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Rental Application Fee Laws in Massachusetts

Massachusetts does not allow rental application fees: at the start of a tenancy a landlord may only collect first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit, and the cost of a new lock and key.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Massachusetts at a glance

Fee limit
Application fees banned
Only first and last month's rent, a security deposit up to one month's rent, and the cost of a new lock and key may be required up front.
Dollar cap
$0 (application fees banned)
Portable screening report rule
Not addressed
Screening fees cannot be charged, so no portable report rule applies.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Massachusetts

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in Massachusetts?

Fee limit in Massachusetts: Application fees banned. Only first and last month's rent, a security deposit up to one month's rent, and the cost of a new lock and key may be required up front.

Is there a fixed dollar cap on rental application fees in Massachusetts?

Dollar cap in Massachusetts: $0 (application fees banned).

Does Massachusetts law address reusable (portable) tenant screening reports?

Not addressed. Portable screening report rule in Massachusetts: not addressed. Screening fees cannot be charged, so no portable report rule applies.

Where do the Massachusetts rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, 15B(1)(b). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Since August 1, 2025, the up-front payment limit also covers payments to an agent of the landlord, such as a broker hired by the landlord.

The Attorney General's 2025 guide states that a landlord may never charge a tenant or prospective tenant an application fee.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.