Vermont certificate of need
Vermont has a certificate of need program, run by Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB). It covers 7 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Services covered
- 7
On this page
Vermont CON program
Vermont has a certificate of need program, run by Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB). It covers 7 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Program
- Certificate of Need
- Application fee
- 0.125% of project costs, minimum $250 and maximum $20,000; the application is not complete until the fee is paid (18 V.S.A. §9441).
- Review timeline
- Letter of intent at least 30 days before filing; GMCB decides within 30 days of a complete letter whether a CON is needed. Within 90 days after receiving an application, GMCB must declare it complete or close the review period; this can be extended 60 days, or longer with the applicant's consent. Expedited review is available when no competing application or party intervenes (18 V.S.A. §9440).
- Recent changes
- Act 15 of 2025 (effective May 13, 2025) raised CON thresholds: non-hospital capital cost $1.5M to $10M; equipment $1M to $5M; new-service operating expense $500,000 to $3M; conceptual development phase $30M to $50M. GMCB revised its jurisdictional threshold bulletin on February 1, 2026.
- Statute
- 18 V.S.A. §§9431–9446
Services that need a certificate of need
- construction, purchase, renovation or capital expenditure by a health care facility above $10,000,000
- changes in licensed bed counts (addition, conversion or relocation)
- offering any home health service
- transfer of more than 50% ownership of a health care facility other than a hospital or nursing home
- single diagnostic or therapeutic equipment items above $5,000,000
- new services or technology with annual operating expense above $3,000,000
- conceptual development phase CON for projects above $50,000,000
Frequently asked questions
Does Vermont have a certificate of need law?
Vermont has a certificate of need program, run by Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB). It covers 7 kinds of services, listed below.
How long does a Vermont CON review take?
Letter of intent at least 30 days before filing; GMCB decides within 30 days of a complete letter whether a CON is needed. Within 90 days after receiving an application, GMCB must declare it complete or close the review period; this can be extended 60 days, or longer with the applicant's consent. Expedited review is available when no competing application or party intervenes (18 V.S.A. §9440).
How much is a Vermont CON application?
0.125% of project costs, minimum $250 and maximum $20,000; the application is not complete until the fee is paid (18 V.S.A. §9441).