Massachusetts Security Deposit Return: The 30-Day Deadline (2026)

How long a landlord has to return your deposit, and what you can claim if they miss it

At a glance

Return deadline: 30 days after vacating
Measured from: the termination of occupancy (tenancy-at-will) or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease
Penalty for late or wrongful withholding: 3x (only after a court finds bad faith)
Deposit cap: One month's rent (the first full month) — § 15B(1)(b). A landlord may also collect first and last month's rent and the lock/key installation cost, but the security deposit itself cannot exceed one month's rent.
Small claims cap: $7,000

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers residential security deposits in Massachusetts, where a landlord has kept some or all of a deposit after a tenancy ends.

It does not cover:

Commercial leases
Deposits held in an escrow account or with a third party
Disputes about damage charges in an ongoing (not ended) tenancy
Any state other than Massachusetts

Lease terms and local ordinances can change what applies. Where a city has its own deposit rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

30days

Measured from the termination of occupancy (tenancy-at-will) or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease.

Return the deposit or balance within 30 days, with a sworn itemized list of any deductions. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent/water, unpaid real-estate tax increases, and reasonable repair of tenant-caused damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.

Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(4) ↗

Penalties

A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 3x the full deposit.

Massachusetts awards three times the amount of the security deposit (the full deposit, not just the wrongfully withheld portion), plus 5% interest from the date payment became due, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. This is triggered by the landlord's failure to comply with the deposit-handling, statement-of-condition, or return requirements — one of the harshest deposit penalties in the country. The basis is the FULL deposit.
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(7) ↗
The tenant may recover the landlord's attorney fees.

Reasonable attorney fees and court costs accompany the treble-damages recovery under § 15B(7), triggered by the same noncompliance.
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(7) ↗
No statutory penalty beyond returning the deposit.

Separately, failing to hold the deposit in a compliant interest-bearing account (§ 15B(3)(a)) entitles the tenant to the IMMEDIATE return of the deposit — a forfeiture distinct from the 3x remedy. And failing to provide the statement of condition (§ 15B(2)) forfeits the landlord's right to withhold for damages.
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(3)(a), (2) ↗

Working out your own deadline

The clock does not start on the day you decided to leave. In Massachusetts it starts the termination of occupancy (tenancy-at-will) or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease — for most leases that is the date you hand back the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Find the date you vacated and returned the keys. Write it down; everything else depends on it.
Add 30 calendar days. Count calendar days, not business days.
If the landlord has provided a forwarding address, check the statute for whether the deadline is shortened — in some states it is.
Note the date the deadline falls on. If the deposit has not arrived by then, the clock for the penalty starts running.

Common landlord defences and how to answer them

““Cleaning and damage $500.””

Massachusetts requires a sworn itemized list of deductions within 30 days, and you may deduct only for damage beyond reasonable wear and tear. If you never gave me a statement of condition at move-in, you have forfeited the right to withhold for damages at all.

Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(2), (4)

““I did not have to pay interest.””

The deposit must be held in a separate interest-bearing Massachusetts account, and you owe 5% annual interest (or the bank's lower rate). Failing to hold the deposit correctly or pay interest is itself a § 15B violation supporting treble damages.

Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(3)(a), (3)(b)

““You moved out, so the deposit is mine to keep.””

The deposit remains the tenant's property. You had 30 days to return it with a sworn itemized list. Failure triggers three times the deposit amount, plus 5% interest, court costs, and attorney fees.

Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(4), (7)

Sources and how to verify them

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

Statute	Last verified	Source
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(4)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(7)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(3)(a), (2)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(2), (4)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(3)(b)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(2)	2026-10-15	official text ↗

Primary reference: Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B. Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:

You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
The amount in dispute exceeds $7,000
Your landlord has filed anything in court already

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 Rules

→ All Massachusetts tenant rights topics

Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Massachusetts?

30 days, counted from the termination of occupancy (tenancy-at-will) or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease. Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(4).

Can I claim more than my deposit back in Massachusetts?

A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 3x the full deposit. Mass. Gen. Laws c.186 § 15B(7)

Does the 30-day deadline in Massachusetts start when I give notice or when I move out?

It runs from the termination of occupancy (tenancy-at-will) or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease — the date you vacated and returned the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Do I need a lawyer to file a deposit claim in Massachusetts?

No — Massachusetts small claims are heard in the District Court or Boston Municipal Court small claims division, handling claims up to $7,000. Attorney representation is generally not permitted in small claims.