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Vermont, 2026 season

Vermont Christmas Tree Permits 2026

The Green Mountain National Forest sells $5 Christmas tree permits, two per household a year, and Every Kid Outdoors pass holders can get one free.

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Forest selling permits
Green Mountain National Forest
$5
Price per tree
2026 season
Oct 8, 2026
On sale
Green Mountain National Forest
Free
Fourth graders
with an Every Kid Outdoors pass
Forest by forest

Where to get a Christmas tree permit in Vermont

Vermont's Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation says the state does not issue Christmas tree permits and points to the Green Mountain National Forest.

Green Mountain National Forest

2026 season

USDA Forest Service

Price
$5 per tree
Limit
2 permits allowed per household per year.
Tallest tree
20 feet
On sale
Oct 8, 2026
Cutting
Nov 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026
Where to buy
Recreation.gov, in person at the Manchester and Rochester offices
Permits cost $5.00 per tree (a $2.50 Recreation.gov reservation fee will be applied).
Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests Permits, USDA Forest Service, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Rules for cutting

Cut only inside the designated areas shown on the forest's maps.

Trees may only be cut within designated areas and indicated in the maps linked below.
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source

Trees over 20 feet are not covered, and the cut must be no higher than 6 inches off the ground.

Trees over 20 feet tall are not covered by the permit.
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source

Wilderness, active timber sales, developed recreation sites and several special areas, including the Robert Frost Recreation Special Area, are closed.

Permit is not valid in: Congressionally-designated wilderness areas; active timber sale areas; and developed recreation sites including campgrounds, picnic areas, and day use sites; and the following management areas as designated by the 2006 Forest Plan: Ecological Special Areas, Existing and Candidate Research Natural Areas, Alpine/subalpine Special Areas, and the Robert Frost Recreation Special Area (see map).
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source

Attach the permit to the tree before moving it.

Permit must be attached to the tree before transporting it from the site where it was cut.
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source

Clear all woody debris from roads, ditches and culverts.

Permit holders must remove all trash and litter resulting from their activities. This includes removing all woody debris from road surfaces, ditches, and culvert openings where cutting took place.
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source

Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass get a free permit here.

Every Kid Outdoors pass holders are eligible for a free holiday tree permit through their local National Forest.
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source

Green Mountain National Forest permits on Recreation.gov

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Every Kid Outdoors

The free Christmas tree permit for Vermont fourth graders

A fourth grader with an Every Kid Outdoors pass can get a free Christmas tree permit from a national forest, and Green Mountain National Forest says so on its permit page. The pass is free from the Every Kid Outdoors program, and the permit is redeemed on Recreation.gov with the pass number.

Every Kid Outdoors pass holders are eligible for a free holiday tree permit through their local National Forest.
Green Mountain National Forest. Read it at the source
A small child in a knit hat rides a sled beside a cut fir tree on a snowy forest track, an adult and a dog walking ahead
A family tree on its way out of the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming. The forest shared this photo to remind fourth graders that the Every Kid Outdoors pass brings a free tree permit. “Christmas tree - Bighorn National Forest - December 2017”, US Forest Service, Public domain

Vermont Christmas tree permit questions

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Christmas tree permits in other states

Vermont Christmas tree farmsChoose and cut farms and the pick your own season in Vermont.First snow in VermontWhen the first measurable snow usually falls, city by city.Christmas tree permits by stateEvery forest's price and dates in one table, with the free fourth grade permit.
Tall snow covered conifers lining a snowy forest road under a bright blue sky
Fresh snow on the conifers of a Pacific Southwest Region national forest in November 2024, the week the region reminded families that its tree permits sell on Recreation.gov. “Are you ready to get into the holiday spirit? Christmas tree permits are availiable online at Recreation (20241116-FS-ASA-55)”, Region 5 Photography, Public domain

Compiled September 22, 2026. Every price, date and rule above is republished from Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests Permits, USDA Forest Service and the other forest pages linked beside each quote, read on September 22, 2026. Prices, dates and cutting areas change each fall, so the forest’s page is the one to check before a trip. Every state is in the national Christmas tree permit guide.