Massachusetts · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Massachusetts eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Massachusetts must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

A written 14-day notice to quit.

Notice for unpaid rent: 14 days
Time to respond in court: File and serve your written answer by the first Monday after the Monday 'entry date' on the summons.
Lockouts: Banned

If you get an eviction notice

Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Massachusetts

Notice for unpaid rent: A written 14-day notice to quit. Tenants at will: if you have not received a nonpayment notice in the past 12 months, you can stop the termination by paying all rent due within 10 days after you receive the notice; the notice must tell you this (M.G.L. c. 186, §12). Tenants with a written lease can cure by paying all rent due plus interest and costs by the day the answer is due in court (c. 186, §11). Federally assisted housing may require a 30-day notice.
Notice for a lease violation: No statute sets a specific number of days for lease violations. Under a written lease, the notice depends on the lease terms; a tenancy at will can also be ended without any reason by a notice of one rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer (c. 186, §12). There is no general statutory right to cure a lease violation. Read your notice carefully and get legal help.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Written notice of one full rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer, ending on a rent day; either side (M.G.L. c. 186, §12).
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit: File and serve your written answer by the first Monday after the Monday 'entry date' on the summons. The trial is usually on the second Thursday after the entry date (Uniform Summary Process Rules 2 and 3).
Lockouts and utility shutoffs: Yes. A landlord may not lock you out, remove you by force, cut off utilities it must supply, or interfere with your quiet enjoyment without a court order. Penalties: actual damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees; also a criminal fine of $25-$300 or up to 6 months in jail (M.G.L. c. 186, §14).
Court self-help: The court's eviction self-help page
Law: M.G.L. c. 186, §§11, 12, 14; c. 239; Uniform Summary Process Rules

Eviction notice timeline for Massachusetts

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Where to get free help in Massachusetts

Retaliation in Massachusetts

A landlord may not retaliate for reporting code violations to the board of health or other agency, complaining in writing to the landlord, taking legal action to enforce housing laws, or joining a tenants' union. A termination notice (except for nonpayment), rent increase or substantial change in terms within 6 months after such activity is presumed retaliatory; the landlord must prove otherwise by clear and convincing evidence. Damages: 1 to 3 months' rent or actual damages, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees (M.G.L. c. 186, §18; c. 239, §2A).

Rent increases and rent control in Massachusetts

Notice of a rent increase: no statute setting a specific rent-increase notice. For a tenancy at will, the landlord must end the current tenancy with a proper notice (one rental period or 30 days) to change the rent; during a lease, rent can change only as the lease allows. An increase within 6 months after you complained or asserted rights is presumed retaliatory (c. 186, §18).
Rent control: No. Rent control is banned statewide (M.G.L. c. 40P, since 1994).

Questions about eviction in Massachusetts

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Massachusetts?

A written 14-day notice to quit. Tenants at will: if you have not received a nonpayment notice in the past 12 months, you can stop the termination by paying all rent due within 10 days after you receive the notice; the notice must tell you this (M.G.L. c. 186, §12). Tenants with a written lease can cure by paying all rent due plus interest and costs by the day the answer is due in court (c. 186, §11). Federally assisted housing may require a 30-day notice.

How much notice for a lease violation in Massachusetts?

No statute sets a specific number of days for lease violations. Under a written lease, the notice depends on the lease terms; a tenancy at will can also be ended without any reason by a notice of one rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer (c. 186, §12). There is no general statutory right to cure a lease violation. Read your notice carefully and get legal help.

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Massachusetts?

Written notice of one full rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer, ending on a rent day; either side (M.G.L. c. 186, §12).

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Massachusetts?

File and serve your written answer by the first Monday after the Monday 'entry date' on the summons. The trial is usually on the second Thursday after the entry date (Uniform Summary Process Rules 2 and 3).

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Massachusetts?

Yes. A landlord may not lock you out, remove you by force, cut off utilities it must supply, or interfere with your quiet enjoyment without a court order. Penalties: actual damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees; also a criminal fine of $25-$300 or up to 6 months in jail (M.G.L. c. 186, §14).

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.