Understanding Evictions in Pennsylvania
Before filing for eviction in Pennsylvania, landlords must serve tenants with a notice that matches the situation. We offer templates for missed rent, lease violations, or ending a lease.
Use our document editor to create a Pennsylvania eviction notice that fits your case. Download it in PDF or Word format when you’re ready.
Types of Eviction Notices in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania outlines several eviction notice types, each connected to the tenant’s actions. They also come with a distinct notice period to help you follow state laws.
10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
You can serve a 10-day notice to tenants who haven’t paid rent on time. Under 68 PS § 250.501(b), they have 10 days to pay the overdue amount or leave the property. If the tenant settles the outstanding rent before the notice period ends, they can maintain their tenancy. This notice can be served immediately after the rent due date passes.
10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
Landlords must give tenants 10 days to pay rent before eviction can proceed in court.
15-/30-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance
If the tenant breaks a rule of the lease, you have two options depending on the lease length. For leases of a year or less, tenants receive a 15-day notice to remedy the breach or vacate the property. Leases exceeding a year require a 30-day notice per 68 PS § 250.501(b). According to § 501(d) and § 505-A, the use of illegal drugs on the property can lead to a 10-day notice to quit.
15-/30-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance
Inform a tenant of a lease violation (15 days' notice for leases less than a year long and 30 days' notice for leases more than a year long)
15-Day Notice Lease Termination
You only have to give a 15-day notice to end a lease that’s less than a year, per 68 PS § 250.501. It doesn’t need a reason, as it’s for no-cause terminations.
15-Day Notice Lease Termination
Let a tenant know that you’re ending a lease. In Pennsylvania, landlords must give tenants 15 days’ notice to move out if the lease term is one year or less.
30-Day Notice Lease Termination
If a tenant is on a lease that lasts longer than a year, you must give 30 days’ notice per 68 PS § 250.501. If a tenant remains on the property after legal lease termination, you may initiate eviction proceedings.
30-Day Notice Lease Termination
Landlords must give tenants 30 days’ notice to move out if the lease term is more than one year.
How to Evict a Tenant in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, eviction lawsuits are governed by 246 Pa. Code Chapter 500, Actions for the Recovery of Possession of Real Property.
Step 1: Give the Tenant the Eviction Notice
Landlords must provide tenants with an eviction notice before they can go to court to have them evicted. It must be in writing and given to the tenant in person or posted on their door. It must also provide the reason for eviction. Depending on the cause, such as late rent or violating the lease, landlords in Pennsylvania must give tenants a specific frame to fix the problem.
Tenants have ten days to move out for failing to pay rent and either 15 or 30 days for not complying with the lease agreement (depending on whether or not they’ve lived in the rental property for one year). Pennsylvania doesn’t require a grace period for late rent. The eviction process stops if the landlord accepts payment after sending a notice to pay rent or quit.
Step 2: File an Eviction Lawsuit
If the tenant fails to respond to the notice, the landlord can go to court to file an eviction lawsuit. The rental property’s location determines which Pennsylvania county or municipality the landlord must file.
Step 3: Attend the Court Hearing
After the landlord formally files their complaint, hearing dates will be set for the landlord and tenant(s). If the lawsuit goes to court, the tenant may pay all overdue rent and any court costs to stop an eviction. This right, often called “pay and stay,” is outlined in § 503(c).
Step 4: Issue an Order of Possession
At the court hearing, the tenant and landlord present their case. If the landlord wins the judgment, they can issue an order of possession after ten days. This allows a sheriff or other official to enter the premises and forcibly remove the tenant if necessary.
Related Court Forms
- Order of Possession: Used when the landlord wins a judgment to have the tenant evicted and their property returned to them.
- Landlord/Tenant Complaint (AOPC 310A): Issued by a landlord when a tenant has broken the lease agreement.
