Pennsylvania Rental Fee Rules
Pennsylvania rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute - Pennsylvania has no statewide cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq.
The rules in Pennsylvania
| Application / screening fees | No statute - Pennsylvania has no statewide cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. |
|---|---|
| Other rental fees | No statewide statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in the Landlord and Tenant Act. Source: 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq. |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
Pennsylvania vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | No statute - Pennsylvania has no statewide cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq. | No statewide statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in the Landlord and Tenant Act. 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq. |
| Delaware | Capped at the greater of 10% of the monthly rent or $50. Landlord must give a receipt for the full amount and keep application-fee records for at least 2 years; demanding more than allowed entitles the applicant to double the fee charged. Credit/investigation charges may not exceed the specific cost of the investigation, and no other 'assurance money' may be taken from an applicant (other than a deposit reserving the unit for a set time). Application records must be kept 6 months; the AG Consumer Protection Unit enforces. 25 Del. C. §§ 5514(d), 5310 | A landlord may not charge any nonrefundable fee as a condition of occupancy, except optional fees for actual services (e.g., pool or tennis court fee). Late charges are capped at 5% of monthly rent and cannot be imposed until rent is more than 5 days late; if the landlord has no in-county office for payment, the due date is extended 3 days. Cash rent payments require a receipt within 15 days. 25 Del. C. §§ 5311, 5501(d)-(e) |
| Maryland | There is no dollar cap. If any non-deposit fee charged to an applicant exceeds $25, the landlord must return it within 15 days after move-in or after either party says in writing that no tenancy will occur. The landlord may keep only the amount actually spent on a credit check or other application expenses. Penalty for not returning it: twice the fee. The application must explain the tenant's liabilities and these rules. Does not apply to landlords offering 4 or fewer units on one parcel or location, or to seasonal or condominium rentals. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-213 | Move-in cap: a lease may not require more than the security deposit plus the first month's rent to start the lease and move in. Late fees are capped at 5% of the unpaid rent (weekly leases: $3 a week, $12 a month). A lease may not make the tenant pay the District Court filing surcharge assessed against the landlord, except as § 7-301(c)(5)(ii) of the Courts Article allows. The landlord may charge no more than $5 for the 6-day eviction notice. The lease must include the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights. Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-208(c)(4), 8-208(d)(3), (11), (13); 8-407(b)(3) |
| New Jersey | Capped at $50. A landlord or agent may not require an application or similar fee above $50 to apply to lease or sublease a residential unit. The cap is adjusted each January 1 by the Division of Consumer Affairs in line with the regional CPI. Exempt: units in one- or two-family dwellings, and real estate licensees who are not the landlord. Violations carry penalties of up to $500 (first), $750 (second), and $1,000 (each later offense), enforced in the Special Civil Part on complaint of the Division of Consumer Affairs director or the Attorney General; the overcharge is refunded to the applicant from the penalty. N.J.S.A. 46:8-18.1 (P.L.2025, c.405); 46:8-18.2 | Limited. A landlord may not require rent or other lease payments to be made by electronic funds transfer, including automatic recurring transfers. If a lease lets the landlord recover attorney's fees or expenses (including as 'additional rent'), the law reads in a matching right for a tenant who wins to recover theirs, and the lease must state this in bold type. Application fees are capped (see application_fees). No statute found that caps move-in or convenience fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. N.J.S.A. 46:8-49.1; 2A:18-61.66, 2A:18-61.67 |
| New York | Application fees are banned. Apart from fees required by statute or regulation, a landlord may not charge any fee to process, review, or accept an application, or any other payment before or at the start of the tenancy, except a background/credit check fee. That fee is capped at the lesser of the actual cost or $20. It must be waived if the applicant provides a background or credit check from the past 30 days. The landlord may collect it only after giving the applicant a copy of the check and the receipt or invoice. Lease waivers are void. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1), (3) | No payment, fee, or charge may be demanded before or at the start of the tenancy other than the security deposit (max one month's rent under GOL § 7-108) and the capped background/credit check fee. Late fees: only after rent is 5 days late, capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. Bounced-check fees: only if the lease provides for them, capped at the greater of the landlord's actual costs or the GOL § 5-328(3) amount. Lease waivers are void. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1)(a), (2), (2-a), (3) |
| Ohio | No statute. Ohio has no cap, refund rule, or portable-screening-report rule for rental application fees. Ohio Rev. Code ch. 5321 (no application-fee section) | No statute. Chapter 5321 sets no limits on move-in, convenience, or other rental fees and no fee-disclosure rule. Lease clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees are unenforceable (§ 5321.13), and unconscionable terms may be refused enforcement (§ 5321.14). Ohio Rev. Code §§ 5321.13, 5321.14 |
| West Virginia | No cap. An application fee (money paid to be considered as a tenant) is not a security deposit only if the parties expressly agree in writing that it is nonrefundable; otherwise it is treated under the security-deposit rules. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(2), (14) | No general junk-fee statute. Pet fees and application fees are excluded from the security deposit only if expressly agreed in writing to be nonrefundable. Deposits may cover late charges only if specified in the rental agreement and reasonable. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14); § 37-6A-2(b)(1) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Compare rental fees in all 50 states and DC →
Pennsylvania Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in Pennsylvania?
No statute - Pennsylvania has no statewide cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq.)
What rental fees are banned or limited in Pennsylvania?
No statewide statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in the Landlord and Tenant Act. (68 P.S. 250.101 et seq.)
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.