Massachusetts · Security deposits · Updated Oct 2026

Massachusetts security deposit law

How much a landlord in Massachusetts can charge, the deadline to return a deposit, what may be deducted, the penalty for keeping it wrongly and how to get yours back.

Short answer

In Massachusetts, the deposit limit is: one month's rent. The landlord must return it as follows: Within 30 days after your tenancy ends (end of a tenancy at will, or the end date of a written lease), the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance after allowed deductions, plus interest.

deposit limit
1 month's rent
to return a deposit
30 days
deposit penalty
Up to 3×

Security deposit in Massachusetts

Limit
one month's rent. At the start of a tenancy the landlord may collect only: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit up to one month's rent, and the cost of a new lock and key.
Deadline to return it
Within 30 days after your tenancy ends (end of a tenancy at will, or the end date of a written lease), the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance after allowed deductions, plus interest.
Itemized list
Yes, for damage deductions. Within the same 30 days the landlord must give you an itemized list of damages, signed under pains and penalties of perjury, describing the damage and repairs in precise detail, with written evidence of cost (estimates, bills, invoices or receipts). Damage listed on the move-in statement of condition cannot be deducted.
What may be deducted
Only: unpaid rent or water charges not lawfully withheld; unpaid real estate tax increases under a valid tax escalation clause; and reasonable cost of repairing damage caused by you or your guests, beyond reasonable wear and tear. No other deductions are allowed.
Interest
Yes. If the landlord holds the deposit for a year or more: 5% a year or the lower rate the bank actually paid, paid each year (or you may deduct it from rent if not paid within 30 days after the anniversary). Interest is also owed on prepaid last month's rent at 5% or the bank rate.
Separate account
Yes. A separate interest-bearing account in a Massachusetts bank, protected from the landlord's creditors. Within 30 days you must get a receipt naming the bank, its location, the amount and account number. If not, you are entitled to the immediate return of the deposit.
Move-in checklist
Yes. Within 10 days after the tenancy starts or the deposit is paid (whichever is later), the landlord must give you a signed statement of the condition of the unit. You have 15 days to sign it or attach your own signed list of damage.
If the landlord keeps it wrongly
Three times the deposit (or the balance owed) plus 5% interest, court costs and reasonable attorney's fees if the landlord did not keep the deposit in a proper account, used a lease clause that conflicts with the law, or failed to return what was owed within 30 days. A landlord who misses the itemized list deadline loses the right to keep any part of the deposit for damage. Unpaid interest: three times the interest owed.
Law
M.G.L. c. 186, §15B

Get your deposit back, step by step

  1. Before you move out, clean, take dated photos and video of every room, and return all keys.
  2. Give your landlord your new address in writing. In Massachusetts: the rule above says where the landlord sends the deposit.
  3. Wait for the deadline: Within 30 days after your tenancy ends (end of a tenancy at will, or the end date of a written lease), the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance after allowed deductions, plus interest.
  4. If the money or an itemized list doesn't come, or the deductions are wrong, send a demand letter (below). Keep proof of mailing.
  5. If that doesn't work, sue in small claims court. Limit: $7,000; extra damages allowed by law (such as treble deposit damages) can push an award above $7,000. Small claims court in Massachusetts on Small Claims Map

Deposit return calculator for Massachusetts

Find your state's deadline for returning a security deposit, whether your landlord is late and what you may be owed. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Enter your deposit and move-out dateThe result appears as you type.

An estimate from the dates you enter and the rule in our data, not legal advice. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business days, and we don't skip holidays.

Security deposit demand letter for Massachusetts

A short, firm and polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit by a date. It cites your state's deposit law. Many landlords pay at this step, and the letter is proof that you asked. Fill this in, download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt.

Your letter is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

We suggest 14 days.

One or two sentences. This text goes into the letter as written.

Small claims court in Massachusetts

Deposit disputes usually go to small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer. Limit: $7,000; extra damages allowed by law (such as treble deposit damages) can push an award above $7,000.

How to file in Massachusetts

Questions about security deposits in Massachusetts

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Massachusetts?

one month's rent. At the start of a tenancy the landlord may collect only: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit up to one month's rent, and the cost of a new lock and key.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Massachusetts?

Within 30 days after your tenancy ends (end of a tenancy at will, or the end date of a written lease), the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance after allowed deductions, plus interest.

What can I do if my landlord won't return my deposit in Massachusetts?

Three times the deposit (or the balance owed) plus 5% interest, court costs and reasonable attorney's fees if the landlord did not keep the deposit in a proper account, used a lease clause that conflicts with the law, or failed to return what was owed within 30 days. A landlord who misses the itemized list deadline loses the right to keep any part of the deposit for damage. Unpaid interest: three times the interest owed.

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Massachusetts?

Only: unpaid rent or water charges not lawfully withheld; unpaid real estate tax increases under a valid tax escalation clause; and reasonable cost of repairing damage caused by you or your guests, beyond reasonable wear and tear. No other deductions are allowed.

Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Massachusetts?

Yes. If the landlord holds the deposit for a year or more: 5% a year or the lower rate the bank actually paid, paid each year (or you may deduct it from rent if not paid within 30 days after the anniversary). Interest is also owed on prepaid last month's rent at 5% or the bank rate.

What is the small claims limit in Massachusetts?

$7,000; extra damages allowed by law (such as treble deposit damages) can push an award above $7,000.

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.