Pennsylvania Landlord-Tenant Law 2026: The Plain-English Guide
Pennsylvania's landlord-tenant law (the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951) is middle-of-the-road nationally, but it has one unusual feature: the security deposit cap shrinks after the first year. And if your property is in Philadelphia, the city layers on its own requirements. Here's the plain-English version.
Security deposits
- Year 1: deposits capped at 2 months' rent.
- After year 1: the cap drops to 1 month's rent — if you collected 2 months, you must return the excess above 1 month's rent to the tenant at the start of year 2.
- Holding: deposits over $100 must be kept in a separate account; after the second year, tenants earn interest on it.
- Return deadline: 60 days after move-out, with a written itemized list of any deductions.
- Penalty: bad-faith withholding = up to 2x the deposit.
Use our Security Deposit Deadline Finder and deductions guide.
Rent rules
- No rent control — prohibited statewide.
- Late fees should be in the lease and reasonable; no statutory cap.
- Raising rent: 30 days' notice for month-to-month tenancies is the standard practice. See how to raise rent legally.
Eviction in Pennsylvania
Notice periods depend on the situation:
- Nonpayment: 10-day Notice to Quit.
- Lease violation: 15 days' notice for leases of 1 year or less; 30 days for leases over 1 year.
- End of term (no renewal): 15 days for leases ≤1 year; 30 days for longer leases.
Cases are filed with the Magisterial District Judge — filing is inexpensive and hearings come quickly (often within 2–3 weeks). Uncontested cases typically resolve in 4–6 weeks total. Self-help evictions are illegal. Full process: how to evict a tenant.
Repairs and habitability
- Pennsylvania's implied warranty of habitability can't be waived. Landlords must keep the property fit for its intended use.
- Repair-and-deduct and rent escrow remedies exist but require following strict procedures — tenants generally must give written notice and, for escrow, go through the district court.
- Retaliation for exercising these rights is prohibited.
Entry rights
Pennsylvania has no state statute on entry notice. Standard practice (and what you should put in your lease): 24 hours' notice except for emergencies. Philadelphia's Fair Housing Ordinance adds tenant protections worth checking.
Philadelphia: the extra layer
Philly landlords face additional rules: rental licenses, lead-paint certification requirements, and the city's own eviction diversion program (which has required landlord-tenant mediation before filing in many cases). If you own in Philadelphia, treat it as a separate jurisdiction.
The bottom line
Pennsylvania is manageable: mind the shrinking deposit cap, serve the right notice length for the lease term, and use the district courts — they're fast and cheap. Philadelphia owners should budget extra compliance effort.
This is general information, not legal advice. Philadelphia has significant local ordinances — consult a Pennsylvania landlord-tenant attorney for specific situations.