Pennsylvania · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Pennsylvania eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Pennsylvania must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

10-day written notice to quit for unpaid rent.

Notice for unpaid rent
10 days
Time to respond in court
The magisterial district judge sets a hearing 7 to 10 days after the summons is issued.
Lockouts
No specific statute

If you get an eviction notice

  1. Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
  2. Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
  3. Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
  4. If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
  5. Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Pennsylvania

Notice for unpaid rent
10-day written notice to quit for unpaid rent. Warning: Pennsylvania law lets a lease shorten or waive this notice, so read your lease. The notice may be handed to you, left at the building, or posted on the home.
Notice for a lease violation
15 days' notice for a lease breach if the lease is for one year or less (or no set term); 30 days if the lease is longer than one year. No right to cure is stated. These periods can also be shortened or waived in the lease.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
15 days' written notice from the landlord to end a month-to-month (indeterminate) tenancy. The statute does not set a notice for tenants; check your lease.
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit
The magisterial district judge sets a hearing 7 to 10 days after the summons is issued. Go to the hearing. If you lose, you have 10 days to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas, and must pay rent into escrow to stop the eviction. In nonpayment cases you can stop the lockout by paying the back rent and costs before the writ is carried out.
Lockouts and utility shutoffs
No state statute expressly bans lockouts or utility shutoffs; the Act calls itself the complete system for evictions, which go through the courts. Only a constable or sheriff acting on a court writ can remove you. Philadelphia and some cities have their own bans. Get legal help if locked out.
Court self-help
The court's eviction self-help page
Law
Act sections 501-503, 513 (68 P.S. §§ 250.501-250.503, 250.513)

Eviction notice timeline for Pennsylvania

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Enter the date you got the noticeThe timeline appears when you pick a date.

Dates are estimates from the rule in our data. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business or court days, and we don't skip holidays.

Where to get free help in Pennsylvania

Retaliation in Pennsylvania

Limited. A landlord may not end or refuse to renew your lease because you or your family joined a tenants' organization (Act section 205). There is no broader state retaliation statute; some cities, like Philadelphia, have their own.

Rent increases and rent control in Pennsylvania

Notice of a rent increase
No statute. A landlord generally can't raise rent during a fixed lease. For month-to-month tenancies, changes usually come with the notice needed to end the tenancy; check your lease.
Rent control
No statewide rent control or rent cap.

Questions about eviction in Pennsylvania

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Pennsylvania?

10-day written notice to quit for unpaid rent. Warning: Pennsylvania law lets a lease shorten or waive this notice, so read your lease. The notice may be handed to you, left at the building, or posted on the home.

How much notice for a lease violation in Pennsylvania?

15 days' notice for a lease breach if the lease is for one year or less (or no set term); 30 days if the lease is longer than one year. No right to cure is stated. These periods can also be shortened or waived in the lease.

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Pennsylvania?

15 days' written notice from the landlord to end a month-to-month (indeterminate) tenancy. The statute does not set a notice for tenants; check your lease.

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Pennsylvania?

The magisterial district judge sets a hearing 7 to 10 days after the summons is issued. Go to the hearing. If you lose, you have 10 days to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas, and must pay rent into escrow to stop the eviction. In nonpayment cases you can stop the lockout by paying the back rent and costs before the writ is carried out.

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Pennsylvania?

No state statute expressly bans lockouts or utility shutoffs; the Act calls itself the complete system for evictions, which go through the courts. Only a constable or sheriff acting on a court writ can remove you. Philadelphia and some cities have their own bans. Get legal help if locked out.

More for Pennsylvania renters

Eviction in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.