Landlord laws
Pennsylvania landlord-tenant law
The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (Act 20 of 1951) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (Act 222 of 1955), official text at palegis.us
Last verified Oct 2026
General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the statute and consult a licensed attorney in your state before acting.
| Topic | Rule (plain English) | Statute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security deposit cap | Up to 2 months' rent in the first year of the lease, and up to 1 month's rent from the second year on (including renewals). After a tenant has been there 5 years, a rent increase can't come with a higher deposit. Tenants can't waive these limits. | Landlord and Tenant Act § 511.1 | Verified |
| Deposit return deadline | Within 30 days after the lease ends or you accept surrender, give a written list of damages and pay back the rest of the deposit plus any unpaid interest. If you don't send the list in time, you lose the right to withhold any of it. Wrongful withholding can cost double the excess. The tenant must give you a forwarding address in writing. | Landlord and Tenant Act § 512 | Verified |
| Deposit holding and interest | After the deposit's second anniversary, hold deposit amounts over $100 in an escrow account at a regulated bank, and tell the tenant in writing the bank's name and address and the amount. In an interest-bearing account you keep 1% a year for administration, and the rest of the interest goes to the tenant each year on the lease anniversary. You may post a bond instead of escrow. | Landlord and Tenant Act §§ 511.2, 511.3 | Verified |
| Late fee cap and grace period | Not specified in state statute. Pennsylvania statutes set no late-fee cap and require no grace period. We checked the full Landlord and Tenant Act. Put the fee in the lease and keep it reasonable. (Reasonableness is decided under case law and contract law.) Note: Late-fee limits come from case law and contract law, not statute. | 68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. | Not in statute |
| Landlord entry notice | Not specified in state statute. No statute sets a notice period for landlord entry. We checked the full Landlord and Tenant Act. Set entry terms in the lease. Note: Entry rights rest on the lease and general contract law, not statute. | 68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. | Not in statute |
| Rent increase notice | Not specified in state statute. No statute sets a rent-increase notice period. We checked the full Landlord and Tenant Act. You can't raise rent mid-lease unless the lease allows it. Ending a lease of a year or less, or one with no set term, takes a 15-day notice to quit (§ 501(b)). | Landlord and Tenant Act § 501(b) | Not in statute |
| Rent control status | Not specified in state statute. No state statute creates or bans rent control. We checked the full Landlord and Tenant Act. There is no statewide rent control. Note: Whether municipalities may enact rent control is a question of case law and municipal-powers law, not the Landlord and Tenant Act. | 68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. | Not in statute |
| Eviction notice: nonpayment | After demanding the rent, give a written 10-day notice to quit. Serve it in person, leave it at the main building, or post it conspicuously on the property. The lease may shorten or waive this notice. | Landlord and Tenant Act § 501(b), (e), (f) | Verified |
| Eviction notice: lease violation | For a breach that forfeits the lease, give a 15-day notice to quit if the lease is for 1 year or less (or has no set term), or a 30-day notice if it's longer than 1 year. Illegal-drug cases take 10 days (§ 505-A). The lease may shorten or waive notice. The statute does not require a chance to cure. | Landlord and Tenant Act § 501(b), (d), (e) | Verified |
| Required disclosures | When deposit money goes into escrow, tell the tenant in writing the bank's name and address and the amount (§ 511.2(a)). For pre-1978 housing, give the federal lead-paint disclosure (40 CFR 745.113). No other statewide disclosure appears in the Act. | Landlord and Tenant Act § 511.2(a); 40 CFR 745.113 | Verified |
| Fair housing beyond federal law | Pennsylvania adds age (40+), ancestry, and use of a guide or support animal to the federal classes. It also bars evicting someone mid-lease because of pregnancy or the birth of a child. Note: renting a personal residence by its owner is excluded from "housing accommodations." Local ordinances may add more. | Pa. Human Relations Act §§ 4(h)–(i), 5(h) | Verified |
Last verified Oct 2026 · Sources are official state legislature sites. Federal rules also apply.
Tools for Pennsylvania landlords
Late fee calculator
Model grace periods and fees.
Open →Prorated rent calculator
Mid-month move-ins.
Open →Rent increase calculator
New rent and annual impact.
Open →General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the statute and consult a licensed attorney in your state before acting.