Massachusetts Rent Increase Rules: Caps, Notice Periods & Limits (2026)

How much a landlord can raise rent, and what notice they must give

At a glance

• Rent cap: 马萨诸塞无州级租金上限；1994 Ballot Question 9 全州废除地方租金管制，Chapter 40P 禁止市镇制定租金管制。
• Statewide notice law: Yes — see the notice rules below
• Governing statute: M.G.L. c. 40P

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers rent increases in Massachusetts for a residential tenancy — whether there is a cap, and what notice a landlord must give.

It does not cover commercial leases, subsidised housing (which follows federal rules), or any city whose local ordinance differs from the state rule.

Is there a rent cap?

马萨诸塞无州级租金上限；1994 Ballot Question 9 全州废除地方租金管制，Chapter 40P 禁止市镇制定租金管制。

1994 年公投废除所有地方租金管制；c.40P（Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act）继续禁止市镇管制租金。截至 2026 无任何市镇制定新租金管制。

M.G.L. c. 40P ↗

Notice a landlord must give

Local rules that override the state rule

马萨诸塞禁止地方租金管制（c.40P）；无市镇可设定租金上限。

M.G.L. c. 40P ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
M.G.L. c. 40P	2026-10-16	official text ↗
M.G.L. c. 186, § 12	2026-10-16	official text ↗
M.G.L. c. 186, § 12 (contract principle)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
M.G.L. c. 186, § 18	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Massachusetts guides

Massachusetts Security Deposit Return · Massachusetts Security Deposit Rules · Massachusetts Eviction Process · Massachusetts Repairs & Habitability · Massachusetts Landlord Retaliation

→ All Massachusetts tenant rights topics

Common questions