Pennsylvania Eviction Laws

Pennsylvania rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.

Short answer: 10-day written notice to quit. Act § 501(b) (68 P.S. § 250.501(b))

The rules in Pennsylvania

Notice for unpaid rent	10-day written notice to quit. IMPORTANT: the notice period may be shortened or waived entirely if the lease so provides (§ 501(e)); waivers of notice are common. Notice may be served personally, left at the principal building, or posted conspicuously (§ 501(f)). Source: Act § 501(b) (68 P.S. § 250.501(b))
Notice for lease violations	Lease of 1 year or less or indeterminate term: 15 days' notice to quit. Lease of more than 1 year: 30 days. Illegal-drug grounds under § 505-A: 10 days. No statutory right to cure. Notice may be waived in the lease (§ 501(e)). Mobile home park residents have longer periods (§ 501(c)). Source: Act §§ 501(b), 501(d), 505-A (68 P.S. §§ 250.501, 250.505-A)
Lockouts & utility shutoffs	Self-help eviction is prohibited: a landlord may not change locks or shut off utilities to evict; the landlord must use the court process. No statewide statutory damages amount for lockouts was found. Utility companies must give tenants 30 days' notice before shutoff for the landlord's nonpayment (68 P.S. § 399.6, per AG guide). Source: PA AG Consumer Guide (Part V.C); Landlord and Tenant Act Art. V

How an eviction case works in Pennsylvania

Eviction cases are heard in: Magisterial District Court (Philadelphia Municipal Court in Philadelphia).

Written notice to quit: 10 days (nonpayment), 15 or 30 days (lease end/breach) unless waived in the lease (68 P.S. § 250.501)
Landlord files a landlord-tenant complaint with the magisterial district judge
Summons issued for a hearing not less than 7 nor more than 10 days from the date of the summons; served personally, by mail, or by posting (68 P.S. § 250.502)
Hearing; judgment for possession, damages and rent (68 P.S. § 250.503(a))
Tenant may appeal to the Court of Common Pleas within 10 days of judgment (residential); appeal stays eviction only if rent/judgment amount is deposited (68 P.S. § 250.513)
After the 5th day following judgment (court rules: 10 days), landlord requests writ/order of possession; it is served within 48 hours and executed on the 11th day after service (68 P.S. § 250.503(b))
Removal by constable or sheriff; nonpayment-only tenants can stop the writ by paying rent in arrears and costs before execution (§ 503(c))

Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Pennsylvania — steps, costs, timeline and forms.

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Pennsylvania vs. neighboring states

Eviction: Pennsylvania vs. neighboring states
State	Notice for unpaid rent	Notice for lease violations	Lockouts & utility shutoffs
Pennsylvania	10-day written notice to quit. Act § 501(b) (68 P.S. § 250.501(b))	Lease of 1 year or less or indeterminate term: 15 days' notice to quit. Lease of more than 1 year: 30 days. Illegal-drug grounds under § 505-A: 10 days. Act §§ 501(b), 501(d), 505-A (68 P.S. §§ 250.501, 250.505-A)	Self-help eviction is prohibited: a landlord may not change locks or shut off utilities to evict; the landlord must use the court process. PA AG Consumer Guide (Part V.C); Landlord and Tenant Act Art. V
Delaware	After the late-fee grace period (5 days after rent is due), landlord may serve a written demand giving the tenant at least 7 days to pay before filing for summary possession. If the tenant pays all rent due before the landlord files, the landlord cannot file on that nonpayment and cannot refuse the rent. 25 Del. C. § 5502(a), (c)	Written notice and at least 7 days to cure a material breach of the lease or rules. If a substantially similar breach recurs within 1 year, no new cure notice is needed. No cure period where the breach causes or threatens irreparable harm, or for certain criminal convictions. 25 Del. C. § 5513	Without a valid court order, a landlord may not oust or exclude the tenant. Tenant may recover possession or terminate, and recover the greater of treble damages or 3 times per diem rent for the exclusion period, plus costs (not attorney fees). Landlord may not shut off utility service for nonpayment of rent or utility charges or for any other breach. 25 Del. C. §§ 5313, 5312(e)
Maryland	Before filing a failure-to-pay-rent case, the landlord must give the tenant written notice of intent to file (Maryland Judiciary form DC-CV-115) giving the tenant 10 days to pay. Notice may be sent by first-class mail with certificate of mailing, affixed to the door, or (if the tenant elected it) by email, text, or tenant portal with proof of transmission. The complaint must state the date notice was given. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-401(c)	30 days' written notice that the tenant is in violation of the lease and that the landlord wants to repossess; 14 days' written notice if the breach involves behavior showing a clear and imminent danger of serious harm. The court may evict only if it finds the breach was substantial and warrants eviction. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-402.1(a)(1), (b)(1)	Prohibited. A landlord may not take or threaten to take possession by locking out the tenant, willfully cutting heat, running water, hot water, electricity, or gas to force the tenant out, or by any other action. Possession may be taken only under a court warrant of restitution executed by a sheriff or constable, or after abandonment/surrender. Remedy: actual damages plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs; other remedies also available. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-216
New Jersey	No notice to quit is required before filing for nonpayment of rent. The written notice requirement of N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.2 expressly excludes nonpayment (and failure to pay a valid rent increase). The tenant can stop the case by paying the rent claimed plus accrued costs to the court clerk on or before entry of final judgment. After a warrant of removal is posted, or a lockout is carried out, for nonpayment, the tenant has 3 business days to pay all rent due. The landlord must accept that payment (cash, certified check, money order, or a rental-assistance program or charity) and the case is then dismissed. N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(a), 2A:18-61.2, 2A:18-55, 2A:42-10.16a, 46:8-49.3	Disorderly conduct: a written notice to cease, then a 3-day notice to quit. Willful or grossly negligent damage to the premises: a 3-day notice to quit. Continued substantial violation of reasonable rules or lease covenants, or habitual late payment of rent: a written notice to cease, then a one-month notice to quit. Drug, assault, theft, or human-trafficking grounds: a 3-day notice. Notices must state the cause in detail and be served personally, at the residence on a family member over 14, or by certified mail (regular mail if the certified letter is not claimed). N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(b)-(e), (j), (n)-(r); 2A:18-61.2(a)-(b)	Self-help eviction is illegal. A residence may be entered or retaken without the occupant's consent only through legal eviction process, and only a court officer may execute a warrant for possession. It is a disorderly persons offense, after a warning from police or another official, to take possession without a lawful warrant, including by changing or padlocking locks, removing belongings, or shutting off heat, electricity, water, or other vital services. A second offense within 5 years is a fourth-degree crime. A displaced tenant may re-enter with a police officer present. In a civil action, the tenant can recover possession, all damages, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees, or treble damages if return to possession is not appropriate. N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1, 2A:39-2, 2A:39-8; 2C:33-11.1; 2A:42-10.16
New York	14-day written rent demand before filing a nonpayment proceeding. Separately, if rent is not received within 5 days of the due date, the landlord must send the tenant a certified-mail notice that rent was not received; failure is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment case. N.Y. RPAPL § 711(2); N.Y. RPL § 235-e(d)	No general statewide statutory cure-notice period (lease terms govern). Where Good Cause Eviction applies, the tenant must be given written notice and 10 days to cure a substantial lease violation before eviction on that ground. In any lease-breach eviction case, the court must grant a 30-day stay of the warrant during which the tenant may cure. N.Y. RPL § 216 (Good Cause); N.Y. RPAPL § 753(4)	Self-help eviction is illegal: no force/threats, cutting off essential services, removing belongings or the door, or changing/disabling locks to remove an occupant who has lived there 30+ days or has a lease. Owner must restore the occupant. Penalties: class A misdemeanor; civil penalty of $1,000-$10,000 per violation plus up to $100/day (max 6 months) for failing to restore. N.Y. RPAPL § 768; RPL § 235 (willful failure to furnish water, heat, light, power, etc.)
Ohio	3-day written notice to leave the premises before filing an eviction (forcible entry and detainer) action. The residential notice must conspicuously state: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance." Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.04	For a tenant's failure to meet obligations under § 5321.05 that materially affects health and safety, the landlord may give written notice specifying the problem and a termination date at least 30 days after receipt; if not remedied, the rental agreement ends. The 3-day notice to leave (§ 1923.04) is then required before filing. Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.11	Landlord may not recover possession by cutting off utilities or services, excluding the tenant (lockout), or threatening unlawful acts, and may not seize the tenant's belongings to collect rent without a court order. Landlord is liable for all damages plus reasonable attorney's fees. Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.15
West Virginia	No pre-filing notice required by statute. Landlord may file a verified petition for summary relief for rent arrears directly in magistrate or circuit court. W. Va. Code § 55-3A-1(a)	No pre-filing notice required by statute for summary relief based on breach of a warranty or leasehold covenant, or on deliberate/negligent damage to the property. W. Va. Code § 55-3A-1(a)	Not verified yet

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Pennsylvania Eviction Laws FAQ

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

10-day written notice to quit. (Act § 501(b) (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)))

How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Pennsylvania?

Lease of 1 year or less or indeterminate term: 15 days' notice to quit. Lease of more than 1 year: 30 days. Illegal-drug grounds under § 505-A: 10 days. (Act §§ 501(b), 501(d), 505-A (68 P.S. §§ 250.501, 250.505-A))

Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Pennsylvania?

Self-help eviction is prohibited: a landlord may not change locks or shut off utilities to evict; the landlord must use the court process. (PA AG Consumer Guide (Part V.C); Landlord and Tenant Act Art. V)

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.