Pennsylvania Lease Agreement: What to Include
December 11, 2025Pennsylvania's landlord-tenant rules are governed primarily by the state's Landlord and Tenant Act, with one especially distinctive feature: a security deposit limit that changes based on how long the tenant has occupied the unit.
The two-tier security deposit rule
Pennsylvania caps the security deposit at two months' rent for the first year of a tenancy, dropping to one month's rent for the second year and beyond. After two years of tenancy, landlords are also required to pay interest on the deposit, less a small permitted administrative fee. This tiered structure is easy to overlook with a generic template.
Deposit return
Deposits (or the remaining balance after deductions) must generally be returned within 30 days of move-out, with a written list of any damages and estimated repair costs if amounts are withheld.
Required disclosures
A Pennsylvania lease should include or accompany:
- • Federal lead-based paint disclosure (for pre-1978 buildings)
- • Plain-language consumer notices, where applicable under Pennsylvania's Plain Language Consumer Contract Act
- • Local rental registration or lead paint requirements, where applicable (Philadelphia and some other cities have their own additional rules)
Eviction notice
Pennsylvania generally requires a 10-day notice before filing for eviction related to nonpayment or lease violations, though the specific notice period can depend on the reason and any lease terms addressing it.
The bottom line
The two-tier deposit cap based on tenancy length is the single most distinctive Pennsylvania rule, and it's exactly the kind of detail a generic lease template gets wrong. See LeasePilot HQ's full Pennsylvania landlord-tenant law summary for the complete breakdown with sources, or generate a lease with Pennsylvania-specific clauses built in automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I charge two months' rent as a deposit for a renewing tenant?
Only for the first year of the tenancy — once a tenant has been in the unit for a year, Pennsylvania law caps the deposit at one month's rent going forward, and any excess held from the first year should be adjusted accordingly.
Does Philadelphia have different rules than the rest of Pennsylvania?
Yes — Philadelphia has additional local requirements (including a rental license and, in some cases, specific lead-safe certification rules) beyond the statewide Landlord and Tenant Act. Check Philadelphia's specific ordinances if your property is in the city.
When does interest on the deposit start accruing?
Pennsylvania requires deposit interest starting after the tenant has been in the unit for two years, not from day one — a detail that's easy to miss if you're used to states that require interest on every deposit.