Massachusetts Debt Collection Laws: Your Rights Beyond the FDCPA

In Massachusetts, a debt collector who initiates contact with you by telephone more than twice in any seven-day period about a single debt is breaking state law. That cap comes from the Attorney General's debt-collection regulations (940 CMR 7.04) and is far stricter than anything in the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which sets no fixed numeric limit on call frequency. On top of that, most companies collecting consumer debts in Massachusetts must hold a debt collector license from the state Division of Banks before they can lawfully pursue you. These two rules — a hard call limit and a licensing requirement — are the backbone of Massachusetts's unusually consumer-friendly framework.

The Massachusetts statutes that govern collectors

Three overlapping bodies of law protect Massachusetts consumers, and together they reach further than the federal baseline:

• M.G.L. c. 93, § 49 — the state's core debt-collection statute, which bars any creditor or collector from collecting a debt “in an unfair, deceptive or unreasonable manner.” A violation of § 49 is automatically an unfair or deceptive act under the Consumer Protection Act.
• 940 CMR 7.00 — the Attorney General's regulations spelling out exactly what “unfair or unreasonable” means, including the call-frequency cap, limits on workplace and third-party contact, and required validation of the debt.
• 209 CMR 18.00 and M.G.L. c. 93, §§ 24–28 — the Division of Banks rules requiring debt collectors and third-party loan servicers to be licensed.

Notably, Massachusetts applies its collection rules to creditors collecting their own debts in many situations, not just to the third-party agencies the federal FDCPA targets. So an original lender that harasses you may violate Massachusetts law even where the FDCPA would not apply.

The twice-a-week call limit and other contact rules

Under 940 CMR 7.04, a collector may not initiate communication with you by telephone more than two times in a seven-day period for each debt. Beyond the call cap, the regulations restrict where and when collectors can reach you:

• No collection calls to your home before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
• No contact at your place of employment if the collector has been told (orally or in writing) that your employer prohibits such calls.
• No visits to your home or workplace more than once in any 30-day period, unless you ask.
• Within five business days of first contacting you, the collector must give written notice of the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor, and your right to dispute it — mirroring and reinforcing the federal validation rule.

If you send a written request to stop contact, the collector generally must cease, much like the FDCPA's cease-communication rule, but the Massachusetts version applies to a broader set of collectors.

Licensing: check before you pay

Massachusetts treats third-party debt collection as a licensed activity. A company that buys or collects consumer debts must obtain a license from the Division of Banks, maintain a surety bond, and follow examination requirements. Collecting without the required license is itself a violation that can void the collector's ability to enforce the debt and expose it to penalties. Before paying any collector, you can verify its license status through the Division of Banks (the NMLS Consumer Access database lists licensed Massachusetts debt collectors). If a caller is not licensed and is not exempt, that is a strong red flag of a scam or an unlawful operation.

Wage garnishment: Massachusetts shields far more than federal law

This is one of the largest gaps between state and federal protection. Federal law (the Consumer Credit Protection Act) caps garnishment at 25% of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage ($7.25), whichever is less — protecting only about $217.50 per week.

Massachusetts is dramatically more protective. Under M.G.L. c. 246, § 28, a creditor's wage attachment (“trustee process”) may reach only the amount by which your weekly earnings exceed 50 times the greater of the federal or Massachusetts minimum wage, and in no event more than 15% of your gross wages. With the Massachusetts minimum wage at $15.00 per hour as of 2026, that shields roughly $750 per week of earnings from ordinary creditor garnishment — more than three times the federal floor. Because the minimum wage can change, confirm the current rate with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Fair Labor Division before relying on a specific dollar figure. Note that these limits apply to ordinary consumer debts; child support, taxes, and certain other obligations follow different rules.

The statute of limitations on Massachusetts debt

A collector can ask for payment indefinitely, but it can only sue within the limitations period. For most written contracts and consumer debts in Massachusetts, the statute of limitations is six years (M.G.L. c. 260, § 2). After that window closes, the debt is “time-barred” — a collector who sues on it, or who threatens suit knowing it is time-barred, can violate both Massachusetts law and the FDCPA. Be careful: making a payment or a written promise to pay can restart the clock, so do not acknowledge an old debt in writing without understanding the consequences.

Chapter 93A: your most powerful enforcement tool

Massachusetts's Consumer Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 93A, lets you sue a collector for unfair or deceptive practices. Before filing, you typically send a 30-day written demand letter describing the unfair act and your injury. If you win — or if the collector made an inadequate settlement offer in bad faith — you may recover actual damages, double or triple damages, plus your attorney's fees and costs. This fee-shifting and multiple-damages structure is what gives Massachusetts collection law real teeth, and it is why many consumer attorneys take these cases. You can also pursue the FDCPA's federal remedies (up to $1,000 in statutory damages plus actual damages and fees) at the same time.

How to file a complaint

Massachusetts gives consumers a clear path to report abusive collectors:

• Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Advocacy & Response Division (CARD). File a consumer complaint online at the Attorney General's website or call the consumer hotline. The AG enforces both § 49 and 940 CMR 7.00.
• Division of Banks. Complain here about licensing problems and the conduct of licensed debt collectors and loan servicers.
• Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission for FDCPA-based complaints, which can run in parallel with your state filing.

Keep a detailed log of every call — dates, times, names, and what was said — because the twice-a-week limit and the time-of-day rules are easy to document and hard for a collector to defend. When in doubt about a deadline or dollar figure, verify it against the primary source: the Massachusetts General Laws, the Attorney General's regulations, and the Attorney General's consumer-protection office, rather than relying on a collector's characterization of your rights.

Official Massachusetts Sources

This page is based on Massachusetts law. Limits and deadlines change — verify the current details directly with the official Massachusetts sources below. This is general legal information, not legal advice.

• Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Advocacy & Response Division (Consumer Services) — official Massachusetts agency.
• File a consumer complaint (Massachusetts Attorney General's Office)
• Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 93A — Regulation of Business Practices for Consumers Protection

Federal law also applies. Federal laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act protect you nationwide, on top of Massachusetts’s own rules.