Security deposit return law in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, a landlord must return the security deposit within 30 days (68 P.S. 250.511a-250.512 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, secs. 511.1-512)).

Return deadline: 30 days after the tenancy ends
Deposit cap: Two months' rent (conditions below)
Itemized list of deductions: Required
If you get it wrong: No written list within 30 days: the landlord forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damages to the premises (68 P.S. 250.512(b)).; 68 P.S. 250.511a-250.512 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, secs. 511.1-512). Verified 2026-08-06.

When the clock starts, and what goes with the money

Within 30 days of lease termination or surrender and acceptance (whichever first), the landlord must provide a written list of damages claimed, accompanied by payment of the difference between the deposit (with any unpaid interest) and actual damages.
The tenant must provide a new address in writing at termination or surrender, or the landlord is relieved of liability under this section (68 P.S. 250.512(a), (e)).

How much you can collect

Pennsylvania caps the security deposit at two months' rent (68 P.S. 250.511a-250.512 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, secs. 511.1-512)). The conditions attached to that cap matter as much as the number:

Two months' rent during the first year of a lease; one month's rent during the second and subsequent years (or any renewal after the first year). After five years of occupancy, rent increases can no longer trigger a deposit increase. Residential only; tenant waiver of these limits is void (68 P.S. 250.511a).

What it costs to get this wrong

No written list within 30 days: the landlord forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damages to the premises (68 P.S. 250.512(b)).
Failure to pay the tenant the difference within 30 days: liable for double the amount by which the deposit (plus unpaid interest) exceeds actual damages, with the burden of proving damages on the landlord (250.512(c)).

Holding the deposit

Deposits over $100 must be held in an escrow account at a federally or state-regulated institution, with written notice to the tenant of the bank's name and address and the amount deposited (68 P.S. 250.511b).
From the start of the third year, the deposit must be in an interest-bearing account: the tenant receives the interest annually minus a 1%-per-year administrative fee the landlord may keep (250.511b(b)-(c)).
A guarantee bond from an authorized bonding company may substitute for escrow (250.511c).

Common questions

How long does a Pennsylvania landlord have to return a security deposit?

30 days, under 68 P.S. 250.511a-250.512 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, secs. 511.1-512). Within 30 days of lease termination or surrender and acceptance (whichever first), the landlord must provide a written list of damages claimed, accompanied by payment of the difference between the deposit (with any unpaid interest) and actual damages. When the clock starts and what goes back with the money is covered above.

Does Pennsylvania cap the security deposit?

Yes, two months' rent. Two months' rent during the first year of a lease; one month's rent during the second and subsequent years (or any renewal after the first year). After five years of occupancy, rent increases can no longer trigger a deposit increase. Residential only; tenant waiver of these limits is void (68 P.S. 250.511a).

What happens if a Pennsylvania landlord misses the deadline or withholds wrongly?

No written list within 30 days: the landlord forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damages to the premises (68 P.S. 250.512(b)). The full rule is under "What it costs to get this wrong" above.

Does a Pennsylvania security deposit have to be held a particular way?

Deposits over $100 must be held in an escrow account at a federally or state-regulated institution, with written notice to the tenant of the bank's name and address and the amount deposited (68 P.S. 250.511b). The rest is under "Holding the deposit" above.

The deposit paperwork is the part that gets lost. PropManager keeps the deposit on the lease, the move-out itemization with the tenant's file, and the refund in the ledger, so the record exists before a dispute does.

Sources

68 P.S. 250.511a-250.512 (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, secs. 511.1-512). Source: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/PDF/1951/0/0020..PDF. Verified 2026-08-06.

General information, not legal advice. Check your own lease and any city or county ordinance before you rely on it.