Pennsylvania security deposit: 30 days to get it back
Within 30 days after the lease terminates, or after the tenant surrenders and the landlord accepts the premises (whichever happens first), the landlord must give the tenant a written list of damages it claims and pay the tenant the balance of the deposit plus interest owed.
What the law requires
- Itemized statement
- A written list of any damages to the premises for which the landlord claims the tenant is liable. The list is due within the 30 days, and any balance of the escrowed deposit (with unpaid interest) must be paid by then. No receipt thresholds in the statute.
- Forwarding address
- The tenant must give the landlord a new address in writing at termination or surrender. If the tenant does not, the landlord is relieved of liability under this section (§ 512(e)).
- If the landlord breaks the rules
- If the landlord does not pay the balance within 30 days, it is liable for double the amount by which the escrowed deposit (plus unpaid interest) exceeds the actual damages caused by the tenant. Under § 512(e), the landlord is relieved of liability if the tenant gave no new address in writing.
- Loss of the right to deduct
- A landlord who fails to give the written damage list within 30 days forfeits all rights to withhold any part of the escrowed deposit (including unpaid interest) and to sue the tenant for damages to the premises.
- Deposit cap
- Two months' rent during the first year of a lease; one month's rent in the second and later years or any renewal. (Escrow and interest rules apply to larger deposits; interest-bearing account required from the third year.)
- Small claims limit
- $12,000 in Magisterial District Court
If your landlord misses the deadline
- Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
- Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite 68 P.S. § 250.511b. Give a date to respond.
- If you still aren't paid, file in Magisterial District Court. Deposit claims up to $12,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.
What a Pennsylvania demand letter looks like
Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]
Dear [Landlord name]:
I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].
My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.
[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under 68 P.S. § 250.511b, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 30 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].
Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.
Common questions
How long does a landlord in Pennsylvania have to return a security deposit?
Within 30 days after the lease terminates, or after the tenant surrenders and the landlord accepts the premises (whichever happens first), the landlord must give the tenant a written list of damages it claims and pay the tenant the balance of the deposit plus interest owed.
What happens if a Pennsylvania landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?
If the landlord does not pay the balance within 30 days, it is liable for double the amount by which the escrowed deposit (plus unpaid interest) exceeds the actual damages caused by the tenant. Under § 512(e), the landlord is relieved of liability if the tenant gave no new address in writing. A landlord who fails to give the written damage list within 30 days forfeits all rights to withhold any part of the escrowed deposit (including unpaid interest) and to sue the tenant for damages to the premises.
Do I have to give my Pennsylvania landlord a forwarding address?
The tenant must give the landlord a new address in writing at termination or surrender. If the tenant does not, the landlord is relieved of liability under this section (§ 512(e)).
Where do I sue for my deposit in Pennsylvania?
Deposit claims up to $12,000 can be filed in Magisterial District Court. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- District of Columbia
Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.