# Massachusetts Home Improvement Contract Requirements Page: https://magnoandco.com/blog-home-improvement-contract-massachusetts > Massachusetts home improvement contract requirements under c. 142A: required terms, notices and your 3-day right to cancel, from a Somerville builder. Hiring & Planning ## Massachusetts home improvement contract requirements: what must be in writing Massachusetts home improvement contract requirements under c. 142A: required terms, notices and your 3-day right to cancel, from a Somerville builder. **Mateus Magno** Licensed Construction Supervisor · October 30, 2026 · 4 min read Quick answer In Massachusetts, any home improvement contract over $1,000 must be in writing under M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2. It must include the full agreement, both parties' names and street addresses, the contractor's registration number, start and completion dates, a detailed description of work and materials, the total price, a payment schedule, signatures and several required notices, including your 3-day cancellation right. Massachusetts home improvement contract requirements come from one law: [M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142A/Section2). Any job over **$1,000** needs a written contract with specific terms and notices. Below is the list I check every contract against before my clients in Somerville and Cambridge sign. The law covers work on **pre-existing, owner-occupied homes with one to four units**, per [section 1](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142A/Section1). That is most single-families, two-families and owner-occupied triple-deckers in Greater Boston. ## Massachusetts home improvement contract requirements: the 10 items Section 2 lists what every written contract must contain: - The **complete agreement**, with a clear description of any other documents that are part of it (plans, specs, allowances). - **Full names and street addresses** of both parties (no P.O. boxes), the contractor's **registration number**, any salesperson's name and the date signed. - The **start date** and **substantial completion date**. - A **detailed description of the work and materials**. - The **total price**. - A **payment schedule** in dollars, including any finance charges. The deposit cannot exceed one-third of the price or the cost of special-order materials, whichever is greater. - **Signatures** of all parties. - The **required notices** (next section). - Any other lawful terms you agree on, as long as they do not waive your rights. - Anything else Massachusetts law requires. OCABR, the state office that runs the Home Improvement Contractor program, adds that the registration number must appear on the **first page**. Its [contract requirements page](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/home-improvement-contract-requirements-details-and-sample-language) also has a free sample contract. If a contractor hands you a one-page estimate with a signature line, compare it to this list before you sign anything. ## The notices every contract must include - A notice that contractors and subcontractors must be **registered**, with where to send questions about registration. - Your **three-day cancellation rights**. - Any **warranties** and your rights under the law. - Any **lien or security interest** on your home created by the contract. - Directly above the signature line, in at least **10-point bold type**: "Do not sign this contract if there are any blank spaces." MAGNO & CO Planning a project in Somerville? Licensed builder & owner's rep · free walkthrough · written budget in about 48 hours. [Book a free consultation](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ3YJnElSsR4HsHaWVd6BsIBm7JOsDl2n-1EMy9trS9rj8PCyepopoQtl6O7um0eJcFcp5XXYk-Z)[978-397-5700](tel:+19783975700) ## Your 3-day right to cancel If you sign anywhere other than the contractor's place of business, such as your kitchen table, [M.G.L. c. 93, section 48](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXV/Chapter93/Section48) lets you cancel: - Until **midnight of the third business day** after you sign. - By **written notice** mailed or delivered to the contractor's business address. - The seller must **refund your payments within 10 business days** of getting your notice. - A service provider **cannot start work** during those three days. The contract must include a cancellation notice form you can tear off and send. Use it if you feel rushed. A good contractor will not mind you taking the full three days to read every page, ask questions and compare bids. ## Permits and the Guaranty Fund clause Section 2 also requires the contractor to tell you **which permits are needed** and that the contractor must pull them. The contract must warn that owners who pull their own permits are **excluded from the state Guaranty Fund**. My [Somerville building permit guide](https://magnoandco.com/blog-somerville-building-permit-guide) explains how permits work in the city. ## Other protections after you sign - **Signed copy first.** You get a fully signed copy at signing, and no work may begin before that. - **No acceleration clause.** A contractor cannot call the whole balance due because they feel "insecure." They can ask for the unpaid balance to go into a joint escrow account. - **No surprise final bill.** Final payment cannot be demanded until the work is complete to the satisfaction of the parties. - **Arbitration is optional.** A contractor arbitration clause must be clearly disclosed and separately signed and dated by both sides. - **Missing items are a violation.** Section 2 says a non-compliant contract is not automatically invalid, but leaving required items out still breaks the law. ## What I add beyond the legal minimum The law sets the floor. In my contracts I also spell out: - **Allowances** for finishes you have not picked yet, with dollar amounts. - A **written change order process**: no extra work without a signed price first. - **Lead-safe work** for homes built before 1978, which the [EPA's RRP program](https://www.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program) requires from certified firms. More in my [lead paint guide](https://magnoandco.com/blog-lead-paint-older-homes-renovation). - **Site rules**: work hours, parking, dust protection and daily cleanup. **Builder's tip:** Read the scope line by line with the contractor in the room. "Renovate bathroom" is not a scope. "Remove tub, install curbless shower, new exhaust fan vented outside, tile to ceiling" is. The vaguer the scope, the more change orders you will see later. ## Need a hand? Every Magno & Co contract follows Chapter 142A, with our HIC number on page one and a clear scope. [Book a free walkthrough](https://magnoandco.com/contact) and I will send a written line-item budget, usually within 48 hours. ## Frequently asked questions Does a home improvement contract have to be in writing in Massachusetts? Yes, if the job is over $1,000. M.G.L. c. 142A, section 2 requires a written, signed contract with specific terms and notices. What must be included in a Massachusetts home improvement contract? The full agreement, names and street addresses, the contractor's registration number, start and completion dates, a detailed description of work and materials, the total price, a payment schedule, signatures and the required notices. Can I cancel a home improvement contract in Massachusetts? If you signed somewhere other than the contractor's place of business, you can cancel in writing until midnight of the third business day after signing under M.G.L. c. 93, section 48. Is a home improvement contract invalid if it is missing required items? Section 2 says a contract that does not comply is not automatically invalid for that reason alone. The contractor is still breaking the law, so ask for a corrected contract before work starts. **Want someone on your side?** See [what I do as an owner's representative](https://magnoandco.com/owners-representative-somerville) and [how I price work](https://magnoandco.com/pricing). **Good to know:** this article is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change and every property is different — confirm the details for your home with your city's building department, or [ask me](https://magnoandco.com/contact). See our [Terms & Disclaimers](https://magnoandco.com/terms). **About the author** Mateus Magno founded Magno & Co in 2020. He is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor (CS-123658), registered Home Improvement Contractor (HIC #220484) and certified Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor who has renovated and managed over $5 million in projects across Greater Boston. [More about Mateus →](https://magnoandco.com/about) Keep reading ## More from the blog [Hiring & Planning ### Buying an old house that needs work: a Somerville, Cambridge and Medford checklist Buying an old house that needs work in Somerville, Cambridge or Medford? My builder's checklist: what to inspect, lead and permit lookups, how to budget. 4 min read · Read article →](https://magnoandco.com/blog-buying-old-house-somerville-renovation) [Hiring & Planning ### EV charger installation rebate in Massachusetts: Level 2 charging at home in Somerville EV charger installation rebate Massachusetts guide: Eversource and National Grid 2026 offers, Somerville permits, Level 2 costs and condo charging rights. 4 min read · Read article →](https://magnoandco.com/blog-ev-charger-installation-massachusetts) [Hiring & Planning ### General Contractor in Somerville, MA: What They Do and How to Pick the Right One Hiring a general contractor in Somerville, MA? What a GC handles, why triple-deckers and ISD permits change the job, the contract rules and red flags. 4 min read · Read article →](https://magnoandco.com/blog-general-contractor-somerville-ma) ## Have a question about your project? Plans, a sketch or just an idea — talk to me. You'll get honest advice and a clear written budget and schedule. [Book a free consultation](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ3YJnElSsR4HsHaWVd6BsIBm7JOsDl2n-1EMy9trS9rj8PCyepopoQtl6O7um0eJcFcp5XXYk-Z) [Call 978-397-5700](tel:+19783975700) ## Worked with Magno & Co? A 1-minute Google review helps Somerville neighbors find a builder they can trust, and it means a lot to a small local business. 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