Pennsylvania Statewide Rule

Pennsylvania Rent Increase Notice Requirements

Few RestrictionsApplies statewide across Pennsylvania (2026)

Pennsylvania has no statute setting a rent-increase notice period and no rent control, so the lease governs. A landlord cannot raise rent mid-term on a fixed lease but may increase it at renewal or, for a month-to-month tenancy, by serving the notice the lease requires to end and re-let the term.

Key Facts

Statutory notice period: No statutory requirement
Rent control: None statewide
Governed by: Lease terms
Mid-lease increase: Not allowed on fixed term
Customary practice: Written notice before renewal

Last verified: 2026-06-27

Full Breakdown

No provision of the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (68 P.S. Sections 250.101 et seq.) sets a notice period for rent increases, and Pennsylvania has no statewide rent control. For a fixed-term lease the rent is locked until the term ends; the landlord may propose a higher rent at renewal. For a month-to-month tenancy, raising rent effectively means ending the existing term and offering a new one, so practitioners apply the termination notice in 68 P.S. Section 250.501 (15 days for terms of one year or less, 30 days for longer) absent a different lease term. Written notice stating the new amount and effective date is standard practice but is dictated by the lease, not by statute.

Violations & Penalties

No specific statutory penalty. A tenant is not bound by an increase that violates the lease or that takes effect during a fixed term, and may treat an improperly noticed increase as ineffective.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much notice must a Pennsylvania landlord give before raising rent?

No state statute sets a number. The lease controls. For month-to-month tenancies, landlords commonly give at least the 15- or 30-day termination notice from 68 P.S. Section 250.501, but only the lease binds them.

Is there a cap on how much rent can increase in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania has no statewide rent control, so a landlord may raise the rent by any amount at renewal as long as the lease and proper notice are followed.

Can my landlord raise rent during a fixed-term lease in Pennsylvania?

No. On a fixed-term lease the rent stays the same until the term ends, unless the lease itself expressly allows a mid-term increase.

Sources

68 P.S. Section 250.501 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951)

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.