If you’re a landlord seeking to evict a tenant, use a Pennsylvania (PA) eviction notice to begin the process. Your eviction notice must be written according to Pennsylvania state law, and give your tenant the legally required amount of time to respond or move out.
In Pennsylvania, eviction lawsuits are governed by Article V of the Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951.
Pennsylvania Eviction Notices by Type
Download a free eviction notice customized for Pennsylvania state law below in MS Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF format.
15-Day Lease Termination: Use this notice to let a tenant know that you’re ending a lease and that they must prepare to leave your property. In Pennsylvania, landlords must give tenants 15 days’ notice to move out if the lease term is one year or less.
Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF
30-Day Lease Termination: Use this notice to let a tenant know that you’re ending a lease and that they must prepare to leave your property. In Pennsylvania, landlords must give tenants 30 days’ notice to move out if the lease term is more than one year.
Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF
15-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they’ve broken the terms of your lease. In Pennsylvania, landlords must give tenants 15 days’ notice before eviction begins if the lease term is one year or less. During that time, tenants may have the option to fix (or “cure”) the problem.
Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF
30-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Compliance: Use this notice to begin evicting a tenant if they’ve broken the terms of your lease. In Pennsylvania, landlords must give tenants 30 days’ notice before eviction begins if the lease term is more than one year. During that time, tenants may have the option to fix (or “cure”) the problem.
Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF
10-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit: Use this notice to evict a tenant if they haven’t paid rent on time. In Pennsylvania, landlords must give tenants 10 days to pay rent before eviction can proceed in court.
Download: Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF
If you wish to send a letter simply reminding your tenant that rent is late (without the threat of eviction), use a late rent notice.
Eviction Laws & Requirements
- Eviction Lawsuit: Chapter 500
- Grace Period for Rent Payment: No grace period for rent payment is required by Pennsylvania law.
- Non-Payment of Rent: 10 days § 501(b)
- Illegal Drugs: 10 days § 501(d) & § 505-A
- Non-Compliance: 15 or 30 days § 501(b)
- Lease Termination (Month-to-Month Lease): N/A
- Pay and Stay: During an eviction hearing, the tenant can stay in the rental property if they pay all overdue rent and court costs. § 503(c)
What is the Eviction Process in Pennsylvania?
The eviction process in Pennsylvania begins by delivering the appropriate eviction notice to your tenant.
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 give the reason for eviction. Depending on the reason, such as late rent or violating the lease, landlords in Pennsylvania must give tenants a certain frame to fix the problem.
Tenants have 10 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). The tenant may pay all overdue rent and any court costs to stop an eviction if the lawsuit goes to court. This is called the right to “pay and stay”.
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.
Eviction Resources for Pennsylvania State Landlords and Tenants
Landlords
Actions by a landlord, such as changing the locks or turning off the utilities, aren’t allowed until the eviction process has been finalized by a court in the landlord’s favor.
Ensure any notice given contains the correct information and is filed correctly. If you need to appear in court, all documentation must be accurate to win the eviction lawsuit.
Visit the following websites for more information:
Tenants
Tenants have many rights under Pennsylvania law. If you are a tenant facing eviction, resources are available to help you.
Visit the following websites for more information: