10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: First year of a lease: no more than two months' rent may be required as escrow (security deposit). Second and subsequent years (or any renewal): no more than one month's rent. After five years of possession, rent increases may not require a matching deposit increase. Applies only to residential rentals. (68 P.S. § 250.511a (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 511.1), confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Within 30 days after the lease ends (or the tenant vacates) and the landlord receives the tenant's forwarding address, return the deposit with an itemized list of any deductions. Missing the deadline forfeits the right to withhold, and a wrongfully-withheld deposit exposes the landlord to double the withheld amount. (68 P.S. § 250.512, confirmed 2026-07).
How Pennsylvania treats the landlord's core obligations
Late fees: No statewide statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no late-fee or late-charge provision. Rent in arrears is recoverable in assumpsit, with interest at the legal rate allowable if equitable (§ 250.301). Late charges are governed by the lease, subject to general contract/penalty doctrine; local rules (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified. (68 P.S. § 250.301 (Act 20 § 301); Act 20 contains no late-fee provision, confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No statewide cap on rental application fees: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no application-fee or screening-fee provision. The only statutory limit on upfront sums is the escrow (security deposit) cap of two months' rent in year one (§ 250.511a). Local rules (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified. (68 P.S. § 250.511a (Act 20 § 511.1); Act 20 contains no application-fee provision, confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: For failure to pay rent on demand, the notice to quit must give the tenant 10 days from service to remove. (Mobile-home-park tenants: 15 days if notice is given Apr 1-Aug 31, 30 days if Sep 1-Mar 31.) Leases commonly contain a waiver of the statutory notice; the Act permits such waivers. (68 P.S. § 250.501(b) (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 501), confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: No statutory notice period for a rent increase. The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 has no rent-increase section; on a periodic tenancy an increase is effected through the lease terms or by notice to quit under § 501 (15 days for leases of one year or less / indeterminate), and some Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g. Philadelphia) impose their own notice rules. (68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. (no rent-increase section); § 250.501(b), confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Notice to quit on expiration of term: 15 days from service where the lease is for one year or less or for an indeterminate time (month-to-month); 30 days where the lease is for more than one year. Mobile-home-park leases: 30 days (under one year) or three months (one year or more). Tenants may waive the notice in the lease. (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)-(c), confirmed 2026-10). Entry: No statewide statutory entry-notice requirement: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no provision on landlord entry or access to an occupied dwelling (the only 'entry' provisions concern cable operators and judgments). Entry terms are governed by the lease; local codes (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified. (68 P.S. §§ 250.101-250.602 (Act 20; no landlord-entry provision), confirmed 2026-10).
Pennsylvania has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What Pennsylvania allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
First year of a lease: no more than two months' rent may be required as escrow (security deposit). Second and subsequent years (or any renewal): no more than one month's rent. After five years of possession, rent increases may not require a matching deposit increase. Applies only to residential rentals.
“No landlord may require a sum in excess of two months' rent to be deposited in escrow for the payment of damages to the leasehold premises and/or default in rent thereof during the first year of any lease.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “2× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-07
Within 30 days after the lease ends (or the tenant vacates) and the landlord receives the tenant's forwarding address, return the deposit with an itemized list of any deductions. Missing the deadline forfeits the right to withhold, and a wrongfully-withheld deposit exposes the landlord to double the withheld amount.
Prefer the official text at legis.state.pa.us for a public citation; the double-damages remedy applies only to the amount wrongfully withheld beyond a proper deduction.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 neither authorizes nor prohibits a separate pet deposit. Any pet deposit is part of the escrow sum, so the combined total may not exceed two months' rent during the first year of the lease and one month's rent in the second and subsequent years (68 P.S. § 250.511a(a)-(b)); waiver is void (§ 250.511a(f)).
“No landlord may require a sum in excess of two months' rent to be deposited in escrow for the payment of damages to the leasehold premises and/or default in rent thereof during the first year of any lease.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Pennsylvania lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no late-fee or late-charge provision. Rent in arrears is recoverable in assumpsit, with interest at the legal rate allowable if equitable (§ 250.301). Late charges are governed by the lease, subject to general contract/penalty doctrine; local rules (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified.
“Any landlord may recover from a tenant rent in arrears in an action of assumpsit as debts of similar amount are by law recoverable. In any such action, interest at the legal rate on the amount of rent due may be allowed if deemed equitable”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
grep for 'late fee', 'late charge', 'grace', 'penalt' found no late-fee rule.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on rental application fees: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no application-fee or screening-fee provision. The only statutory limit on upfront sums is the escrow (security deposit) cap of two months' rent in year one (§ 250.511a). Local rules (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified.
“No landlord may require a sum in excess of two months' rent to be deposited in escrow for the payment of damages to the leasehold premises and/or default in rent thereof during the first year of any lease.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
grep for 'application fee' and 'screening' found nothing.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(d) No statewide rent-increase cap and no statute in the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 addressing rent control. Local rent control is effectively barred for home-rule municipalities by 53 Pa.C.S. § 2962(f), which forbids them from imposing duties or requirements on businesses except as expressly provided by statewide statute; no Pennsylvania municipality currently has a rent-control ordinance (not independently verified).
“A municipality which adopts a home rule charter shall not determine duties, responsibilities or requirements placed upon businesses, occupations and employers ... except as expressly provided by statutes which are applicable in every part of this Commonwealth”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Secondary sources also cite 'Act 268 of 1982' as an express rent-control preemption; The Act 20 PDF contains no occurrence of 'rent control'.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Pennsylvania requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statutory notice period for a rent increase. The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 has no rent-increase section; on a periodic tenancy an increase is effected through the lease terms or by notice to quit under § 501 (15 days for leases of one year or less / indeterminate), and some Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g. Philadelphia) impose their own notice rules.
Absence confirmed by reading the full Act; the engine's 30 days is a conservative convention, not a statutory floor.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Notice to quit on expiration of term: 15 days from service where the lease is for one year or less or for an indeterminate time (month-to-month); 30 days where the lease is for more than one year. Mobile-home-park leases: 30 days (under one year) or three months (one year or more). Tenants may waive the notice in the lease.
“where the lease is for any term of one year or less or for an indeterminate time, the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove within fifteen days from the date of service thereof, and when the lease is for more than one year, then within thirty days”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
For failure to pay rent on demand, the notice to quit must give the tenant 10 days from service to remove. (Mobile-home-park tenants: 15 days if notice is given Apr 1-Aug 31, 30 days if Sep 1-Mar 31.) Leases commonly contain a waiver of the statutory notice; the Act permits such waivers.
“In case of failure of the tenant, upon demand, to satisfy any rent reserved and due, the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove within ten days from the date of the service thereof.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “10 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Pennsylvania landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide statutory entry-notice requirement: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no provision on landlord entry or access to an occupied dwelling (the only 'entry' provisions concern cable operators and judgments). Entry terms are governed by the lease; local codes (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified.
“This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951."”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
every occurrence of 'enter'/'entry'/'access' concerns judgments, ejectment writs or cable-television operators (Article V-B), none landlord entry.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Reasonable notice”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Pennsylvania next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 5 days grace
Capped at 5% of monthly rent or $50; 5 days grace
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
Rent-increase notice
30 days
60 days
60 days
30 days
90 days
30 days
30 days
Non-emergency entry notice
Reasonable notice
48 hours
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
24 hours
24 hours
Reasonable notice
Pay-or-quit notice
10 days
5 days
10 days
3 days
14 days
3 days
No statewide minimum
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Protected statewide
Protected statewide
Protected statewide
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed only with inclusive total pricing
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Lease disclosures on file
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Pennsylvania. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
• Utility responsibility (Philadelphia)
Official sources
Primary sources a Pennsylvania landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Pennsylvania?
First year of a lease: no more than two months' rent may be required as escrow (security deposit). Second and subsequent years (or any renewal): no more than one month's rent. After five years of possession, rent increases may not require a matching deposit increase. Applies only to residential rentals. (68 P.S. § 250.511a (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 511.1), confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Pennsylvania landlord have to return the security deposit?
Within 30 days after the lease ends (or the tenant vacates) and the landlord receives the tenant's forwarding address, return the deposit with an itemized list of any deductions. Missing the deadline forfeits the right to withhold, and a wrongfully-withheld deposit exposes the landlord to double the withheld amount. (68 P.S. § 250.512, confirmed 2026-07).
What is the maximum late fee in Pennsylvania?
No statewide statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no late-fee or late-charge provision. Rent in arrears is recoverable in assumpsit, with interest at the legal rate allowable if equitable (§ 250.301). Late charges are governed by the lease, subject to general contract/penalty doctrine; local rules (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified. (68 P.S. § 250.301 (Act 20 § 301); Act 20 contains no late-fee provision, confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Pennsylvania pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
For failure to pay rent on demand, the notice to quit must give the tenant 10 days from service to remove. (Mobile-home-park tenants: 15 days if notice is given Apr 1-Aug 31, 30 days if Sep 1-Mar 31.) Leases commonly contain a waiver of the statutory notice; the Act permits such waivers. (68 P.S. § 250.501(b) (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, § 501), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Pennsylvania landlord give before entering?
No statewide statutory entry-notice requirement: the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 contains no provision on landlord entry or access to an occupied dwelling (the only 'entry' provisions concern cable operators and judgments). Entry terms are governed by the lease; local codes (e.g., Philadelphia) not verified. (68 P.S. §§ 250.101-250.602 (Act 20; no landlord-entry provision), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Pennsylvania?
No statutory notice period for a rent increase. The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 has no rent-increase section; on a periodic tenancy an increase is effected through the lease terms or by notice to quit under § 501 (15 days for leases of one year or less / indeterminate), and some Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g. Philadelphia) impose their own notice rules. (68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. (no rent-increase section); § 250.501(b), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Pennsylvania?
Notice to quit on expiration of term: 15 days from service where the lease is for one year or less or for an indeterminate time (month-to-month); 30 days where the lease is for more than one year. Mobile-home-park leases: 30 days (under one year) or three months (one year or more). Tenants may waive the notice in the lease. (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)-(c), confirmed 2026-10).
Does Pennsylvania have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Pennsylvania. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Pennsylvania?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Pennsylvania, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Pennsylvania landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 4 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.