Pennsylvania Notice to Vacate: Notice Periods and Rules

In Pennsylvania, no statute sets how much notice a tenant gives on a month-to-month tenancy, so one rental period is the safe choice, and landlords give at least 15 days. For unpaid rent, the notice period is 10 days. The details, exceptions and statute citations are below.

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Pennsylvania notice periods at a glance

Tenant ending a month-to-month tenancyNo statute sets a period; one rental period (usually 30 days) is the common practice
No statute; Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 § 501 (68 P.S. § 250.501) governs only the landlord's notice to quit
Landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy15 days
68 P.S. § 250.501(b)
Longer tenancies and special cases30 days' notice to quit for a lease of more than one year (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)). Mobile home parks use longer periods.
Notice for unpaid rent10 days
68 P.S. § 250.501(b)
End of a fixed-term leaseUnless the tenant waived it in the lease, a landlord must serve a notice to quit (15 days for a term of one year or less, 30 days for a longer term) before recovering possession, even at the end of the term. A lease may provide that it renews automatically unless notice is given.
How notice can be deliveredPersonal service on the tenant, leaving it at the main building on the premises, or posting it conspicuously on the premises (68 P.S. § 250.501).

Tenants should give the notice the lease requires (30 days is customary). PA leases often include a waiver of the notice to quit, which courts generally enforce. Philadelphia landlords also face good-cause rules and a pre-filing Eviction Diversion requirement for nonpayment cases.

What a Pennsylvania notice to vacate should include

  • The names of every tenant on the lease and the full address, including unit number
  • The date you are giving the notice and the date the tenancy ends
  • A move-out date that gives at least the minimum notice above, counted from the day the notice is delivered
  • For unpaid rent: the exact amount owed and how to pay it
  • Your name, signature and contact details
  • A record of how and when you delivered it (keep a copy)

Many month-to-month notices must also end on the last day of a rental period, so if rent is due on the 1st, the safest move-out date is the end of a month. Giving more notice than the minimum is fine; giving less usually makes the notice invalid.

Pennsylvania notice to vacate FAQ

How much notice does a tenant have to give in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has no statute that sets the tenant's notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Giving one full rental period in writing (usually 30 days, ending on the day before rent is due) is the common, safe practice, unless your lease says otherwise.

How much notice does a landlord have to give in Pennsylvania?

To end a month-to-month tenancy without a specific reason, at least 15 days (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)). 30 days' notice to quit for a lease of more than one year (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)). Mobile home parks use longer periods.

What is the notice period for unpaid rent in Pennsylvania?

The tenant gets 10 days to pay or move out (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)). If the tenant does neither, the landlord can file an eviction case; only a court can order the tenant out.

How do you deliver a notice to vacate in Pennsylvania?

Personal service on the tenant, leaving it at the main building on the premises, or posting it conspicuously on the premises (68 P.S. § 250.501).

Do I need to give notice at the end of a fixed-term lease in Pennsylvania?

Unless the tenant waived it in the lease, a landlord must serve a notice to quit (15 days for a term of one year or less, 30 days for a longer term) before recovering possession, even at the end of the term. A lease may provide that it renews automatically unless notice is given.

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Sources

Checked October 2026. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules. This page is general information, not legal advice.

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