Edition: The current standard Hasbro Monopoly with $1,500 in starting cash and $200 for passing GO. Last checked October 25, 2026
Monopoly Rules: How to Play Monopoly
Monopoly is the world's best known property trading game. You buy properties, build houses and hotels, and try to drive everyone else into bankruptcy. Here are the official rules in short, plus answers to the classic arguments.
- Players
- 2 to 6, up to 8 in some editions
- Age
- 8 and up
- Playing time
- 1 to 3 hours
How to win: Be the last player who has not gone bankrupt.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Monopoly.
Do you get the money in the middle when you land on Free Parking?
No.
Free Parking is just a resting space where nothing happens. Taxes and fines go to the bank.
The most popular house rule is to put taxes and fines in the middle and give the pot to whoever lands on Free Parking. It makes the game much longer.
Does a property go to auction if you do not want to buy it?
Yes.
The bank auctions the property right away. Everyone can bid, including the player who just declined to pay full price.
Many families skip the auction and leave the property unsold. That is one reason home games often run so long.
Can you collect rent while you are in jail?
Yes.
In Monopoly you may collect rent while in jail. Matador, the Danish version of Monopoly, has the opposite rule.
Some families make jailed players skip collecting rent to make jail more of a penalty.
Do you get double pay for landing exactly on GO?
No.
You collect $200 whether you land on GO or just pass it.
A popular house rule pays $400 for landing exactly on GO.
Can players lend each other money?
No.
Players may not lend money to each other. You may, however, trade properties with each other for an agreed price.
Some families allow loans or rent free deals as part of a trade.
What you need
- Game board
- 2 dice
- Tokens
- Title deed cards
- Chance and Community Chest cards
- Monopoly money
- Houses and hotels
Setup
- 1Choose a banker, who handles the bank's money, title deeds and buildings.
- 2Each player gets $1,500 from the bank.
- 3Shuffle the two decks of cards and place them on the board.
- 4Put all tokens on GO. Whoever rolls highest goes first.
How to play
- 1Roll both dice and move forward.
- 2If you land on an unowned property, you may buy it for the price on the board.
- 3If you do not want to buy it, the bank auctions the property, and every player can bid, including you.
- 4If you land on someone else's property, you pay rent according to the title deed.
- 5When you pass or land on GO, collect $200 from the bank.
- 6If you roll doubles, roll again. Three doubles in a row sends you straight to jail.
- 7Once you own every property in a color group, you may build houses and hotels.
- 8If you are short on cash, sell buildings back to the bank at half price or mortgage properties.
- 9If you cannot pay your debts, you are bankrupt and out of the game.
Jail
- You go to jail by landing on Go to Jail, drawing a card that says so, or rolling doubles three times in a row.
- You do not collect $200 for passing GO on your way to jail.
- Get out by paying $50 before you roll, using a Get Out of Jail Free card, or rolling doubles.
- After your third failed try, pay $50 and move the number you rolled.
- You may still collect rent and make trades while in jail.
Houses and hotels
- You must own every property in a color group before you can build.
- If you own the whole group with no buildings, rent is doubled.
- Houses must be built evenly across the group.
- With four houses on every property in the group, you can trade up to a hotel.
- If the bank runs out of houses, you have to wait. If several players want the last ones, they are auctioned.
Mortgages
- Properties without buildings can be mortgaged for the value shown on the title deed.
- To lift a mortgage, pay the mortgage amount plus 10 percent.
- A mortgaged property collects no rent.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Monopoly rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do you start with in Monopoly?
In the standard edition each player gets $1,500. Themed editions may use other amounts.
How do you get out of jail in Monopoly?
Pay $50, use a Get Out of Jail Free card, or roll doubles. After three tries without doubles, pay $50 and move.
Are the rules different in old and new editions?
The core rules are the same, but amounts and spaces vary. In older editions, for example, you could choose to pay Income Tax as 10 percent of your total worth, while newer editions use a flat amount. Check the rulebook in your box.
Source: Hasbro's official rulebook for the standard edition and common family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.