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Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Landlord-Tenant Laws

Security deposit limits, eviction notices, rent control, and more for Boston, Massachusetts.

How we research these summaries

Every rule on this page is drawn from state statutes and municipal codes and summarized with AI assistance. Each one cites the statute it's based on and links to a published text of that law so you can read it firsthand. Where a page says a city or county has no local rule on a topic, that means none was found for the topics covered here — not that none exists. Local governments also regulate rental housing in ways these pages don't track, including registration, licensing, inspections and habitability standards. These summaries may be incomplete or out of date, laws change often, and every property and tenancy has specifics a summary can't capture — so treat this as a starting point for your own research, not as legal advice, and check with the local jurisdiction and a qualified attorney before acting on your particular situation.

What to Know in Boston

Sources last checked July 2026

Boston does not require just cause to evict, despite the frequent claim otherwise — no such ordinance exists. What the city does require is procedural: under the Housing Stability Notification Act, a landlord serving a notice to quit must give the tenant the city's Notice of Tenants' Rights and file the notice with the city, or risk a fine of up to $300 a day, though skipping it doesn't stop the eviction. Boston has had no rent control since Massachusetts voters ended it statewide by a 1994 ballot vote, which also ended it in Cambridge and Brookline the same day.

  • Boston does not require just cause to evict. Despite frequent claims to the contrary, the city has no just-cause eviction ordinance, and Massachusetts state law supplies the...
  • No rent control — no statutory cap on rent increases
  • Security deposits capped at 1 month's rent
  • 30-day advance written notice required for rent increases
  • 30-day move-out notice required for month-to-month tenancies
5 rules summarized · Each linked to the law it cites

Boston Local Rules

Eviction Notice Requirements

What are the eviction notice requirements in Boston?

Boston does not require just cause to evict. Despite frequent claims to the contrary, the city has no just-cause eviction ordinance, and Massachusetts state law supplies the underlying notice periods. What Boston does require is notification: under the Housing Stability Notification Act a landlord serving a notice to quit or a notice of non-renewal must give the tenant the city's Notice of Tenants' Rights and Resources at the same time, and must file the termination notice together with the tenant's contact information with the city. Failing to do so can bring a fine of up to $300 per day — but it does not halt the eviction itself.

Boston Housing Stability Notification Act
Rent Control / Rent Increase Caps

Is there rent control in Boston?

Boston has no rent control and no cap on the size of a rent increase. Massachusetts voters ended rent control statewide by ballot question in November 1994, and that took effect simultaneously in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline — Boston was not grandfathered and then repealed separately later. A Boston-specific home rule petition seeking local rent stabilization passed the City Council in 2023 but died in the Legislature in 2024 and was not refiled. A separate statewide ballot question aimed at November 2026 was struck by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in June 2026 on constitutional grounds unrelated to rent regulation itself.

Massachusetts statewide ballot question (November 1994); no Boston ordinance

Applicable Massachusetts State Rules

These state-level rules apply in Boston where no local override exists.

Security Deposit Limits State Law

What is the security deposit limit in Boston?

Under M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B, a landlord may not require a security deposit exceeding the amount of one month's rent. The deposit must be held in a separate, interest-bearing bank account at a Massachusetts bank, and the landlord must provide the tenant with written notice of the account within 30 days of receiving the deposit. Upon termination of tenancy, the landlord must return the deposit (with accrued interest at 5% per year or the actual rate earned, whichever is less) within 30 days, along with a written itemized statement of any deductions. Failure to comply may subject the landlord to treble damages and attorney fees.

M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B
Rent Increase Notice Periods State Law

How much notice is required for rent increases in Boston?

In Massachusetts, landlords must provide tenants-at-will with at least 30 days' written notice (or one full rental period, whichever is longer) before a rent increase takes effect, under M.G.L. c. 186, § 12. The notice must specify the effective date of the increase. For tenants with a fixed-term lease, rent cannot be increased during the lease term; at renewal, the new rate takes effect per the lease terms. There is no statutory cap on the amount of a rent increase.

M.G.L. c. 186, § 12
Move-Out & Lease Termination Notice State Law

What is the move-out notice requirement in Boston?

Under M.G.L. c. 186, § 12, either a landlord or tenant may terminate a tenancy-at-will by providing written notice of at least 30 days, or one full rental period (whichever is longer), before the termination date. The termination date must correspond to a rent payment date. For tenancies with a rent period of three months or more, three months' notice is required. Fixed-term leases terminate automatically at the end of the lease term; a tenant who remains in possession without the landlord's consent becomes a tenant-at-will. Notice must be in writing and delivered to the other party.

M.G.L. c. 186, § 12

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