Massachusetts Eviction Notice
Create a proper Massachusetts eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.
Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
What happens after the notice in Massachusetts
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Massachusetts’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Massachusetts an eviction lawsuit is a(n) Summary process action. — M.G.L. c. 239 (Summary Process for Possession of Land); Mass.gov court forms page ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the Housing Court (also District Court or Boston Municipal Court). — Mass.gov – Court forms for eviction (Massachusetts Court System) ↗
- Filing fee. $135.00 entry of action in Housing Court ($120.00 plus $15.00 surcharge), M.G.L. c. 185C, §19. — Mass.gov – Housing Court filing fees (M.G.L. c. 185C, §19) ↗
- No self-help. M.G.L. c. 186, § 14: landlord who willfully fails to furnish utilities/services or attempts to regain possession by force without judicial process is punishable by fine ($25–$300) or up to six months imprisonment, plus damages of three months' rent or actual damages. — M.G.L. c. 186, § 14 (2025 ed.) ↗
Each point links to the Massachusetts source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Massachusetts notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 14 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- Often unconditional
- End month-to-month
- 30 days
Source: M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 11A, 12 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.
Live preview · updates as you type
Notice to Pay or Quit / Vacate
State of Massachusetts
Date: __________. To: __________ ("Tenant"), and all occupants of __________ (the "Premises").
You are hereby notified that you are in violation of your tenancy for the following reason: __________ . Amount due, if applicable: $______.
You are required, within ____ days as required by Massachusetts law, on or before__________, to cure the violation (or pay the amount due) OR to vacate and surrender the Premises. If you fail to do so, the landlord may begin eviction proceedings in court.
This notice is given under the landlord-tenant laws of the State of Massachusetts. Nothing here waives the landlord’s rights.
Generated with SealFormsReflects Massachusetts law · verified 2026
Types of eviction notice
- Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
- Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
- Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.
Massachusetts notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Massachusetts law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Massachusetts eviction rules before serving.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 14 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 11A, 12. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.
Is an eviction notice the same as eviction?
No. The notice is the required first step — it gives the tenant a chance to pay, fix the problem, or move out by a deadline. If they don’t, you then file an eviction (unlawful detainer) case in court. You cannot lock out or remove a tenant yourself; only a court and law enforcement can carry out an eviction.
How do I serve the notice in Massachusetts?
States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Massachusetts’s method carefully.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Massachusetts.
Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Massachusetts?
If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the Housing Court (also District Court or Boston Municipal Court) (the case is called a(n) Summary process action). Source: Mass.gov – Court forms for eviction (Massachusetts Court System).
What does it cost to file an eviction in Massachusetts?
$135.00 entry of action in Housing Court ($120.00 plus $15.00 surcharge), M.G.L. c. 185C, §19. Source: Mass.gov – Housing Court filing fees (M.G.L. c. 185C, §19).
How does Massachusetts compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.
How Massachusetts compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Massachusetts: M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 11A, 12 ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 14 days — about 3× the national median of 5 days across the 47 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 6 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Connecticut (3 days), New Hampshire (7 days), New York (14 days), Rhode Island (5 days), Vermont (14 days).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Massachusetts sets no statutory cure period for lease violations; check the lease and local court rules before serving.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Connecticut (15 days), New Hampshire (30 days), New York (no statutory rule), Rhode Island (20 days), Vermont (30 days).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 36 other states.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Connecticut (3 days), New Hampshire (30 days), New York (30 days), Rhode Island (30 days), Vermont (60 days).
Eviction notice in other states
More Massachusetts legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →