Rental application & screening fee law in Massachusetts
Application fees prohibited
Massachusetts prohibits landlords from charging application or screening fees entirely — only first and last month's rent, a security deposit, and a lock/key fee may be collected.
What the law says
Massachusetts General Laws chapter 186, § 15B allows a landlord to collect only four things at or before tenancy: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit of up to one month's rent, and the cost of a new lock and key. Application and tenant screening fees are not on that list, which makes them prohibited for landlords.
Licensed real estate brokers operate under a separate regulation (254 CMR 7) and may charge fees a landlord cannot. The FY2026 state budget amended § 15B, so check the current statutory text for recent changes.
Recent changes
The FY2026 Massachusetts budget amended § 15B — confirm the current text and the August 2025 Attorney General broker-fee advisory.
Beyond the fee limit
The price rule is only part of the law. Massachusetts also imposes these obligations:
- Licensed brokers may charge under a separate rule (254 CMR 7).
Read the law
What's the actual limit in Massachusetts?
Fee limits change with inflation adjustments, local ordinances, and new legislation. Use our free calculator to look up the current limit for your rental's ZIP code.
Calculate your fee limitsThis page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Fee rules change — caps re-index to inflation, new legislation takes effect, and cities adopt their own ordinances — so always confirm against the official statutory text linked above before relying on it. The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere, regardless of state or local fee rules.