Pennsylvania Landlord-Tenant Law
Know your rights as a renter in Pennsylvania. This guide covers security deposits, landlord entry, rent increases, eviction protections, and more under Pennsylvania law.
Legal basis: Pennsylvania landlord-tenant law — Pennsylvania Statutes
30
Days to Return Deposit
2 months' rent
Max Deposit
No state rule
Entry Notice
Not Required
Deposit Escrow
Max Deposit shows the short version — read the full rule below.
What Pennsylvania law says about deposits
Maximum Deposit
2 months' rent (1 month after first year)
Return Deadline
30 days
Penalties, interest & late-fee rules under Pennsylvania law
If your deposit is wrongfully or late returned
A landlord who misses the 30-day written list of damages forfeits the right to withhold any of the deposit or to sue for damages to the unit; one who does not pay the difference within 30 days owes double the amount by which the deposit exceeds the actual damages, and must prove those damages (68 P.S. § 250.512(b)-(c)).
Interest on your deposit is required
Interest required after 2 years of tenancy; tenant entitled to the interest earned minus 1% admin fee.
Grace period
No mandatory grace period
Must be in the lease
Yes — a late fee is only enforceable if it is written into your lease
Your privacy protections
Required Notice Period
No state rule
No Pennsylvania statute sets entry notice; your lease's terms apply
No Pennsylvania statute sets how much notice a landlord must give before entering. Your lease's entry terms apply, so check what it says about notice and entry times.
No notice statute; no caps
Legal basis: No Statute
No set deadline in statute
Legal basis: 35 P.S. § 1700-1
No general statewide ban
Legal basis: 68 P.S. § 250.205; Phila. Code § 9-804(2)
No statewide early-exit law
Legal basis: No state statute
Self-help illegal
Legal basis: 68 P.S. §§ 250.501-250.504; Attorney General's tenant guide
Important facts about Pennsylvania rental law
Pennsylvania limits security deposits to 2 months' rent (1 month after the first year).
Pennsylvania landlords must return deposits within 30 days of move-out.
Pennsylvania landlords must pay interest on deposits held over 2 years.
Philadelphia has additional tenant protections beyond state law.
Something else? Contact our team
In Pennsylvania, the security deposit limit is 2 months' rent (1 month after first year).
Pennsylvania landlords must return security deposits within 30 days after you move out.
No Pennsylvania statute sets how much notice a landlord must give before entering, so your lease's entry terms apply.
Late fees in Pennsylvania: No statutory cap. No mandatory grace period.
No notice statute; no caps. No Pennsylvania statute sets how much notice a landlord must give before raising rent. A landlord's notice to quit is 15 days for a lease of a year or less, 30 days for a longer lease, unless the lease waives it (68 P.S. § 250.501). No statewide rent cap. Source: No Statute.
No set deadline in statute. No Pennsylvania statute sets a general repair deadline (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951). Rent can be withheld only after a city inspection or health department certifies the home unfit (35 P.S. § 1700-1). Applies only in cities of the first, second, second A and third class, not boroughs or townships (35 P.S. § 1700-1). Withheld rent must go into an approved escrow account: to the landlord if fixed within 6 months, back to you if not (35 P.S. § 1700-1). You cannot be evicted while rent is held in escrow (35 P.S. § 1700-1). Source: 35 P.S. § 1700-1.
No general statewide ban. Pennsylvania has no general state law against a landlord retaliating because you complained or used your legal rights (Attorney General's Consumer Guide to Tenant and Landlord Rights). Narrow protections: your lease cannot be ended or not renewed because you took part in a tenants' association (68 P.S. § 250.205), and the Utility Service Tenant Rights Act and the state and federal fair housing laws bar retaliation in their own areas. Philadelphia bars ending or changing a lease in retaliation for a complaint, for joining a lawful organization or for any other exercise of a legal right (Phila. Code § 9-804(2)). Other cities, boroughs and townships may have their own rules. Source: 68 P.S. § 250.205; Phila. Code § 9-804(2).
No statewide early-exit law. Pennsylvania has no statewide law that lets a domestic violence victim end a lease early. Philadelphia has a local ordinance for renters in the city; a bill to create a statewide right (HB 72) has not become law. A court protection order may be able to order the abuser out of the home. If your home is federally assisted (public housing or a voucher), the federal Violence Against Women Act gives separate protections. A domestic violence hotline (1-800-799-7233) or legal aid can help you plan a safe move. Source: No state statute.
Self-help illegal. Self-help evictions are illegal: a landlord may not change your locks or shut off your utilities to start an eviction (Attorney General's Consumer Guide to Tenant and Landlord Rights). Court process required: notice to quit, complaint, hearing and judgment, then a writ of possession carried out by a writ server, constable or sheriff (68 P.S. §§ 250.501-250.504). Contact police if locked out. Source: 68 P.S. §§ 250.501-250.504; Attorney General's tenant guide.
Pennsylvania tenants have rights including security deposit protections, notice requirements for landlord entry, habitability standards, and protections against retaliation. Use Honestkey to analyze your specific lease against Pennsylvania law.
Plain-language answers that apply in Pennsylvania and beyond
Zillow and HUD figures by city
Upload it now and see your first red flags in the free preview.
Check my lease free