Cal. Civ. Code § 15D
Oral agreement to execute lease; delivery of lease copy; penalty; waiver
Operative Text
Section 15D. A lessor who has agreed orally to execute a lease and obtains the signature of the lessee shall, within thirty days thereafter, deliver a copy of said lease to the lessee, duly signed and executed by said lessor. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars. Any waiver of this provision in any lease or other rental agreement shall be void and unenforceable.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 15D establishes a timeline and obligation around lease delivery when a rental agreement begins with an oral commitment. Once a landlord has made an oral agreement to execute a lease and the tenant has signed it, the landlord has thirty days to return a fully signed and executed copy to the tenant. Failing to meet this requirement can result in a fine of up to three hundred dollars, and any clause in a lease or rental agreement that attempts to waive this protection is void and unenforceable.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 15D, compliant operators who enter into an oral agreement to lease and collect a tenant's signature generally ensure that a fully executed copy of the lease — bearing the landlord's own signature — is delivered back to the tenant within the thirty-day window. Keeping dated records of when the signed lease was delivered helps demonstrate compliance if a question arises later. Attempting to include a waiver of this requirement in a lease or rental agreement has no legal effect, so operators generally do not rely on such clauses.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 15D gives tenants the right to receive a fully signed copy of their lease within thirty days of the landlord obtaining the tenant's signature, following an oral agreement to lease. If a landlord does not deliver that executed copy within the required period, the statute provides for a fine of up to three hundred dollars, and any lease language purporting to waive this right is unenforceable. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated may consider documenting the timeline of events, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether a complaint or legal action is appropriate for their circumstances.
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 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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