Key points
- Have a photo ID, proof of income, recent bank statements and a credit report ready before you start viewing, so you can apply the day you find the right place.
- No law sets an income ratio. Many large buildings look for gross monthly income of about 2.5 to 3 times the rent, and more from a guarantor; each landlord sets its own standard.
- Use your legal name consistently across ID, application and lease, and list every adult who will live in the unit.
- Decisions take several business days. Until approval is in writing, keep other options open and avoid plans you cannot cancel.
What to have ready
In season, good units often go to the first complete application. Having your file ready before you start viewing is the simplest advantage you can give yourself.
- Government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license
- Proof of income: an offer letter or employment verification for a new job, recent pay stubs, or tax returns if you are self-employed
- Recent bank statements, usually two to three months, in your name
- A credit report, or consent for the landlord to run one
- Contact details for a current or past landlord, if you have one
- For a guarantor, the same set of documents for that person
How income is reviewed
No Massachusetts law sets a minimum income. It is a business standard: many large apartment buildings look for gross monthly income of about 2.5 to 3 times the rent, and expect more from a guarantor. Individual owners vary more.
If you have more than one job or irregular pay, show the full picture: annualize each source and include documents for all of them. Savings help with some landlords, but policies differ, so ask how the building treats assets before you apply.
Keep everything consistent
Reviewers compare names, dates and amounts across documents. Use your legal name as it appears on your ID; if you go by another name, say so up front. List every adult who will live in the unit, as leases usually require.
Never edit a document, even to fix what looks like an error. Ask the bank or employer to issue a corrected one.
Timing and approval
After you apply, the landlord or building verifies income and references and may run credit and background checks. Expect a few business days with an individual owner, and three to five or more with a managed building.
Treat the move as settled once both sides have signed the lease and the move-in arrangements are confirmed. Until then, do not book movers or flights you cannot change. If you are renting before you arrive in Boston, a video tour and a written description of the unit’s condition can stand in for a visit, but you are still committing to a home you have not seen in person.
Fees and fair treatment
Massachusetts limits what a landlord may require before move-in to first month’s rent, last month’s rent, a security deposit and the cost of a new lock. The Attorney General’s guide says application fees are not allowed. Credit and background check fees are not on the permitted list either; if you pay one, keep the receipt. Since August 1, 2025, you pay a broker only if you hired that broker.
A landlord must apply the same standards to every applicant. Massachusetts law prohibits refusing a tenant because of protected characteristics, which in this state include receiving a housing voucher or other rental assistance and having children. For an applicant with a housing voucher, an income requirement should be measured against the share of the rent the tenant pays, and requests for a reasonable accommodation, such as an assistance animal, must be considered.
General information for renters in Massachusetts, current as of the date shown. Requirements differ by landlord; confirm them for the unit you want before you apply.