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

In Massachusetts, Itemized list of damages, sworn to and supported by receipts, due within 30 days of the tenancy ending. (M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B). Missing the deadline or failing to itemize can forfeit the right to withhold. Confirm the current statute for your situation.

Does Massachusetts require an itemized statement of deductions?

Yes. Massachusetts requires an itemized written statement of any deductions, not a lump sum. This calculator lists each item, prorates it by useful life, and produces that statement.

How are deductions prorated?

Each damaged item is charged only for the share of its useful life remaining at move-out. A $1,000 carpet with a 10-year life that was 8 years old supports about a $200 charge, not $1,000. Normal wear and tear is excluded.

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Massachusetts Security Deposit Deductions

What a Massachusetts landlord can charge against a deposit, prorated by each item's remaining useful life. Massachusetts: Itemized list of damages, sworn to and supported by receipts, due within 30 days of the tenancy ending. (M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B). Build an itemized statement below.

Setup

I'm the

Build an itemized statement that prorates each deduction by the item's remaining useful life.

StateMove-out date

Adds the return deadline and citation to your statement.

Deposit held

Items

Add the first item the tenant damaged. Each one is prorated by how much useful life it had left.

Not prorated (billed in full)

CleaningDescription (optional)

Unpaid rent

Other lease chargesDescription (optional)

Cleaning is conventionally charged in full, not prorated. Normal wear is never chargeable.

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Refund to tenant

Deposit held$0

Refund to tenant$0

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The Massachusetts deadline & rule

Massachusetts: Itemized list of damages, sworn to and supported by receipts, due within 30 days of the tenancy ending. See M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B. Send the itemized statement on or before the deadline — about 30 days after move-out — and prorate each item by its useful life so the deductions hold up. A vague lump sum, or a full-price charge on an aging item, is what gets deductions reduced.

Prorated by useful life

Each item is charged only for the life the tenant used up early — the defensible amount.

Cites the Massachusetts deadline

The statement carries the return deadline and statute so nothing is left to memory.

Normal wear excluded

Wear-and-tear items compute at $0 automatically, so you don't over-deduct.

Other states: Michigan · Minnesota · Montana · All states

Next step: Massachusetts Deposit Return Letter · Condition Report

Last reviewed July 2026. This calculator applies the remaining-useful-life method and references the HUD life-expectancy chart, an industry standard rather than statute. This is general information, not legal advice. Verify the current Massachusetts statute (M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B) before sending a deduction statement.