Notice to Vacate for Massachusetts landlords
Customizable termination notice with variable notice period Written to MA landlord-tenant law, with the notice period counted for you.
Massachusetts requirement: 30-Day Notice
Massachusetts requires 30-day notice to terminate month-to-month tenancies.
- Pay or quit
- 14 days
- Month-to-month
- 30 days
- Rent increase notice
- 30 days
- Max deposit
- 1 month
- Deposit return
- 30 days
When you need a notice to vacate.
- Ending any type of tenancy
- Flexible notice period needs
- Multiple violation types
- General lease termination
Massachusetts rules that apply here.
Rent control applies in parts of Massachusetts. Where a local ordinance is stricter than state law, the local rule governs.
- 14-day notice for nonpayment
- Strict security deposit rules
- Must pay 5% interest on deposits
Rent control areas
Boston (limited), Cambridge (ended 1994)
What landlords ask about this in Massachusetts.
- What notice period should I use?
- Massachusetts requires 30 days for a month-to-month tenancy. Longer tenancies and local just-cause ordinances can require more. Use the longest period that plausibly applies to your situation.
- Do I need to give a reason?
- Usually not for a month-to-month tenancy under Massachusetts law, unless a local just-cause ordinance applies. Never give a reason that is retaliatory or discriminatory, and never give a false one. A false reason is worse than no reason.
- How should I deliver the notice?
- Personal delivery with a witness is strongest. Certified mail creates a record but delivery can be refused. Many states allow posting plus mailing. Whichever you use, write down the date and method the same day you do it.
- What if the tenant ignores it?
- The notice ends the tenancy; it does not remove the tenant. If they stay past the date, file for eviction. Do not change the locks, remove belongings or cut utilities, however tempting it gets.
This is general information about Massachusetts landlord-tenant law, not legal advice. Local ordinances can be stricter than the state rule, and if a dispute is already underway it is worth an hour of a lawyer’s time.
Related MA forms
This form in other states
The document is the same; the notice period is not. Pick the state the property is in, not the one you live in.
Generate your Massachusetts notice to vacate.
Free, no account, and dated against MA rules. Create an account only when you want the tenant details reused next month and the copies kept.