Massachusetts security deposit deadline & deductions
You have 30 days — within 30 days of tenancy ending
- Deadline
- 30 days
- Itemized statement
- Required by statute
- Receipts
- No threshold verified
- Statute
- M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B
30 days sits mid-range: 6 of the 26 states verified here are shorter, 6 are longer.
Same deadline as Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Montana and 7 more.
Itemized list of damages, sworn to and supported by receipts, due within 30 days of the tenancy ending.
When the Massachusetts clock runs out
The deadline runs from the end of the tenancy, not from when you get round to inspecting. On Massachusetts's 30-day rule, these are the dates you would be working to:
| Tenant moves out | Statement and refund due by |
|---|---|
| January 31, 2026 | March 2, 2026 |
| April 15, 2026 | May 15, 2026 |
| July 31, 2026 | August 30, 2026 |
| November 30, 2026 | December 30, 2026 |
Does Massachusetts require an itemized statement?
Yes — Massachusetts requires an itemized written statement of any deductions rather than a lump sum, under M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B. Each charge needs to stand on its own: what was damaged, and what it cost to put right.
What you can actually charge for
Massachusetts statute sets the deadline and the paperwork; it does not publish a table of what a worn carpet is worth. The defensible method — charging only the useful life the tenant used up early, and excluding normal wear — is the same in every state, and is explained on the calculator, which builds the itemized statement and puts the Massachusetts deadline on it.
Next: Massachusetts deposit return letter · move-in report · every state’s deadline
Massachusetts rule last checked 2026-07-23 against M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B. General information, not legal advice — confirm the current statute before sending a deduction statement.
Everything else we’ve researched about Massachusetts
Same state, the problems either side of this one. Each carries its own statute and the date we last checked it.
- Massachusetts rent late fees & grace periodWhat may be charged when rent is late, and the notice to send.
- Massachusetts notice to pay rent or quitHow many days' notice before a nonpayment filing, counted on a calendar.
- Massachusetts deposit return law & letterThe landlord's deadline to return a deposit, and the itemized letter.
- Massachusetts deposit demand letterFor the tenant: whether the landlord is late, and by how many days.
- Massachusetts move-in condition reportThe walkthrough record that decides deposit arguments later.
- Massachusetts emergency plan rulesDrill frequency, filings, prescribed forms and retention, cited.