How Much Notice Does a Landlord Have to Give for Unpaid Rent in Massachusetts? (14 Days)

In Massachusetts, a landlord must serve a 14-Day Notice to Quit before filing an eviction for unpaid rent. The statute is G.L. c. 186, § 11 (written lease); § 12 (tenancy at will). In short: Fourteen days' written notice to quit for nonpayment; at-will tenancies must carry the statutory cure notification.

What G.L. c. 186, § 11 (written lease); § 12 (tenancy at will) requires

• Notice period: 14 days.
• How the days are counted: The statute fixes fourteen days' notice; the LeaseLenses notice generator excludes the day of service and moves a weekend ending to Monday.
• Watch out: Massachusetts Housing Court requires the state's tenant-rights notice to be served with a nonpayment notice to quit and an attestation form to be filed with the summary process complaint. This generator does not produce those forms; download the current versions from the court before serving.
• Watch out: For a tenancy at will, the statutory notification about the ten-day right to pay is printed on the notice. Leaving it out extends the tenant's time to pay to the answer date.
• Statute: G.L. c. 186, § 11 (written lease); § 12 (tenancy at will).

How the notice can be served in Massachusetts

• Hand-delivered to the tenant: Hand the notice to the tenant and note who was present.
• Served by a constable or sheriff: A constable's or sheriff's return of service is the proof Housing Court expects; enter the date of service from the return.
• Certified mail, return receipt requested (adds 5 days before the period starts): Mail by certified mail and keep the receipt. The statute does not fix a mailing allowance, so the LeaseLenses notice generator adds five days before the period starts. Hand delivery avoids the delay.

Record the method, the date, and who delivered it. The service date is where the 14-day count begins, and it is the first thing a judge checks.

When the period ends

A notice that miscounts the period, or is filed on before it has run, gets the case dismissed rather than delayed, and the landlord starts over with a fresh notice. Count from the service date under the Massachusetts rule above, add any mailing days for the method used, and file only after the last day has passed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the day I serve the notice count as day one in Massachusetts?
A: The statute fixes fourteen days' notice; the LeaseLenses notice generator excludes the day of service and moves a weekend ending to Monday. Apply that rule to the service date, then add the mailing allowance if the method calls for one.

Q: Can a Massachusetts landlord serve the notice by mail?
A: Yes. Certified mail, return receipt requested adds 5 days. Keep the receipt.

Q: What if the tenant pays some of the rent during the 14 days?
A: Accepting partial payment can affect the notice; read the cautions above before deciding, and put any agreement in writing. When in doubt, a fresh notice is cheaper than a dismissed case.

Sources Checked

• Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B (the Massachusetts statute cited above)
• G.L. c. 186, § 11 (written lease); § 12 (tenancy at will) (the Massachusetts notice statute)
• LeaseLenses Massachusetts deposit and notice data set, last reviewed 2026-09-19; the same data powers the Massachusetts document tools
• Massachusetts landlord-tenant overview and the Massachusetts deposit rules page

This page is general legal information for Massachusetts, not legal advice. Statutes change; read the current text before relying on a deadline in court.