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

30 days after the lease terminates or the premises are surrendered and accepted, whichever comes first (68 P.S. § 250.512).

What the statute says

The Pennsylvania letter restates the statute this way:

Under section 512(a) of the Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, 68 P.S. § 250.512, within thirty days of the termination of a lease, or the surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever occurs first, a landlord must give the tenant a written list of any damages for which the landlord claims the tenant is liable, and must pay the tenant the difference between the deposit, with any unpaid interest, and the actual damages. The same subsection allows a landlord to refuse to return the deposit for nonpayment of rent or for breach of another condition of the lease.

Statute: 68 P.S. § 250.512. Read the statute.

Last reviewed: October 2026