Pennsylvania landlord rules: deposits, late fees and notices

Security deposit

Maximum deposit

2 months' rent

Return deadline

30 days after the tenancy ends

Penalty for late return

2x wrongfully withheld amount

Interest owed

Not in our data

Note

2 months in year one, 1 month thereafter

Work out the return date for a move-out

Source: 68 P.S. §250.511

Late fees

Rule

none set by statute

Grace period

Not in our data

No statute cited in our data

Notice periods

Notice to pay or quit

10 days

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

15 (<1 yr) / 30 (1 yr+)

Notice before entering a unit

Not in our data

Note

Philadelphia has its own notice and diversion rules

Work out the last day of a notice

No statute cited in our data

Screening

Source-of-income protection

Only where a local ordinance adds it.

Note

Philadelphia, State College, Pittsburgh ordinances

No statute cited in our data

Licensing

To manage for others

A real-estate broker license, to manage property for others.

No statute cited in our data

How long an eviction takes

Slow: about 2 to 4 months. This is a rough tier from our data, not a court timeline.

Also worth knowing

• Philadelphia: rental license + lead-safe certification + MANDATORY eviction-diversion program before filing

A federal rule that can override this

Notice for nonpayment on covered properties

30 days

Note

Applies to 'covered properties' (federally backed mortgage or federal housing program). The 30-day notice requirement has no statutory sunset and courts are split - safest practice is a 30-day nonpayment notice on any covered property, regardless of shorter state timelines.

Source: CARES Act §4024