Pennsylvania Landlord-Tenant Laws: Key Rental Rules (2026)
Security deposits, notice periods, landlord entry, and other key rental rules in Pennsylvania, each linked to the state law it comes from.
By the ListMyHomes.com™ Editorial TeamPublished Last reviewed
This page summarizes the main landlord-tenant rules in Pennsylvania. Each rule in the table below links to the law it comes from.
Key rules at a glance
| Rule | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Where these laws apply | Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 is not limited to certain counties or cities. Its deposit-limit and deposit-return rules apply only to residential rentals. The act does not apply to a person who is not, and never has been, a tenant. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, §§ 511.1(e), 512(f), 603 |
| Security deposit limit | Up to two months' rent during the first year of a lease. Up to one month's rent during the second and later years, or during any renewal of the original lease. After a tenant has been in possession five years or more, a rent increase does not require a higher deposit. A tenant's waiver of these limits is void. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 511.1(a), (b), (d), (f) |
| Where deposits are held | Deposits over $100 on residential property, under a lease signed or re-signed after the act's effective date, must be placed in an escrow account at an institution regulated by the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the Comptroller of the Currency or the Pennsylvania Department of Banking. The landlord must then tell each tenant in writing the name and address of the bank and the amount deposited. The section states that its provisions apply only after the second anniversary of the deposit. Instead of escrow, a landlord may guarantee the deposit's return with a guarantee bond from a bonding company authorized to do business in Pennsylvania. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, §§ 511.2(a), (c), 511.3 |
| Returning the deposit | Within 30 days after the lease ends or the landlord accepts the tenant's surrender of the unit, whichever comes first, the landlord must give the tenant a written list of damages claimed, with payment of the deposit (and any unpaid interest) minus the actual damages. A landlord who does not give the list within 30 days loses all rights to keep any part of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damage to the unit. A landlord who does not pay the difference within 30 days is liable for double the amount by which the deposit exceeds the actual damages, as determined by a court. A tenant who does not give the landlord a new address in writing at move-out relieves the landlord of liability under this section. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 512(a), (b), (c), (e) |
| Deposit deductions | The landlord may keep the actual damages to the unit caused by the tenant, listed on the written damage list. The landlord may also keep the deposit for unpaid rent or for the tenant's breach of any other lease condition. The landlord must prove the actual damages. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 512(a), (c) |
| Interest on deposits | When a deposit is required to be held in an interest-bearing escrow savings account, the landlord may keep a sum equal to 1% a year of the deposit for administrative expenses; the rest of the interest belongs to the tenant and is paid each year on the anniversary of the start of the lease. The section states that its provisions apply only after the second anniversary of the deposit. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 511.2(b), (c) |
| Landlord entry notice | No notice period in Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no provision) |
| Notice to end a month-to-month lease | When a lease term ends or the lease is forfeited for breach of its conditions, a landlord who wants the property back may give the tenant written notice to leave. For a lease of one year or less, or for an indeterminate time, the notice must give the tenant 15 days from service to leave; for a lease of more than one year, 30 days. The notice may be shorter, or the tenant may waive it, if the lease so provides. Different periods apply to tenants of a mobile home park. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 501(a), (b), (c), (e) |
| Rent-increase notice | No notice period in Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no provision) |
| Late fees | No limit or grace period in Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no provision) |
| Notice for unpaid rent | If the tenant does not pay rent that is due after the landlord demands it, a landlord who wants the property back may give the tenant written notice to leave. The notice must give the tenant 10 days from service to leave. The notice may be shorter, or the tenant may waive it, if the lease so provides. Different periods apply to tenants of a mobile home park. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 501(a), (b), (c), (e) |
| Rent control | Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 does not limit rent amounts. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no provision) |
| Required landlord disclosures | When a deposit is placed in an escrow account, the landlord must tell each tenant in writing the name and address of the bank and the amount deposited (see above). Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 511.2(a) Federal law: For housing built before 1978 (with limited exceptions): before the tenant is bound by the lease, the landlord must give the EPA lead-hazard pamphlet and disclose any known lead-based paint or hazards and any available reports. 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR 745.107 |
| Fair housing protected classes | Race, color, familial status, age, religious creed, ancestry, sex, national origin, and handicap or disability, and the use of a guide or support animal (or being a handler or trainer of one). Age, ancestry and guide or support animal use are in Pennsylvania's list but not in the federal list. A landlord may not evict or try to evict an occupant before the lease term ends because of pregnancy or the birth of a child. Since an amendment of November 25, 2025, race includes traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles, and religious creed includes head coverings and hairstyles historically associated with religious creeds. "Housing accommodation" does not include a personal residence offered for rent by its owner or lessee: a building with living quarters for no more than two individuals, groups or families living independently, used by the owner or lessee as a bona fide residence. Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, §§ 4(bb), (dd), (i), (k), 5(h)(1), (1.1); 42 U.S.C. § 3604 |
What this means for renters
Before you sign, compare the lease's deposit amount, rent due date, and late-fee terms with the rules above. At move-in, record the unit's condition with dated photos. When you move out, give the written notice your lease and the rules above call for, leave a forwarding address, and keep copies of everything you send and receive.
What this means for landlords who manage their own rental
List the unit with its rent, deposit, and lease terms. Screen every applicant by the same written criteria, within fair-housing law. Collect the deposit and give notices following the rules above, and keep records of the unit's condition at move-in and move-out.
List your rental on ListMyHomes.com for one flat fee, or browse rentals in Pennsylvania listed directly by owners.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Pennsylvania?
Up to two months' rent during the first year of a lease. Up to one month's rent during the second and later years, or during any renewal of the original lease. After a tenant has been in possession five years or more, a rent increase does not require a higher deposit. A tenant's waiver of these limits is void. See the source in the table above.
How long does a Pennsylvania landlord have to return a security deposit?
Within 30 days after the lease ends or the landlord accepts the tenant's surrender of the unit, whichever comes first, the landlord must give the tenant a written list of damages claimed, with payment of the deposit (and any unpaid interest) minus the actual damages. A landlord who does not give the list within 30 days loses all rights to keep any part of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damage to the unit. A landlord who does not pay the difference within 30 days is liable for double the amount by which the deposit exceeds the actual damages, as determined by a court. A tenant who does not give the landlord a new address in writing at move-out relieves the landlord of liability under this section. See the source in the table above.
How much notice must a Pennsylvania landlord give before entering?
No notice period in Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. See the source in the table above.
How much notice ends a month-to-month lease in Pennsylvania?
When a lease term ends or the lease is forfeited for breach of its conditions, a landlord who wants the property back may give the tenant written notice to leave. For a lease of one year or less, or for an indeterminate time, the notice must give the tenant 15 days from service to leave; for a lease of more than one year, 30 days. The notice may be shorter, or the tenant may waive it, if the lease so provides. Different periods apply to tenants of a mobile home park. See the source in the table above.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Pennsylvania?
No notice period in Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. See the source in the table above.
How much can a Pennsylvania landlord charge for late rent?
No limit or grace period in Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. See the source in the table above.
How much notice must a Pennsylvania landlord give when rent is unpaid?
If the tenant does not pay rent that is due after the landlord demands it, a landlord who wants the property back may give the tenant written notice to leave. The notice must give the tenant 10 days from service to leave. The notice may be shorter, or the tenant may waive it, if the lease so provides. Different periods apply to tenants of a mobile home park. See the source in the table above.
Does Pennsylvania have rent control?
Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 does not limit rent amounts. See the source in the table above.
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