Massachusetts Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
Massachusetts rules on rent increases & late fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: Banned statewide by state law, and the ban is still in force. 'No city or town may enact, maintain or enforce rent control of any kind,' except a narrow program in a municipality that accepts c. 40P. G.L. c. 40P, §§ 3-4; Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2026 State Election Ballot Questions; Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893
The rules in Massachusetts
| Rent control / increase limits | Banned statewide by state law, and the ban is still in force. 'No city or town may enact, maintain or enforce rent control of any kind,' except a narrow program in a municipality that accepts c. 40P. Owner compliance with that program must be voluntary after 6 months, it cannot cover owners of fewer than 10 units or units with a fair market rent above $400, and the town must pay owners the difference from general funds. There is no statewide cap on rent increases. Rent control is NOT on the November 3, 2026 state ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth lists nine binding statewide questions (Questions 1-8 are initiative laws and Question 9 is a referendum on the 2024 firearms law), and none of them deals with rent control or rent stabilization. The rent-control initiative (Initiative Petition 25-21, 'An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases') was challenged at the Supreme Judicial Court in Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893. Definition and exclusions (public, subsidized, and federally assisted housing, and mobile homes): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleVII/Chapter40P/Section3. Ballot list (loaded 2026-10-22): https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/2026-ballot-questions.htm. Information for Voters page (it confirms nine statewide questions): https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/information-for-voters-2026.htm. SJC case listing (docket SJC-13893, which asks whether the AG properly certified Initiative Petition 25-21): https://www.mass.gov/info-details/amicus-announcements-from-september-2025-to-august-2026. Its holding, reported as barring the petition under art. 48 because the petition's exemption for religious facilities relates to religion, is therefore not independently verified here. |
|---|---|
| Late fees | No interest or penalty for late rent may be charged until rent is 30 days overdue. There is no statutory dollar or percentage cap. The AG guide lists a lease clause 'requiring the tenant to pay a late fee if a rent payment is less than 30 days late' as an illegal term. AG fee regulations (unfair and deceptive fees) may also apply. No statutory amount cap was found. Source: G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c) |
Free calculators
- Late Fee Checker — Check a late fee against your state's cap and grace period.
- Rent Increase Calculator — In states with a statewide rent cap, see the most your rent can go up this year.
Related questions
- Can a landlord raise the rent in the middle of a lease?
- How much can a landlord charge for a late fee?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent?
- Can a landlord evict you for no reason?
Massachusetts vs. neighboring states
| State | Rent control / increase limits | Late fees |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | Banned statewide by state law, and the ban is still in force. 'No city or town may enact, maintain or enforce rent control of any kind,' except a narrow program in a municipality that accepts c. 40P. Owner compliance with that program must be voluntary after 6 months, it cannot cover owners of fewer than 10 units or units with a fair market rent above $400, and the town must pay owners the difference from general funds. There is no statewide cap on rent increases. Rent control is NOT on the November 3, 2026 state ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth lists nine binding statewide questions (Questions 1-8 are initiative laws and Question 9 is a referendum on the 2024 firearms law), and none of them deals with rent control or rent stabilization. The rent-control initiative (Initiative Petition 25-21, 'An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases') was challenged at the Supreme Judicial Court in Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893. G.L. c. 40P, §§ 3-4; Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2026 State Election Ballot Questions; Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893 | No interest or penalty for late rent may be charged until rent is 30 days overdue. There is no statutory dollar or percentage cap. G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c) |
| Connecticut | No statewide rent control or rent cap. Towns may create Fair Rent Commissions, which can rule that a rent or increase is excessive. P.A. 22-30 required specified larger towns to have a commission by July 1, 2023. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 7-148b to 7-148f; P.A. 22-30 (as summarized in Judicial Branch JDP-HM-31) | No late fee until the 9-day grace period expires (4 days for weekly). Late charge must be in a written agreement and may not exceed the lesser of (1) $5 per day up to $50, or (2) 5% of the delinquent payment (5% of the tenant's share if rent is partly paid by a government or charity). Only one late charge per delinquent payment. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-15a(b), 47a-4(a)(8)-(9) |
| New Hampshire | No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap in RSA ch. 540. On restricted property, a tenant's refusal of a rent increase is good cause for eviction only if the landlord gave at least 30 days' written notice of the amount and effective date. Local rent control: no statute expressly preempts it, but none authorizes it either. The general bylaw and ordinance powers of towns (RSA 31:39) and cities (RSA 47:17) list specific subjects and do not include regulating rents, so no New Hampshire city or town has clear authority to adopt rent control. RSA 540:2, IV; RSA 31:39; RSA 47:17 | No statutory cap or grace period found. RSA ch. 540 (no late-fee section) |
| New York | Local rent control/stabilization allowed. Rent stabilization covers many NYC buildings and other localities that declare a housing emergency (allowed statewide since June 15, 2019). Good Cause Eviction Law (RPL Art. 6-A, 2024) applies automatically in NYC and in localities that opt in: rent increases above the 'local rent standard' (5% + regional CPI, capped at 10%) are presumed unreasonable and eviction/non-renewal requires good cause. N.Y. RPL §§ 211, 212, 213, 214, 216 | Rent is not late until more than 5 days after the due date. Late fee capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. N.Y. RPL § 238-a(2) |
| Rhode Island | No statewide rent control or cap on the amount of rent increases; only notice requirements (60 days; 120 days for month-to-month tenants over 62). R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1 | No statutory cap or grace period. None in Chapter 34-18 |
| Vermont | No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap. Landlord must give at least 60 days' actual notice of a rent increase, effective the first day of the next rental period. Local rent control: no state statute expressly preempts or authorizes it, and the city charters of Burlington, Montpelier and Winooski do not authorize rent control. Burlington's charter lets the City Council, by ordinance, require at least 90 days' written notice of a rent increase, and (where there is no written lease) at least 90 days' notice of a no-cause termination for tenancies under two years and 120 days for longer ones, but it does not allow limits on the amount of rent. 9 V.S.A. 4455(b); 24 App. V.S.A. ch. 3, § 48(64)-(65) (Burlington charter) | No statutory cap or grace period. 9 V.S.A. ch. 137 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Massachusetts rental law
- Massachusetts Security Deposit Law
- Massachusetts Eviction Laws
- Massachusetts Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- 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 rent increases & late fees in all 50 states and DC →
Massachusetts Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws FAQ
Is there rent control or a limit on rent increases in Massachusetts?
Banned statewide by state law, and the ban is still in force. 'No city or town may enact, maintain or enforce rent control of any kind,' except a narrow program in a municipality that accepts c. 40P. Owner compliance with that program must be voluntary after 6 months, it cannot cover owners of fewer than 10 units or units with a fair market rent above $400, and the town must pay owners the difference from general funds. There is no statewide cap on rent increases. Rent control is NOT on the November 3, 2026 state ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth lists nine binding statewide questions (Questions 1-8 are initiative laws and Question 9 is a referendum on the 2024 firearms law), and none of them deals with rent control or rent stabilization. The rent-control initiative (Initiative Petition 25-21, 'An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases') was challenged at the Supreme Judicial Court in Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893. (G.L. c. 40P, §§ 3-4; Secretary of the Commonwealth, 2026 State Election Ballot Questions; Cella v. Attorney General, SJC-13893)
Is there a limit on late fees in Massachusetts?
No interest or penalty for late rent may be charged until rent is 30 days overdue. There is no statutory dollar or percentage cap. (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c))
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.