Rent increase limits in Massachusetts
No cap
No statewide cap; your lease and notice rules apply. Unverified — check with your city/state · source
- Written notice
- 30 days
- Local rent control
- State law blocks local rent control
- City caps
- None listed
Default notice for month-to-month (no rent-increase-specific statute found) · M.G.L. c. 186 §12 · checked · source
M.G.L. c. 40P (rent control prohibited; 1994 ballot Question 9) · checked · source
No city with its own cap found in our data
Changing in 2027
No change taking effect on Jan 1, 2027 was found for Massachusetts (research as of ; not an exhaustive review of every new law).
The rules in full
Statewide cap
No statewide cap. Rent control banned statewide since 1994.
Written notice
No rent-increase-specific statute. A landlord raises rent by terminating the tenancy at will with written notice that may include an offer of a new tenancy at the higher rent. Notice = the rental interval (usually one month) or 30 days, whichever is longer (3 months if rent is payable less often than quarterly). No notice change for % of increase.
if the rent reserved is payable at periods of less than three months, the time of such notice shall be sufficient if it is equal to the interval between the days of payment or thirty days, whichever is longer
Local rent control
Chapter 40P 'The Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act' (sections 4 General prohibition; 5 Preemption) listed on the official site; section texts not opened.
Rent Increase Notice Kit
Your notice, ready to send
The free answer is general. The kit is yours: it uses your names, your address, your rents and your state's rules for Massachusetts.
- Your letter, filled in: names, address, old and new rent, ready to print or save as PDF
- Correct notice date for your state: the earliest date the new rent can start
- Cap check: a warning if your new rent is above the limit
- Checklist and reminders: what to do before sending, plus calendar reminders (.ics)
- Source links printed on the page, so you can check every rule
General information, not legal advice. Built in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Common questions
What is the maximum rent increase in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has no statewide cap in our data. Your lease and the notice rules still apply. Unverified — check with your city/state.
How much notice must a landlord give in Massachusetts?
30 days. No rent-increase-specific statute. A landlord raises rent by terminating the tenancy at will with written notice that may include an offer of a new tenancy at the higher rent. Notice = the rental interval (usually one month) or 30 days, whichever is longer (3 months if rent is payable less often than quarterly). No notice change for % of increase.
Can cities in Massachusetts set their own rent caps?
State law blocks local rent control. Chapter 40P 'The Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act' (sections 4 General prohibition; 5 Preemption) listed on the official site; section texts not opened.
Sources and dates for Massachusetts
- Local rent control (state preemption): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleVII/Chapter40P · checked
- Written notice: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section12 · checked
Data checked . Items marked “Unverified — check with your city/state” could not be confirmed on an official page; use the source link and ask your city or state.