Cal. Civ. Code § 410.110
Bathroom Facilities: Sinks, Toilets, Tubs, and Showers
Operative Text
(A) The owner shall provide a bathroom which:
(1) Is not used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes;
(2) Is accessible from within the building without passing through any part of another
dwelling unit or rooming unit; and
(3) Has a door capable of being closed. Bathrooms in homeless shelters shall not require
a door capable of being closed provided the entry to the bathroom is designed to block the
view from an adjacent room or common area.
(B) Each bathroom shall include:
(1) A toilet with a toilet seat. When more than one toilet is required by 105 CMR
410.110(E), each toilet shall be separated by walls or partitions and a door, and each urinal
shall be separated by walls or partitions to afford privacy;
(2) A sink in the same room as the toilet provided that:
(a) If the sink cannot be placed in the same room as the toilet, it shall be adjacent to the
door leading directly into the room in which the toilet is located;
(b) The kitchen sink may not be substituted for the sink required by 105 CMR
410.110(B)(2); and
(3) A bathtub or shower.
(C) Facilities required by 105 CMR 410.110 shall have smooth and impervious surfaces and
be free from defects which make them difficult to keep clean or create a risk of injury.
(D) For any residence in which the bathroom facilities required by 105 CMR 410.110 are
shared facilities, the owner shall ensure the facilities are maintained in a clean and sanitary
condition and the fixtures are sanitized at least once every 24 hours and more often if necessary.
(E) For every eight occupants of each rooming house in which bathroom facilities are not
provided in each room, with the exception of Homeless shelters, the owner shall provide:
(1) One toilet with a toilet seat and sink. One urinal may be substituted for each toilet for
up to ½ of the total number of toilets required in any bathroom used exclusively by males;
and
(2) A bathtub or a shower.Section 105 Mass. Code Regs. 410.110 establishes minimum standards for bathroom facilities in residential dwellings and rooming houses in Massachusetts. Every bathroom must be a dedicated space — not used for living, sleeping, cooking, or eating — and must include a toilet with a seat, a sink in or immediately adjacent to the toilet room, and a bathtub or shower. All surfaces must be smooth, impervious, and free of defects, and in shared-facility settings, fixtures must be sanitized at least once every 24 hours. Rooming houses without private bathrooms must provide one toilet, sink, and bathtub or shower for every eight occupants.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of residential rental properties subject to 105 Mass. Code Regs. 410.110 generally ensure that each bathroom is a self-contained, dedicated space accessible from within the building without passing through another unit, and that it contains a properly seated toilet, a sink in or directly adjacent to the same room, and a tub or shower. Where bathrooms are shared — such as in rooming houses — compliant operators maintain a documented sanitation schedule that includes fixture sanitization at least once every 24 hours, and they verify that the ratio of facilities to occupants meets the one-toilet-and-sink-per-eight-occupants standard set out in section 410.110(E). All bathroom surfaces should be kept smooth, impervious, and free of defects that could impede cleaning or pose an injury risk.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 105 Mass. Code Regs. 410.110, tenants in Massachusetts have a right to a dedicated bathroom that includes a toilet with a seat, a sink, and a bathtub or shower — and, in shared-facility housing, to fixtures that are sanitized at least once every 24 hours. If a bathroom is missing required fixtures, has surfaces in disrepair, lacks a closable door, or is not accessible without passing through another unit, this may constitute a violation of section 410.110. Tenants who believe these standards are not being met can document the conditions, notify the owner in writing, contact their local board of health (which enforces the Massachusetts Sanitary Code), or reach out to a tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 30, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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