General info, not legal advice. Details

Massachusetts Deposit return deadline

Last reviewed 2026-10-22

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

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends: return the deposit or balance. Any deduction for damage needs a sworn, itemized list plus estimates, bills, or receipts within the same 30 days, or the right to keep any of it is lost.

Verified Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4) · last checked 2026-10-22

How this works in Massachusetts

Massachusetts gives you 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or balance, together with any interest thereon. Any deduction for damage needs a sworn, itemized list plus estimates, bills, or receipts within the same 30 days, or the right to keep any of it is lost.

Worked example for Massachusetts

Example: A tenancy ends on April 30, 2026. The deposit or balance, together with any interest thereon, is due within 30 days, by May 30, 2026. If you deduct $250 for damage from a $1,000 deposit, you must also send a sworn, itemized list plus estimates, bills, or receipts within the same 30 days. If you do not, the right to keep any of the deposit is lost.

Massachusetts timelines and limits

Return deadlineWithin 30 days after the tenancy ends: the deposit or balance, together with any interest thereon
To deduct for damageA sworn, itemized list plus estimates, bills, or receipts within the same 30 days
If that list and documents are not sentThe right to keep any of the deposit is lost

Massachusetts FAQ

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

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, together with any interest thereon, under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4).

What do I need in order to deduct for damage?

A sworn, itemized list plus estimates, bills, or receipts, within the same 30 days.

What if I miss that 30-day list?

The right to keep any of the deposit is lost.

Sources for this section: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4) (checked 2026-10-22)

This is general information, not legal advice. The verified rule and official sources above control. Check the source or a local attorney for your situation.

Related Massachusetts rules

Security deposit limit

A security deposit of no more than the first month's rent. A landlord may also collect first and last month's rent and the cost of a new lock and key.

Verified Source: M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Massachusetts security deposit limit page

Interest on deposits

Deposits must be held in a separate, interest-bearing Massachusetts bank account, with a receipt (bank, amount and account number) within 30 days. A landlord who holds a deposit for a year or more owes 5% a year, or the lesser rate the bank actually paid, payable each year. Last month's rent also earns interest.

Verified Source: M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(3)(a)–(b), (2)(b) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Massachusetts interest on deposits page

Move-in/move-out checklist

A landlord who takes a security deposit must provide a separate written statement of the unit's present condition, listing existing damage, on receipt of the deposit or within 10 days after the tenancy starts, whichever is later. It must carry the statutory bold-type notice.

Verified Source: M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(2)(c) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Massachusetts move-in/move-out checklist page

Abandoned property

When an officer carrying out an eviction removes the tenant's belongings, they must be stored with a licensed public warehouse for the owner, or with a storage facility the tenant chooses in writing. Code text: "he shall forthwith cause it to be stored for the benefit of the owners thereof."

Verified Source: M.G.L. c. 239, Section 4 · last checked 2026-10-16 · Full Massachusetts abandoned property page

Same topic in neighboring states

All Massachusetts landlord-tenant law · Massachusetts landlord FAQ · Security deposit limit · Notice to enter · Required lease disclosures · Required disclosures (mold, lead, radon, bedbug, asbestos, flood zone) · Move-in checklist

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