Dealing With Debt Collectors in Massachusetts (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Massachusetts · Last updated August 13, 2026
This page explains how Massachusetts law protects you when a debt collector calls, in addition to your federal rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Massachusetts sets a six-year statute of limitations on most contract and consumer debt under M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. The state also has its own debt collection regulations, 940 CMR 7.00 from the Attorney General and 209 CMR 18.00 from the Division of Banks, which limit a collector to two telephone calls per week and apply to creditors collecting their own debts, not just outside agencies. An unfair collection practice is treated as a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 93A, and Massachusetts also protects a large share of your wages from garnishment.
What is the statute of limitations on debt in Massachusetts?
Most Massachusetts consumer debt, including credit cards and written and oral contracts, has a six-year statute of limitations under M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. That is the window a creditor or collector has to sue you. A court judgment on a debt is enforceable much longer, generally up to 20 years.
Can my wages be garnished for consumer debt in Massachusetts?
Yes, but Massachusetts strongly limits it. Under M.G.L. c. 246, s. 28, the greater of 85 percent of your gross wages or 50 times the state or federal minimum wage per week is protected from garnishment. That is more protective than federal law, so a collector can reach far less of your paycheck here.
How do I stop a debt collector from calling me in Massachusetts?
Send a written cease-communication letter. Under the FDCPA (15 U.S.C. 1692c) a collector must stop contact once it receives your letter. Massachusetts adds a hard limit under 940 CMR 7.04: a collector or creditor may not initiate more than two phone calls to you in any seven-day period.
What can a debt collector not do under Massachusetts law?
Under 940 CMR 7.00 and M.G.L. c. 93, s. 49, a collector cannot call you more than twice a week, use threats or profane language, or contact you at work after you object. Any unfair or deceptive collection practice is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 93A, which allows damages.
How Massachusetts regulates debt collectors
Massachusetts is one of the more consumer-protective states for debt collection. Unlike states that rely only on the federal FDCPA, Massachusetts has two overlapping sets of debt collection regulations: 940 CMR 7.00, issued by the Attorney General, and 209 CMR 18.00, issued by the Division of Banks. A distinctive feature is the telephone-call cap: under 940 CMR 7.04, a collector may not initiate more than two calls to you in any seven-day period, a stricter rule than the federal Regulation F seven-calls limit. Crucially, these rules reach not only outside collection agencies but also creditors collecting their own debts, so an original creditor is bound too. Debt collectors that operate in Massachusetts generally must be licensed by the Division of Banks under 209 CMR 18.00. An unfair or deceptive collection practice violates M.G.L. c. 93, s. 49 and is treated as a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 93A, which can support multiple damages and attorney's fees. The Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division (CARD) handles consumer complaints and can be reached at (617) 727-8400.
Relevant Laws
Massachusetts Statute of Limitations, M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2
Sets a six-year limitations period for contract actions, express or implied, which covers most Massachusetts consumer debt including credit cards and written and oral contracts. A creditor generally must sue within six years after the cause of action accrues.
Massachusetts Debt Collection Practices, M.G.L. c. 93, s. 49 and 940 CMR 7.00
M.G.L. c. 93, s. 49 bars collecting a debt in an unfair, deceptive, or unreasonable manner and treats it as a Chapter 93A violation. The Attorney General's regulations, 940 CMR 7.00, add detailed conduct rules including the two-calls-per-week limit at 940 CMR 7.04 and apply to creditors as well as collectors.
Massachusetts Wage Garnishment Exemption, M.G.L. c. 246, s. 28
Protects from garnishment the greater of 85 percent of the debtor's gross wages or 50 times the greater of the state or federal hourly minimum wage for each week. This is more protective of wages than the federal 25 percent cap.
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. 1692
The federal statute governing third-party debt collectors. It bars harassment (1692d), false representations (1692e), and unfair practices (1692f), creates the 30-day debt validation right (1692g), and lets you demand that a collector cease communication (1692c). It works alongside Massachusetts law.
Regional Variances
Massachusetts statute of limitations by debt type
Written contract
Six years under M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2, which sets a single six-year period for contract actions, express or implied. A creditor must generally sue within six years after the cause of action accrues.
Oral contract
Six years under M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. Massachusetts does not create a shorter period for oral contracts; the statute covers implied and express contracts alike at six years.
Open account / credit card
Six years, treated as contract debt under M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. Credit card and open-account balances are generally subject to the six-year contract limitations period.
Promissory note
Six years for a negotiable instrument under M.G.L. c. 106, s. 3-118, the Massachusetts version of UCC Article 3. Verify the accrual date, as the six years typically runs from the note's due date or demand.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Confirm the debt is not past the six-year Massachusetts limitations period
Before making any payment or promise days after startingFind the date the debt became due or your last payment, then compare it against the six-year limit in M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so verify the dates before you settle, pay, or promise to pay.
Send a written debt validation letter
Within 30 days of the collector's validation notice days after startingIf you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window under 15 U.S.C. 1692g. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt.
Log every call to document the Massachusetts two-per-week limit
Ongoing days after startingRecord the date, time, and caller for each contact. Under 940 CMR 7.04 a collector or creditor may not initiate more than two calls to you in any seven-day period, so a call log is direct evidence of a Massachusetts violation and supports a Chapter 93A claim.
Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop
As soon as you decide to stop contact days after startingUnder 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing.
File a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General or CFPB
Promptly after a violation days after startingSubmit a complaint to the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division at mass.gov/how-to/file-a-consumer-complaint or (617) 727-8400, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. For a Chapter 93A claim, an attorney can help you send the required 30-day demand letter first.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm the debt is not past the six-year Massachusetts limitations period | Find the date the debt became due or your last payment, then compare it against the six-year limit in M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so verify the dates before you settle, pay, or promise to pay. | - | Before making any payment or promise |
| Send a written debt validation letter | If you do not recognize the debt or the amount looks wrong, mail a written dispute and request for verification within the 30-day window under 15 U.S.C. 1692g. This forces the collector to stop collecting until it mails you proof of the debt. | debt-validation-letter | Within 30 days of the collector's validation notice |
| Log every call to document the Massachusetts two-per-week limit | Record the date, time, and caller for each contact. Under 940 CMR 7.04 a collector or creditor may not initiate more than two calls to you in any seven-day period, so a call log is direct evidence of a Massachusetts violation and supports a Chapter 93A claim. | - | Ongoing |
| Send a cease-and-desist letter if you want contact to stop | Under 15 U.S.C. 1692c(c), a written cease-communication letter requires the collector to stop contacting you once received, except to confirm it is stopping or to state it may pursue a specific remedy. Keep proof of mailing. | cease-and-desist-letter | As soon as you decide to stop contact |
| File a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General or CFPB | Submit a complaint to the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division at mass.gov/how-to/file-a-consumer-complaint or (617) 727-8400, and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. For a Chapter 93A claim, an attorney can help you send the required 30-day demand letter first. | - | Promptly after a violation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Massachusetts is stricter than federal law. Under 940 CMR 7.04(1)(f), a collector or creditor may not initiate more than two telephone calls to you in any seven-day period. Genuine unsuccessful attempts where the collector cannot reach you or leave a message may not count. This is tighter than the federal seven-calls-in-seven-days presumption under Regulation F.
Yes. Unlike the federal FDCPA, which mainly covers third-party collectors, the Massachusetts regulations reach creditors collecting their own debts. The Attorney General's rules at 940 CMR 7.00 apply to creditors, and 209 CMR 18.00 governs debt collectors. So an original creditor in Massachusetts must also follow the two-calls-per-week limit and the other conduct rules.
Credit card debt in Massachusetts is generally subject to the six-year contract limitations period under M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2. After six years from when the debt became due or your last activity, a lawsuit to collect is generally time-barred. Making a payment or acknowledging the debt in writing can restart the six-year clock, so check your dates carefully.
Not much. Under M.G.L. c. 246, s. 28, the greater of 85 percent of your gross wages or 50 times the greater of the state or federal minimum wage per week is exempt from garnishment. In practice a creditor can reach only the smaller remainder, which is far more protective than the federal 25 percent rule. Support orders follow different limits.
In Massachusetts, an unfair or deceptive debt collection practice violates M.G.L. c. 93, s. 49 and is treated as a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 93A. Before suing under 93A, a consumer generally must send a written demand letter giving the business 30 days to respond. A reasonable settlement refusal can expose the collector to double or treble damages and attorney's fees.
Other Massachusetts guides
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