Massachusetts Eviction Laws
Massachusetts rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: 14 days' written notice to quit. For tenants at will: a tenant who has not received a similar notice in the previous 12 months can cure by paying the full rent due within 10 days after receiving the notice, and the notice must state this right. G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 12, 31
The rules in Massachusetts
| Notice for unpaid rent | 14 days' written notice to quit. For tenants at will: a tenant who has not received a similar notice in the previous 12 months can cure by paying the full rent due within 10 days after receiving the notice, and the notice must state this right. For tenants with a lease: the tenant can cure by paying all rent due, plus interest and costs, on or before the day the answer is due in the eviction case. Lease cure right: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section11. Under § 31 (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section31), a nonpayment notice to quit must be accompanied by an EOHLC form with rental-assistance information (including RAFT) that states 'THIS NOTICE TO QUIT IS NOT AN EVICTION.' The court may not accept a nonpayment complaint for filing without proof the form was delivered. If the tenant's tenancy at will notice omits the cure statement, the cure deadline extends to the answer date. The mass.gov tenant guide says tenants in federally assisted housing may get a 30-day notice for nonpayment. Source: G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 12, 31 |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | No single statutory period. Tenancy at will: the landlord generally ends it with a written notice to quit of at least 30 days (or one rental period, if longer) that expires at the end of a rental period, stating the lease violation as the reason. Unexpired lease: the lease itself controls the grounds for termination and the notice required. The court page says that if a landlord is evicting for a lease violation or nonpayment, the notice to quit must state that reason. The EOHLC tenants' guide describes a '30-day notice to quit' for lease violations and other reasons: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/tenants-guide-to-eviction. No statute was found setting a cure period for lease violations. G.L. c. 139, § 19 allows an expedited process where illegal drugs are found in a unit (per the same court page). |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Illegal. A landlord who willfully fails to provide required utilities or services (heat, hot water, water, light, power, gas, elevator); interferes with them; shifts utility costs to the tenant without consent; interferes with quiet enjoyment; or tries to regain possession by force without court process faces: a criminal fine of $25-$300 or up to 6 months' imprisonment; and civil liability for actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees. A tenant removed or excluded without a valid court order may get back into the unit or end the lease, and may recover 3 months' rent or 3x actual damages, plus costs and attorney's fees. Wrongful ouster remedy: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section15F. Lease waivers of these protections are void. Source: G.L. c. 186, §§ 14, 15F |
How an eviction case works in Massachusetts
Eviction cases are heard in: Housing Court (6 divisions: Central, Eastern, Metro South, Northeast, Southeast, Western, which together cover every city and town under G.L. c. 185C, § 1) or District Court / Boston Municipal Court; any party may transfer a pending eviction to the Housing Court before trial..
- Notice to quit: 14 days for nonpayment, which must be accompanied by the EOHLC rental-assistance form (G.L. c. 186, § 31); otherwise generally 30 days or one rental period for a tenancy at will, or as the lease provides.
- After the notice expires, the landlord buys a Summary Process Summons and Complaint and has a sheriff or constable serve it on the tenant 7 to 30 days before the chosen Monday entry day.
- The landlord files (enters) the case by close of business on the Monday entry day, with the served summons and complaint, the notice to quit, and the fee.
- The tenant files an Answer (defenses, counterclaims, discovery requests) by the first Monday after the entry day. The trial is listed for the second Thursday after entry (or another designated day). Housing Court cases usually start with mediation.
- Judgment by agreement, bench trial, or jury trial. Nonpayment cases are continued and stayed while a tenant with financial hardship has a pending emergency rental assistance (RAFT) application (G.L. c. 239, § 15).
- Execution issues after the 10-day appeal period. The court may grant a stay of up to 6 months (up to 1 year for elderly or disabled tenants) in qualifying cases. The landlord has 3 months to use the execution.
- A sheriff or constable gives at least 2 days' written notice (excluding weekends and holidays), then removes the tenant on a weekday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Belongings go to a licensed storage facility.
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Massachusetts — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Middlesex County (Cambridge / Lowell)
- Suffolk County (Boston)
- Worcester County (Worcester)
- Essex County (Lynn / Lawrence)
- Norfolk County (Quincy)
- Bristol County (New Bedford / Fall River)
- Hampden County (Springfield)
- Plymouth County (Brockton, Plymouth)
- Barnstable County
- Hampshire County
- Berkshire County (Pittsfield)
Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- Can a landlord evict you without going to court, change the locks or shut off utilities?
- How long does an eviction take?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction?
Massachusetts vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 14 days' written notice to quit. For tenants at will: a tenant who has not received a similar notice in the previous 12 months can cure by paying the full rent due within 10 days after receiving the notice, and the notice must state this right. For tenants with a lease: the tenant can cure by paying all rent due, plus interest and costs, on or before the day the answer is due in the eviction case. G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 12, 31 | No single statutory period. Tenancy at will: the landlord generally ends it with a written notice to quit of at least 30 days (or one rental period, if longer) that expires at the end of a rental period, stating the lease violation as the reason. Unexpired lease: the lease itself controls the grounds for termination and the notice required. G.L. c. 186, § 12; Massachusetts Court System guidance | Illegal. A landlord who willfully fails to provide required utilities or services (heat, hot water, water, light, power, gas, elevator); interferes with them; shifts utility costs to the tenant without consent; interferes with quiet enjoyment; or tries to regain possession by force without court process faces: a criminal fine of $25-$300 or up to 6 months' imprisonment; and civil liability for actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees. A tenant removed or excluded without a valid court order may get back into the unit or end the lease, and may recover 3 months' rent or 3x actual damages, plus costs and attorney's fees. G.L. c. 186, §§ 14, 15F |
| Connecticut | Rent is not 'unpaid' for eviction purposes until a 9-day grace period passes (4 days for week-to-week). Landlord then serves a written Notice to Quit giving at least 3 days before the quit date. From Jan. 1, 2026, the grace period is extended 5 more days if the landlord's online payment system prevented on-time payment. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-15a(a), 47a-23 | Written notice specifying the breach and terminating the lease on a date at least 15 days after receipt; if the breach can be fixed by repair or paying damages and the tenant does so within 15 days, the lease does not terminate. A repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months allows termination without another cure chance. No cure notice is required for nonpayment, serious nuisance, or a § 47a-11(h) violation. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15 | Self-help eviction is illegal. Civil: 'entry and detainer' complaint to a Superior Court judge for being ousted, held out, or having property removed or detained; double damages plus costs. Criminal: landlord who, without a court order, deprives a tenant of access to the unit or possessions commits criminal lockout, a class C misdemeanor. Loss of landlord-supplied essential services is remedied under § 47a-13. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-43, 47a-46, 53a-214, 47a-13 |
| New Hampshire | 7-day written eviction notice (plus a demand for rent), stating the reason with specificity and telling the tenant of the right to avoid eviction by paying arrears. RSA 540:3, II-IV; RSA 540:2, II(a); RSA 540:5 | 30-day written eviction notice for breach of a material lease term or other good cause; 7 days for substantial damage to the premises, conduct affecting health or safety, or (in certain domestic-violence cases) a remaining cotenant accused of abuse. RSA 540:3, II; RSA 540:2, II-III | Prohibited. Landlord may not willfully interrupt or terminate any utility (even one it doesn't control), except temporarily for repairs or emergencies, and may not lock out or deny access to the tenant or the tenant's property except by judicial process. RSA 540-A:3, I-III; RSA 540-A:4; RSA 358-A:10 |
| New York | 14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; failure is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment case. N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2); N.Y. RPL § 235-e(d) | No general statewide statutory cure-notice period (lease terms govern). Where Good Cause Eviction applies, the tenant must be given written notice and 10 days to cure a substantial lease violation before eviction on that ground. In any lease-breach eviction case, the court must grant a 30-day stay of the warrant during which the tenant may cure. N.Y. RPL § 216 (Good Cause); N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4) | Self-help eviction is illegal: no force/threats, cutting off essential services, removing belongings or the door, or changing/disabling locks to remove an occupant who has lived there 30+ days or has a lease. Owner must restore the occupant. Penalties: class A misdemeanor; civil penalty of $1,000-$10,000 per violation plus up to $100/day (max 6 months) for failing to restore. N.Y. RPAPL § 768; RPL § 235 (willful failure to furnish water, heat, light, power, etc.) |
| Rhode Island | Once rent is 15 days in arrears, landlord may mail a written demand; tenant has 5 days from mailing to pay or the rental agreement terminates. Landlord may file no earlier than the 6th day after mailing. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 | Written notice identifying the breach and the remedy, giving 20 days from mailing to cure and a termination date at least 21 days after mailing. Repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months: at least 20 days' notice with no right to cure. No notice needed for violations of § 34-18-24(8)-(10). R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36 | Self-help eviction prohibited, including cutting heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas or other essential services. Tenant may recover possession or terminate, and recover the greater of up to 3 months' periodic rent or three times actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-44, 34-18-34 |
| Vermont | Written notice of termination at least 14 days after actual notice. The tenancy does not terminate if the tenant pays or tenders all rent due through the end of the rental period in which payment is made. 9 V.S.A. 4467(a) | Breach of the rental agreement or tenant obligations: at least 30 days' notice. Criminal activity, illegal drug activity, or acts of violence threatening other residents' health or safety: at least 14 days' notice. 9 V.S.A. 4467(b) | Landlord may not willfully interrupt or terminate a tenant's utility service (except for temporary emergency repairs), or deny access to the premises or the tenant's property, except by proper judicial process. Tenant may sue for injunctive relief, damages, costs and reasonable attorney's fees. 9 V.S.A. 4463; 4464 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Massachusetts rental law
- Massachusetts Security Deposit Law
- Massachusetts Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Massachusetts Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Massachusetts
- Squatters' Rights in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Rental Fee Rules
- Massachusetts Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Massachusetts Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Massachusetts Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Massachusetts Landlord Selling the House
- Massachusetts Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Massachusetts Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Massachusetts landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Massachusetts
Compare eviction in all 50 states and DC →
Massachusetts Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Massachusetts?
14 days' written notice to quit. For tenants at will: a tenant who has not received a similar notice in the previous 12 months can cure by paying the full rent due within 10 days after receiving the notice, and the notice must state this right. For tenants with a lease: the tenant can cure by paying all rent due, plus interest and costs, on or before the day the answer is due in the eviction case. (G.L. c. 186, §§ 11, 12, 31)
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Massachusetts?
No single statutory period. Tenancy at will: the landlord generally ends it with a written notice to quit of at least 30 days (or one rental period, if longer) that expires at the end of a rental period, stating the lease violation as the reason. Unexpired lease: the lease itself controls the grounds for termination and the notice required. (G.L. c. 186, § 12; Massachusetts Court System guidance)
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Massachusetts?
Illegal. A landlord who willfully fails to provide required utilities or services (heat, hot water, water, light, power, gas, elevator); interferes with them; shifts utility costs to the tenant without consent; interferes with quiet enjoyment; or tries to regain possession by force without court process faces: a criminal fine of $25-$300 or up to 6 months' imprisonment; and civil liability for actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus costs and attorney's fees. A tenant removed or excluded without a valid court order may get back into the unit or end the lease, and may recover 3 months' rent or 3x actual damages, plus costs and attorney's fees. (G.L. c. 186, §§ 14, 15F)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.