Massachusetts strictly limits late fees. Under M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B(1)(c), no lease or rental agreement may impose any interest or penalty for late rent until the rent is at least 30 days overdue. A late fee charged before that 30-day mark is unlawful.
M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B(1)(c) provides that "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." This means a Massachusetts landlord cannot charge a late fee, penalty, or interest the moment rent is a few days late — the rent must be at least 30 days overdue before any such charge can be imposed. The statute does not set a maximum dollar amount or percentage for the late fee itself; its core restriction is the 30-day waiting period. A lease clause purporting to charge a late fee sooner is contrary to the statute and unenforceable.
No fixed statutory fine; a late fee or interest charged before rent is 30 days overdue violates § 15B(1)(c) and is unenforceable, and the tenant may contest or recover an improperly collected charge.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Norfolk County, MA
Norfolk County does not regulate amplified music. Each municipality requires entertainment licenses or one-day amplified sound permits under MGL c. 140 §183A...
Norfolk County, MA
Norfolk County does not handle abandoned vehicles. MGL c. 90B §2 allows police to remove abandoned vehicles after 72 hours. Quincy, Brookline, and Weymouth t...
Norfolk County, MA
Norfolk County does not regulate chickens or livestock. Each town sets its own rules via zoning and board of health regulations. Suburban towns often restric...
Medfield, MA
Medfield's Water Conservation bylaw (Town Bylaws / eCode360 Ch. on Water Conservation) authorizes the Select Board to declare a state of water-supply conserv...
Norfolk County, MA
Brookline enacted the first MA town-wide ban on new artificial turf on town property (2023 Town Meeting Art. 14). Other Norfolk County towns allow turf resid...
Norfolk County, MA
Norfolk County does not restrict rainwater harvesting. MA has no statewide restrictions on residential rain barrel or cistern use. Many Norfolk County towns ...
See how Medfield's late fees & grace periods rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.