Housing & Tenant · Eviction Notice
Eviction Notice in Pennsylvania
How many days of written notice a landlord must give before filing an eviction in Pennsylvania, broken down by reason, and what you can do about it, cited to the statute.
Every notice period in Pennsylvania
The written notice for each reason a landlord can end a tenancy, and what each one means.
This is the fact that most changes the answer in Pennsylvania. Under §250.501(e), a written lease can shorten the notice to quit or waive it entirely, and most pre-printed Pennsylvania residential leases include a waiver. If your lease waives notice, the landlord can file without giving you the 10, 15, or 30-day notice at all. Read your lease for a notice-waiver clause.
| Reason for the notice | Notice in Pennsylvania | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Nonpayment of rent | 10 days | A 10-day notice to quit for unpaid rent before filing (68 P.S. §250.501(b)), unless the lease waives it. Paying the rent and costs before a judgment can still stop a nonpayment eviction under Pennsylvania pay-and-stay practice. |
| Lease violation or end of term (one year or less) | 15 days | For a lease of one year or less, or a month-to-month tenancy, a 15-day notice to quit for a breach or at the end of the term (§250.501(b)). |
| Lease violation or end of term (more than one year) | 30 days | For a lease of more than one year, a 30-day notice to quit for a breach or at the end of the term (§250.501(b)). |
| End of a fixed-term lease | 15 / 30 days | Pennsylvania has no separate no-cause notice. Ending at the end of the term uses the same 15-day (one year or less) or 30-day (more than one year) notice to quit, subject to any lease waiver. |
| After the notice | Court | After the notice to quit expires (or immediately, if the lease waived it), the landlord files a landlord-tenant complaint before a magisterial district judge. The tenant gets a hearing and can contest. A tenant who loses can appeal to the court of common pleas, usually within 10 days. |
| Statute | 68 Pa. Stat. §250.501 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 §501) | The controlling statute for these notice periods. Read the full text through the source link below. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if you have received an eviction notice in Pennsylvania. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check your lease for a notice waiver
Before counting any days, read your lease for a clause that waives the notice to quit. Most pre-printed Pennsylvania leases have one. If notice is waived, the landlord can file without the usual 10, 15, or 30-day notice, so you may have less time than you expect.
- Pay the rent to stop a nonpayment case if you can
Pennsylvania lets a tenant facing a nonpayment eviction pay the rent due plus filing costs, often up until the judgment, and keep the tenancy. If you can pay, do it promptly and get written proof the case is resolved.
- Go to the district court hearing
If the landlord files, the case goes before a magisterial district judge and you get a hearing date. Show up with your lease, receipts, and photos. A tenant who loses can usually appeal to the court of common pleas within about 10 days.
- Get free Pennsylvania eviction help
The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PALawHelp) has county-specific tenant materials, court forms, and guides, and can connect you with a local legal aid office before your hearing.
If you have received a notice, you can still act. This resource explains your rights and the deadlines, and points you to local help.
→ PALawHelp (Eviction)This is general legal information, not legal advice. Read your own lease and check for a local ordinance, since either can change the notice that applies to your home.
What Pennsylvania renters get wrong
Pennsylvania sets clear notice-to-quit periods, then lets most leases wipe them out. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, codified at 68 P.S. §250.501, a landlord gives a 10-day notice to quit for unpaid rent, and a 15-day notice for a lease of one year or less or 30 days for a lease of more than one year for a breach or at the end of the term. The catch is subsection (e): a written lease can shorten the notice or waive it entirely, and most pre-printed Pennsylvania residential leases include exactly that waiver. So the statutory periods are the starting point, but many tenants have already given up their right to any notice by signing the lease. There is better news on unpaid rent: Pennsylvania practice lets a tenant pay the rent owed plus costs, often right up to judgment, and keep the home. After the notice runs, or immediately if it was waived, the landlord files before a magisterial district judge, and a tenant who loses can usually appeal within about 10 days. Reading your lease for a waiver clause is the first thing to do.
Common questions
How many days notice does a landlord give before eviction in Pennsylvania?
By statute, 10 days for unpaid rent, and 15 days for a lease of one year or less or 30 days for a lease over one year for a breach or end of term (68 P.S. §250.501). But a written lease can waive notice entirely, and most Pennsylvania leases do, so many tenants receive no notice before the landlord files.
Can a Pennsylvania lease waive the notice to quit?
Yes. Under §250.501(e), a written lease can shorten the notice to quit or waive it completely. Most pre-printed residential leases in Pennsylvania include a waiver clause. If yours does, the landlord may file a landlord-tenant complaint without giving you the 10, 15, or 30-day notice.
Can I stop a Pennsylvania eviction by paying the rent?
Often yes for a nonpayment case. Pennsylvania practice lets a tenant pay the rent due plus filing costs, frequently up until the judgment is entered, and remain in the home. Pay promptly and get written confirmation that the case is resolved and the tenancy continues.
How much notice to end a month-to-month lease in Pennsylvania?
For a month-to-month tenancy or a lease of one year or less, the notice to quit is 15 days; for a lease of more than one year it is 30 days (§250.501(b)). As with other notices, a lease can shorten or waive the requirement.
What court handles evictions in Pennsylvania?
A landlord files a landlord-tenant complaint before a magisterial district judge (in Philadelphia, the Municipal Court). The tenant gets a hearing and can contest. A tenant who loses can usually appeal to the court of common pleas within about 10 days, which can pause removal.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.