Philadelphia Landlord Guides

These guides are written for small and first-time Philadelphia landlords — owners of a row home, a duplex, or a small multifamily building who need to understand the rules without wading through city code. Some requirements come from Philadelphia ordinance and apply only within the city limits, like the Rental License and the Certificate of Rental Suitability. Others come from Pennsylvania state law and apply to landlords anywhere in the state, like security deposit limits and the eviction process. We note which level of government each rule comes from so you know where to look it up.

If you are new to renting out property in Philadelphia, read the guides in this order: start with the Rental License guide to get licensed, then the Lead-Safe Certification guide if your property was built before 1978, then the Certificate of Rental Suitability guide for the document you give each new tenant. After that, read the Security Deposit Rules guide so you handle deposits correctly from day one, and keep the Eviction Process guide bookmarked in case you ever need it.