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Free Massachusetts Rental Application Form - Fill Online, Sign & Download the PDF
Massachusetts is the strictest state in the country on application charges: landlords may not charge application or screening fees at all. This form reflects that, along with the state's deposit and CORI screening rules. Fill it out below, sign, and download your completed PDF free.
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Massachusetts rental application rules to know
- •Massachusetts landlords may not charge application, screening, or credit-check fees. At move-in they may collect only first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit up to one month, and the cost of a new lock and key (MGL c.186 § 15B).
- •Since August 1, 2025, broker fees are paid by whoever hired the broker. If the landlord's broker listed the unit, the landlord pays the fee.
- •Security deposits are capped at one month's rent, must sit in a separate interest-bearing Massachusetts bank account, and must be returned within 30 days. Certain violations expose the landlord to triple damages.
- •You must receive a signed Statement of Condition within 10 days of moving in if a deposit is taken.
- •Source of income, including Section 8 and RAFT assistance, is protected statewide (MGL c.151B). 'No vouchers' listings are illegal.
- •Landlords cannot require you to hand over your own CORI (criminal record); accessing it requires your written consent, and no one may be automatically disqualified without an individualized review.
- •Protected classes also include age, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and veteran status.
Last reviewed 2026-07-15. General information, not legal advice.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a Massachusetts landlord charge a rental application fee?
No. MGL c.186 § 15B limits move-in charges to exactly four things: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit of up to one month, and the cost of a new lock and key. Application and screening fees are not on that list and are unlawful for landlords to charge.
Who pays the broker fee in Massachusetts?
Since August 1, 2025, the party who engaged the broker pays the fee. If you found the listing through the landlord's broker, that fee belongs to the landlord. You only pay a broker you personally hired.
What are the security deposit rules?
Maximum one month's rent, held in a separate interest-bearing Massachusetts bank account with interest paid annually, returned within 30 days of tenancy end. Specified violations entitle the tenant to triple damages plus attorney's fees.
Can Massachusetts landlords refuse Section 8?
No. Source of income, including vouchers and RAFT assistance, is protected statewide under MGL c.151B. Refusals and 'no vouchers' advertising are illegal.
Why doesn't this Massachusetts form ask about criminal history?
Massachusetts strictly limits CORI access: landlords can't require you to produce your own record, need your written consent to pull it, and must do an individualized review with a chance to respond before denying. We omit the question so the form stays safely usable statewide.
More free landlord & tenant forms
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New York
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Ohio
- Wisconsin
- Louisiana
- Georgia
- General US form
For landlords: the tenant application form and the rental verification form.