 and 3102 of this title shall be fined not more than $25.00.

• Subchapter 003: LIABILITY OF INNKEEPERS

• § 3141. Liability for loss

  If an innkeeper or hotel keeper provides a safe in his or her inn or hotel for the safekeeping of money, jewelry, and valuable papers and articles belonging to the guests of such inn or hotel and gives notice thereof by posting in a conspicuous place in the office and public parlors of such inn or hotel the fact that such safe is provided in which such property may be deposited, and a guest neglects to deliver or deposit therein any such property to the person apparently in charge of the office, such innkeeper or hotel keeper shall not be liable for the loss of any such property sustained by such guests, unless such loss occurs through want of ordinary care and diligence of such innkeeper or hotel keeper.

• § 3142. Limitation on liability

  No recovery in excess of $300.00 for loss of personal property shall be had by the guest of an hotel or inn, unless at the time of becoming such guest notice is given by such guest to the proprietor of such hotel or inn that the value of the property deposited by such guest is in excess of the sum of $300.00 with a statement of the value of such property and an offer to pay whatever sum may be required by such proprietor as compensation for the care of such property so deposited.

• § 3143. Loss of samples, apparel, baggage; loss by fire or force

  (a) An innkeeper or hotel keeper shall not be liable for loss of or damage to articles known or used as “samples,” unless such loss occurs through want of ordinary care and diligence of such innkeeper or hotel keeper.

  (b) An innkeeper or hotel keeper shall not be liable to a guest for the loss of wearing apparel or personal baggage unless such loss occurs through want of ordinary care and diligence of such innkeeper or hotel keeper.

  (c) An innkeeper or hotel keeper shall not be liable for loss in case of fire or overwhelming force where such innkeeper or hotel keeper has exercised ordinary and reasonable care in the custody of the baggage or other property of the guest.