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 Rapi Stack · 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) ↗
- Official guidance. Massachusetts publishes its own instructions for the court step; read them before filing. — Mass.gov – Court forms for eviction ↗
- 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.
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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.
If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a Massachusetts demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Massachusetts small claims court, where the limit is $7,000.
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.
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).
The rest of what Massachusetts requires
The figures below are Massachusetts's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Massachusetts page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- 1 month's rent Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 §15B ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 30 days after move-out Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 §15B ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 §15B ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $7,000 Mass. Gen. Laws c. 218 § 21; Uniform Small Claims Rules ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Small Claims sessions of the District Court, Boston Municipal Court, and Housing Court · filing fee Tiered with surcharge: $40 (claims to $500), $45 ($501-$2,000), $50 ($2,001-$5,000), $150 ($5,001-$7,000) — mass.gov confirms the $40-$150 range. Mass. Gen. Laws c. 218 § 21; Uniform Small Claims Rules ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- Application fees are prohibited Massachusetts AG advisory ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Massachusetts RMV / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B §5-501/§5-502 ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules M.G.L. ch. 156C, § 2(9) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- Registry of Deeds (county/district; registered (Torrens) land goes through the Land Court registry districts) · no witnesses G.L. c. 183, § 29 ↗
Eviction notice in other states
More Massachusetts legal forms
- Massachusetts Bill of Sale
- Massachusetts Residential Lease Agreement
- Massachusetts Power of Attorney
- Massachusetts Rental Application
- Massachusetts Small Claims Guide
- Massachusetts Demand Letter
- Massachusetts Security Deposit Demand Letter
- Massachusetts Quitclaim Deed
- Massachusetts LLC Operating Agreement
Different state? See eviction notices by state →