Home · Landlord-tenant rules · Massachusetts
Deposit, notice, and late-fee figures cited to the state statute.
| Rule | Rule text |
|---|---|
| Security deposit cap | At or prior to the start of a tenancy, a lessor or agent may not require payment of any amount in excess of first month's rent, last month's rent calculated at the same rate, and a security deposit equal to the first month's rent, if the deposit is held as subsection (3) requires and the tenant is given the statement of condition. The executive office of housing and livable communities may adopt regulations authorizing a fee in lieu of a security deposit. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(1)(b). As of 2026-10-09. |
| Notice to end a tenancy | An estate at will may be ended by either party by three months' written notice. If the rent is payable at periods of less than three months, notice equal to the interval between the days of payment, or thirty days, whichever is longer, is sufficient. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12. As of 2026-10-09. |
| Late fee | No lease or other rental agreement shall impose any interest or penalty for failure to pay rent until thirty days after the rent was due. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(1)(c). As of 2026-10-09. |
| Eviction notice | In case of neglect or refusal to pay the rent due from a tenant at will, fourteen days' notice to quit, given in writing by the landlord to the tenant, is sufficient. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12. As of 2026-10-09. |
At or prior to the start of a tenancy, a lessor or agent may not require payment of any amount in excess of first month's rent, last month's rent calculated at the same rate, and a security deposit equal to the first month's rent, if the deposit is held as subsection (3) requires and the tenant is given the statement of condition. The executive office of housing and livable communities may adopt regulations authorizing a fee in lieu of a security deposit.
No lease or other rental agreement shall impose any interest or penalty for failure to pay rent until thirty days after the rent was due.
In case of neglect or refusal to pay the rent due from a tenant at will, fourteen days' notice to quit, given in writing by the landlord to the tenant, is sufficient.
Figures are from Massachusetts statutes, retrieved 2026-10-09. Primary sources: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section15B, https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section12.
At or prior to the start of a tenancy, a lessor or agent may not require payment of any amount in excess of first month's rent, last month's rent calculated at the same rate, and a security deposit equal to the first month's rent, if the deposit is held as subsection (3) requires and the tenant is given the statement of condition. The executive office of housing and livable communities may adopt regulations authorizing a fee in lieu of a security deposit. Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(1)(b), https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section15B, as of 2026-10-09.
An estate at will may be ended by either party by three months' written notice. If the rent is payable at periods of less than three months, notice equal to the interval between the days of payment, or thirty days, whichever is longer, is sufficient. Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12, https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section12, as of 2026-10-09.
No lease or other rental agreement shall impose any interest or penalty for failure to pay rent until thirty days after the rent was due. Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(1)(c), https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section15B, as of 2026-10-09.
In case of neglect or refusal to pay the rent due from a tenant at will, fourteen days' notice to quit, given in writing by the landlord to the tenant, is sufficient. Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12, https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section12, as of 2026-10-09.
Estimates for planning; not tax/legal advice.