Local landlord and tenant rules in Boston, Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts has local rules on rental registration (Boston City Code, Ordinances § 9-1.3 (Rental Registration and Inspection)) and other landlord obligations (Boston City Code, Ordinances § 10-11.7 (Housing Stability Notification Act)), on top of Massachusetts law.
Local rules in Boston, Massachusetts
Rental registration
Every private rental unit in Boston, condominiums included, must be registered with the Inspectional Services Department by July 1 each year — $25 a unit the first time and $15 a unit each year after, up to $2,500 a building. Owner-occupied buildings of six or fewer units still register but pay no fee and are exempt from inspection; every other unit is selected for an inspection at least once every five years. Failing to register costs $300 a property for each month.
Source: Boston City Code, Ordinances § 9-1.3 (Rental Registration and Inspection). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Other landlord obligations
A Boston landlord ending a tenancy — by a notice to quit or a notice that the lease will not be renewed — must deliver the City’s Notice of Tenants’ Rights and Resources with it.
Source: Boston City Code, Ordinances § 10-11.7 (Housing Stability Notification Act). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Other landlord obligations
In Boston a home may be offered as a short-term rental only after its operator registers it with the Inspectional Services Department and certifies that they own the unit and that the condominium or other governing documents allow it. An operator may offer only one whole-unit listing at a time, must give a contact number that is answered 24 hours a day, must notify abutters within 30 days of an approved registration and must keep records for three years from registration.
Source: Boston City Code, Ordinances §§ 9-14.5, 9-14.6 (Short-Term Rentals). Checked on November 12, 2026.
Massachusetts rules that apply in Boston
| Rule | Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Massachusetts? | 30 days |
| How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Massachusetts? | 1 month of rent |
| Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Massachusetts? | 5% a year, or the lower rate the bank actually paid, on a deposit held a year or longer, paid at the end of each year of the tenancy. |
| How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Massachusetts? | 30 days |
| How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Massachusetts? | 30 days |
| How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Massachusetts? | 14 days |
| Is there a grace period for paying rent in Massachusetts? | 30 days |
| How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in Massachusetts? | Not permitted |
Every Massachusetts rule Seayora publishes.
The homes these rules cover in Boston
64.3% of the occupied homes in Boston are rented, about 182,208 households, a share higher than across Massachusetts (37.5%).
The median gross rent is $2,147 a month, higher than across Massachusetts ($1,762); that is what households report paying, utilities included, not the asking rent for a vacant apartment.
51.2% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
72.4% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Boston | Suffolk County | Massachusetts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 64.3% (±0.8 points) | 63.5% | 37.5% |
| Median gross rent | $2,147 (±$25) | $2,129 | $1,762 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 51.2% (±1.2 points) | 52.0% | 51.8% |
| Median income of renter households | $71,055 (±$1,665) | $69,876 | $60,987 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 72.4% (±1.2 points) | 72.0% | 67.4% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 46.4% (±0.9 points) | 44.8% | 22.2% |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6% (±0.5 points) | 4.5% | 3.5% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 33.7% (±0.8 points) | 32.7% | 22.5% |
All housing figures for Boston: rent by bedrooms, home values, property taxes, commute.
Source: US Census Bureau, Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Boston. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rentals and records in Boston
Seayora reads open housing and building violation records for an address here from public data (Boston) and shows them on each building it manages.
Questions about Boston’s local rules
Do landlords have to register rentals in Boston?
Every private rental unit in Boston, condominiums included, must be registered with the Inspectional Services Department by July 1 each year — $25 a unit the first time and $15 a unit each year after, up to $2,500 a building. Owner-occupied buildings of six or fewer units still register but pay no fee and are exempt from inspection; every other unit is selected for an inspection at least once every five years. Failing to register costs $300 a property for each month. (Boston City Code, Ordinances § 9-1.3 (Rental Registration and Inspection))
What else does Boston require of landlords?
A Boston landlord ending a tenancy — by a notice to quit or a notice that the lease will not be renewed — must deliver the City’s Notice of Tenants’ Rights and Resources with it. (Boston City Code, Ordinances § 10-11.7 (Housing Stability Notification Act)) In Boston a home may be offered as a short-term rental only after its operator registers it with the Inspectional Services Department and certifies that they own the unit and that the condominium or other governing documents allow it. An operator may offer only one whole-unit listing at a time, must give a contact number that is answered 24 hours a day, must notify abutters within 30 days of an approved registration and must keep records for three years from registration. (Boston City Code, Ordinances §§ 9-14.5, 9-14.6 (Short-Term Rentals))
This is a summary of the local rules Seayora has read from each place’s own code, not legal advice. Ordinances change and a rule may have exceptions; check the citation and the office named before acting.