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

Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, a Massachusetts landlord has 30 days to return the deposit and provide any required written itemization of deductions.

Do I have to sue to get my security deposit back?

Usually not. Most landlords pay once they receive a formal written demand sent by certified mail that cites the statute and the penalties for withholding. Small claims court is the fallback if they ignore it.

Massachusetts security deposit law

What your landlord is legally required to do after you move out, how long they have, and what it costs them if they get it wrong.

Deadline to return

30 days

Governing statute

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B

The deadline

Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, a landlord in Massachusetts must return your security deposit — together with any required written itemization of deductions — within 30 days. Once that window closes without payment or a proper itemization, the landlord is in violation of the statute.

Treble damages attach to failure to return the deposit, failure to escrow it, and failure to transfer it to a successor landlord. A late or missing itemized damage list alone does not trigger treble damages.

What it costs your landlord

Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, a landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit in Massachusetts may be liable for three times the deposit plus interest, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees where the deposit is not returned within 30 days. That exposure is the reason a formal demand letter works: it is usually cheaper for a landlord to pay you than to argue about it.

How to get your deposit back in Massachusetts

1. Confirm the deadline has passed. Count from the day you moved out and returned possession. In Massachusetts that's 30 days.
2. Put your forwarding address in writing. In several states a landlord has no obligation until they have it, and having sent it protects your claim.
3. Gather your evidence. The lease, proof you paid the deposit, move-in and move-out photos, and any itemization they sent.
4. Send a written demand by certified mail. Cite Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, state the amount owed, and give a deadline to pay. Certified mail creates the delivery record a judge will want to see.
5. File in small claims if they ignore you.You don't need a lawyer. File in the county where the property is located.

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Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Massachusetts?: Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, a Massachusetts landlord has 30 days to return the deposit and provide any required written itemization of deductions.
What is the penalty if my landlord keeps my deposit in Massachusetts?: Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B, a landlord who wrongfully withholds may be liable for three times the deposit plus interest, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees where the deposit is not returned within 30 days.
Do I have to sue to get my security deposit back?: Usually not. Most landlords pay once they receive a formal written demand sent by certified mail that cites the statute and the penalties for withholding. Small claims court is the fallback if they ignore it.

Statute text verified against the published source on July 29, 2026. Laws change — confirm the current text before relying on it. This page is general information, not legal advice.