Massachusetts · MA

Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Laws 2026

Security deposit limits, eviction notice requirements, rent increase rules, and every compliance deadline for Massachusetts landlords. 58 cities covered.

Based on Massachusetts state statutes. Updated August 2026.

Massachusetts Landlord Law Summary

In Massachusetts, landlords must return security deposits within 30 days, provide 14-day eviction notice for nonpayment, and do not cap rent increases. No just cause eviction requirement.

Massachusetts Landlord Rules at a Glance

Key compliance requirements every Massachusetts landlord must follow.

Rule	Requirement
Security Deposit Cap	1 month’s rent
Deposit Return Deadline	30 days
Eviction Notice (Nonpayment)	14 days written notice to quit
Rent Cap	No statewide cap
Entry Notice	24 hours notice (by common practice; no specific statute)
Late Fee Cap	No statutory cap
Grace Period	30 days (late fees cannot be charged until rent is 30 days overdue)
Just Cause Eviction	Not required
Deposit Interest	Required

What Happens If You Violate Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Law

Security deposit violation: Tenant may recover up to 3x the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney fees and court costs.

Late deposit return: Miss the 30-day deadline and tenants can sue for up to 3x the withheld amount, plus interest.
Improper eviction notice: Wrong notice period or procedure = case dismissed. You restart from zero and owe additional court costs.
Illegal entry: Entering without 24-hour notice = harassment claim. Tenants can terminate the lease and sue for damages.
Fair housing violation: First offense: $16,000+ federal fine. Repeat: $65,000+. Plus actual damages, attorney fees, and potential criminal penalties.

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Deposit deadlines, eviction notice periods, rent cap calculations — monitored automatically across all 58 Massachusetts cities.

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Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Statutes

The laws that govern residential rentals in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts General Laws — Tenancy

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, §1 et seq.

Governs residential tenancies, including eviction, lease terms, and tenant protections.

Massachusetts Security Deposit Law

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, §15B

Strict security deposit statute requiring interest, proper escrow, and detailed receipts. Among the strictest in the U.S.

Massachusetts Landlord Law Topics

Explore detailed rules by topic for any Massachusetts city.

Eviction Process & Notice Requirements

View Massachusetts rules by city →

Maintenance & Habitability Standards

View Massachusetts rules by city →

Property Registration Requirements

View Massachusetts rules by city →

Top 50 Massachusetts Cities — Landlord Law Coverage

The largest Massachusetts cities by population, with median rent and deposit cap data. Click any city for detailed landlord-tenant law coverage.

City	Population	Median 2BR Rent	Max Deposit
Boston	653,833	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Worcester	207,621	$1,749/mo	$1,749
Springfield	153,672	$1,734/mo	$1,734
Cambridge	118,214	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Lowell	114,296	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Brockton	104,890	$2,311/mo	$2,311
Quincy	101,597	$2,311/mo	$2,311
Lynn	101,241	$2,941/mo	$2,941
New Bedford	100,695	$1,527/mo	$1,527
Fall River	93,840	$1,527/mo	$1,527
Newton	88,415	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Lawrence	88,172	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Somerville	80,407	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Framingham	71,875	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Haverhill	67,415	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Malden	65,133	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Waltham	64,477	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Taunton	60,412	$1,527/mo	$1,527
Weymouth Town	59,114	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Medford	58,744	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Revere	57,954	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Chicopee	54,838	$1,734/mo	$1,734
Peabody	54,056	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Methuen Town	53,455	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Everett	50,318	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Barnstable Town	49,709	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Attleboro	46,654	$1,527/mo	$1,527
Salem	44,744	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Leominster	43,627	$1,749/mo	$1,749
Pittsfield	43,076	$1,626/mo	$1,626
Beverly	42,318	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Woburn	41,647	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Fitchburg	41,579	$1,749/mo	$1,749
Marlborough	41,179	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Westfield	40,509	$1,734/mo	$1,734
Amherst Town	40,277	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Braintree Town	38,490	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Chelsea	38,319	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Holyoke	37,628	$1,734/mo	$1,734
Watertown Town	35,256	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Randolph Town	34,487	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Franklin Town	33,125	$2,284/mo	$2,284
North Attleborough Town	30,943	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Gloucester	29,959	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Northampton	29,370	$2,004/mo	$2,004
Melrose	29,357	$2,941/mo	$2,941
Bridgewater Town	28,818	$2,284/mo	$2,284
West Springfield Town	28,424	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Agawam Town	28,406	$2,284/mo	$2,284
Gardner	20,974	$1,749/mo	$1,749

All 58 Massachusetts Cities

Click any city to view its specific landlord-tenant laws, deadlines, and free calculators.

Boston 653,833 Worcester 207,621 Springfield 153,672 Cambridge 118,214 Lowell 114,296 Brockton 104,890 Quincy 101,597 Lynn 101,241 New Bedford 100,695 Fall River 93,840 Newton 88,415 Lawrence 88,172 Somerville 80,407 Framingham 71,875 Haverhill 67,415 Malden 65,133 Waltham 64,477 Taunton 60,412 Weymouth Town 59,114 Medford 58,744 Revere 57,954 Chicopee 54,838 Peabody 54,056 Methuen Town 53,455 Everett 50,318 Barnstable Town 49,709 Attleboro 46,654 Salem 44,744 Leominster 43,627 Pittsfield 43,076 Beverly 42,318 Woburn 41,647 Fitchburg 41,579 Marlborough 41,179 Westfield 40,509 Amherst Town 40,277 Braintree Town 38,490 Chelsea 38,319 Holyoke 37,628 Watertown Town 35,256 Randolph Town 34,487 Franklin Town 33,125 North Attleborough Town 30,943 Gloucester 29,959 Northampton 29,370 Melrose 29,357 Bridgewater Town 28,818 West Springfield Town 28,424 Agawam Town 28,406 Gardner 20,974 Newburyport 18,731 Winthrop Town 18,319 Southbridge Town 17,880 Greenfield 17,628 Amesbury Town 17,303 Easthampton Town 16,031 North Adams 12,483 Palmer Town 12,315

Free Massachusetts Landlord Calculators

Calculate compliance limits for any Massachusetts city. No signup required.

Rent Increase Calculator

Calculate maximum allowable rent increase in Boston →

Security Deposit Calculator

Calculate deposit limits and return deadlines in Boston →

Eviction Timeline Calculator

Calculate eviction notice periods and court timelines in Boston →

Late Fee Calculator

Calculate maximum legal late fees in Boston →

Frequently Asked Questions — Massachusetts Landlord Laws

Does Massachusetts have rent control?

No. Massachusetts voters banned rent control statewide in 1994. Proposals for new rent stabilization legislation have been introduced in recent years but none have been enacted.

What are the security deposit rules in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has some of the strictest security deposit laws in the country. Deposits are limited to 1 month’s rent, must be held in an interest-bearing account, and require detailed receipts. Violations can result in 3x damages plus attorney fees.

Can landlords charge late fees immediately in Massachusetts?

No. Massachusetts requires landlords to wait 30 days after rent is due before charging late fees. This is the longest grace period in the country.

Compliance tracking for your Massachusetts properties

LeaseBase monitors Massachusetts landlord-tenant law changes, tracks deadlines, and alerts you before penalties apply — across every city in your portfolio.

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How we researched this page: This guide covers all Massachusetts landlord-tenant statutes, verified against official government sources. Rent data comes from HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026). Last updated: August 2026.

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Reviewed by Rachid Abadli

Founder & CEO, LeaseBase · Sacramento landlord · Self-managing since 2019

LeaseBase is a property management platform — not a law firm. Consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.

Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Laws 2026

Massachusetts Landlord Law Summary

Massachusetts Landlord Rules at a Glance

What Happens If You Violate Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Law

Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Statutes

Massachusetts General Laws — Tenancy

Massachusetts Security Deposit Law

Massachusetts Landlord Law Topics

Security Deposit Laws

Eviction Process & Notice Requirements

Rent Increase Laws

Landlord Entry & Access Rules

Maintenance & Habitability Standards

Late Fee Limits

Lease Termination & Renewal

Fair Housing Protections

Tenant Screening Rules

Required Landlord Disclosures

Rent Control

Property Registration Requirements

Top 50 Massachusetts Cities — Landlord Law Coverage

All 58 Massachusetts Cities

Free Massachusetts Landlord Calculators

Rent Increase Calculator

Security Deposit Calculator

Eviction Timeline Calculator

Late Fee Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions — Massachusetts Landlord Laws

Compliance tracking for your Massachusetts properties

Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Laws 2026

Massachusetts Landlord Law Summary

Massachusetts Landlord Rules at a Glance

What Happens If You Violate Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Law

Massachusetts Landlord-Tenant Statutes

Massachusetts General Laws — Tenancy

Massachusetts Security Deposit Law

Massachusetts Landlord Law Topics

Security Deposit Laws

Eviction Process & Notice Requirements

Rent Increase Laws

Landlord Entry & Access Rules

Maintenance & Habitability Standards

Late Fee Limits

Lease Termination & Renewal

Fair Housing Protections

Tenant Screening Rules

Required Landlord Disclosures

Rent Control

Property Registration Requirements

Top 50 Massachusetts Cities — Landlord Law Coverage

All 58 Massachusetts Cities

Free Massachusetts Landlord Calculators

Rent Increase Calculator

Security Deposit Calculator

Eviction Timeline Calculator

Late Fee Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions — Massachusetts Landlord Laws

Compliance tracking for your Massachusetts properties

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