Massachusetts security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Massachusetts. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Massachusetts
- Return timing
- 30 days after termination of occupancy - the deposit or balance must come back with interest (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)).
- Accounting for deductions
- To deduct for damage, the landlord must provide within 30 days an itemized list of damages sworn to under the pains and penalties of perjury, describing the damage and necessary repairs in precise detail (§ 15B(4)(iii)); damage already on the move-in Statement of Condition can't be deducted.
- Deposit interest
- Deposits held 1+ year earn 5% a year or the bank's actual rate; interest is due annually and at return (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B(3)(b)).
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗What starts the return clock?
30 days after termination of occupancy - the deposit or balance must come back with interest (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)).
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
The sworn list must be accompanied by written evidence - estimates, bills, invoices, or receipts - showing the actual or estimated repair cost (§ 15B(4)(iii)); undocumented costs cannot be deducted.
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗What could you recover?
For failing to return the deposit within 30 days, keep it in a separate interest-bearing Massachusetts bank account, or transfer it to a successor owner, the tenant shall be awarded three times the amount due plus 5% interest, court costs, and attorney's fees (§ 15B(7)) - the treble award is mandatory. One of the strongest tenant statutes in the country.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(7), including applicable notice requirements. A multiplier that already includes the deposit should not be added to that deposit again.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $7,000. Filing: $40-$150 by claim size (+$7 eFiling). The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Massachusetts deposit rights
How long does a Massachusetts landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after termination of occupancy - the deposit or balance must come back with interest (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)).
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Massachusetts?
Missing the 30-day sworn itemized list, mishandling the escrow account, or failing to return the balance forfeits the right to retain any portion of the deposit and to counterclaim for damage (§ 15B(6)). Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Massachusetts?
To deduct for damage, the landlord must provide within 30 days an itemized list of damages sworn to under the pains and penalties of perjury, describing the damage and necessary repairs in precise detail (§ 15B(4)(iii)); damage already on the move-in Statement of Condition can't be deducted. The sworn list must be accompanied by written evidence - estimates, bills, invoices, or receipts - showing the actual or estimated repair cost (§ 15B(4)(iii)); undocumented costs cannot be deducted.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗What should I check about deposit interest in Massachusetts?
Deposits held 1+ year earn 5% a year or the bank's actual rate; interest is due annually and at return (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B(3)(b)).
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗