Rules of Monopoly

The object of the game is to become the wealthiest player through

buying, renting and selling of property.



28 Title Deed cards (one for each property), and play money. 




given $1500 divided as follows:

  • 2 $500's, 2 $100's, 2 $50's, 6 $20's, 5 $10's, 5 $5's, and 5 $1's.
    All remaining money and other equipment go to the Bank.



the Bank.

Banker and Auctioneer.

Besides the Bank's money, the Bank holds the Title Deeds, and the houses




the players and loans money when required on mortgages.


properties which it sells and auctions. The Bank "never goes broke." If the


on any ordinary paper.

Starting with the Banker, each player in turn throws the dice. The player with the highest total starts the play. Place your token on the corner marked "GO", then throw the dice and move your token (in the direction of the arrow) the number of spaces indicated by the dice.







Whenever you land on an unowned property you may buy that

property from the Bank at its printed price. You receive the

Title Deed card showing ownership. Place the title deed card




and receives the Title Deed card for that property.

Any player, including the one who declined the option to buy



If the property is mortgaged, no rent can be collected. When a property is mortgaged, its Title

Deed card is placed face down in front of the owner.

It is an advantage to hold all the Title Deed cards in a color-group (i.e., Boardwalk and Park Place, or Connecticut, Vermont and Oriental Avenues) because the owner may then charge double rent for unimproved properties in that colour-group. This rule applies to unmortgaged properties even if another property in that colour-group is mortgaged.

It is even more advantageous to have houses or hotels on properties because rents are much higher than for unimproved properties. The owner may not collect the rent if they fail to ask for it before the second player following throws the dice.

When you land on either of these spaces, take the top card from the deck indicated, follow the instructions and return the card face down to the bottom of the deck. The "Get Out of Jail Free" card is held until used and then returned to the bottom of the deck. If the player who draws it does not wish to use it, then they may sell it, at any time, to another player at a price agreeable to both.


You land in Jail when...
(1) Your token lands on the space marked "Go to Jail",
(2) You draw a card marked "Go to Jail" or
(3) You throw doubles three times in succession.


into Jail. Your turn ends when you are sent to Jail.


the usual manner on your next turn. You still are able to collect rent on your

properties because you are "Just Visiting".

A player gets out of Jail by...
(1) Throwing doubles on any of your next three turns,

spaces shown by your doubles throw. Even though you had thrown doubles,

you do not take another turn.
(2) Using the "Get Out of Jail Free Card"
(3) Purchasing the "Get Out of Jail Free Card" from another player and playing

(4) Paying a fine of $50 before you roll the dice on either of your next two

turns. If you do not throw doubles by your third turn, you must pay the

$50 fine. You then get out of Jail and immediately move forward the number

of spaces shown by your throw.

houses and hotels and collect rents.

This is just a "free" resting-place.

When a player owns all the properties in a colour-group they may buy houses from the Bank
and erect them on those properties.


If you buy one house, you may put it on any one of those properties. The next house you buy must be erected on one of the unimproved properties of this or any other complete colour-group you may own. The price you must pay the Bank for each house is shown on your Title Deed card for the property on which you erect the house. The owner still collects double rent from an opponent who lands on the unimproved properties of there complete colour-group.

Following the above rules, you may buy and erect at any time as many houses as your judgement and financial standing will allow. But you must build evenly, i.e., you cannot erect more than one house on any one property of any colour-group until you have built one house on every property of that group. You may then begin on the second row of houses, and so on, up to a limit of four houses to a property. For example, you cannot build three Houses on one property if you have only one house on another property of that group.

As you build evenly, you must also break down evenly if you sell houses back to the Bank (see SELLING PROPERTY).

When a player has four houses on each property of a complete colour-group, they may buy a hotel from the Bank and erect it on any property of the colour-group. They return the four houses from that property to the Bank and pay the price for the hotel as shown on the Title Deed card. Only one hotel may be erected on any one property.






In order to lift the mortgage, the owner must pay the Bank the amount of mortgage plus 10% interest. When all the properties of a colour-group are no longer mortgaged, the owner may begin to buy back houses at full price.


You are declared bankrupt if you owe more than you can pay

either to another player or to the Bank. If your debt is to


have of value and retire from the game.


must return these to the Bank in exchange for money to the

extent of one-half the amount paid for them.
This cash is given to the creditor. If you have mortgaged

property you also turn this property over to your creditor but


The new owner who does this may then, at their option, pay the principal or hold the property until some later turn, then lift the mortgage. If they hold property in this way until a later turn, they must pay the interest again upon lifting the mortgage.


RULES FOR A SHORT GAME (60 to 90 minutes)
There are three changed rules for this Short Game.
1. During PREPARATION for play, the Banker shuffles the pack of Title Deed cards, then the player to the left cuts them, then the Banker deals out two, one at a time, to each player. The players must immediately pay the Bank the printed price of each. Play then begins as in the regular game.
2. In this short game, it is necessary to have only three houses (instead of four) on each lot of a complete colour-group before the player may buy a hotel.
Rent for a hotel remains the same as in the regular game.
The turn-in value of a hotel is still one-half the purchase price, which in this game is one house fewer than in the regular game. 
3. END OF GAME. The first player to go bankrupt retires from play, as in the regular game. However, when the second bankruptcy occurs, the game ends. Play immediately ceases, with the bankrupt player's turning over to there creditor all that they have of value, including buildings and any other properties.
This happens whether the creditor is a rival player or the Bank.
Each remaining player then values his/her property.
(1) Cash on hand 
(2) Lots, Utilities and Railroads owned, at the price printed on the board.
(3) Any mortgaged property owned, at one-half the price printed on the board. 
(4) Houses, valued at purchase price.
(5) Hotels, valued at purchase price including the value of the
three houses turned in.


© 2016 by Official Game Rules. Designed by Cal McKinley

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