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Late rent · checked October 21, 2026

Rent late fee law in Massachusetts

Limit: no amount set in the section read. Timing: no interest or penalty until 30 days after rent is due. Rule: M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c).

Check a fee All states

1234
  1. 1CapNo amount set
  2. 2Wait30 days
  3. 3On $1,500 rentNo figure
  4. 4StatuteM.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c)

The rule in Massachusetts

The section read for Massachusetts (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c)) sets no dollar or percentage cap on a late fee; what it controls is timing.

On timing: “No lease or other rental agreement shall impose any interest or penalty for failure to pay rent … until thirty days after such rent shall have been due.” In short, no interest or penalty until 30 days after rent is due.

Because no amount is fixed here, there is no dollar ceiling to compute. The 30-day wait is the longest among the 8 verified states that state a waiting period; Maine waits 15 days, Delaware waits 5 days and New York waits 5 days. For comparison, 10 verified states do fix a limit, from $50 to $150 on $1,500 rent.

Dated example: with rent due on December 1, 2026, the 30-day window runs to December 31, 2026; a payment made by then carries no late fee under this rule.

Neighbouring states with a verified rule: New York ($50 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is less, 5-day wait).

Related Massachusetts rules: ending a month-to-month tenancy takes one month (notice rules); a security deposit is due back within 30 days of the end (deposit rules); disputes over fees go to small claims up to $7,000 (small claims).

Massachusetts30 daysMaine15 daysDelaware5 daysNew York5 daysNorth Carolina5 daysWashington5 daysOregon4 daysNevada3 days
Days before a late fee may apply, verified states that set a waiting period, Massachusetts highlighted. Bar lengths are to scale.

Source: Massachusetts Legislature, M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B · last checked October 21, 2026.

Reading a lease against the statute

A late fee needs a basis in the rental agreement, and the statute sets the outer limit. The guide on rent late-fee limits works the verified caps through the same rents side by side.

Questions

What is the maximum late fee for rent in Massachusetts?

No amount set in the section read (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c)).

Is there a grace period for rent in Massachusetts?

Yes: no interest or penalty until 30 days after rent is due.

Where is the rule written?

M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(c), read on the Massachusetts Legislature, M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B page on October 21, 2026.

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