How long does an eviction take in Pennsylvania?
For unpaid rent, expect about 7 weeks from the first notice to the lockout, and anywhere from 5.5 to 11 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in Pennsylvania actually earn?
We'll prefill Pennsylvania's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $1,252/mo
- Property tax 1.16%–1.21%
- Insurance $539–$1,180/yr
- Vacancy 4.8%–4.9%
The Pennsylvania eviction timeline
Each step comes from Pennsylvania's rules, with the source linked. The typical case adds up to about 7 weeks; a contested hearing adds about 3 more. Timeline model.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
10 days10 days from service of the notice to quit when the tenant fails, on demand, to pay rent due (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)); a written lease can shorten or waive the notice (§ 250.501(e))
- 2
File and get a judgment
7–15 days · typical 12Hearing set 7-15 days after filing
- 3
Judgment to lockout
21–30 daysOrder for possession after the 10-day appeal period; tenant then has 10 days before lockout
- 4
If the tenant appeals
10-day window10 days to appeal a possession judgment (30 for domestic-violence victims)
Can the tenant pay and stay? In a case based only on unpaid rent, the tenant can stop the eviction at any time before the writ of possession is executed by paying the rent in arrears and costs (68 P.S. § 250.503(c)). official source Source ↗
Evicting in Philadelphia? City rules add to the state rules. Philadelphia eviction timeline, fees and protections →
What an eviction costs in Pennsylvania
Court fees come from the fee schedules we found, and each one says where it applies. Fees we couldn't verify are labeled Unverified and use the national default range. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Statewide$102.50–$1712026: $102.50 up to $2,000; $125.50 $2,001-$4,000; $171 $4,001-$12,000 (service extra)
Serving the tenant
Unverified · national default$30–$77No official amount verified for Pennsylvania yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Unverified · national default$75–$180No official amount verified for Pennsylvania yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this state; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this state.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,252/moPennsylvania median gross rent, ±$12. The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
Statewide rules that can slow things down
Statewide rent control: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Statewide just-cause rules: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Right to counsel for tenants: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Local rules: Philadelphia has a local right-to-counsel program.
Pennsylvania scores 62 out of 100
Faster timelines, fewer chances to pay-and-stay and fewer statewide tenant protections score higher.
Pennsylvania eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Pennsylvania?
A nonpayment eviction in Pennsylvania typically takes about 7 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 5.5 to 11 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an LandlordCost estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked Oct 17, 2026.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Pennsylvania?
10 days from service of the notice to quit when the tenant fails, on demand, to pay rent due (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)); a written lease can shorten or waive the notice (§ 250.501(e)).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in Pennsylvania by paying the rent?
In a case based only on unpaid rent, the tenant can stop the eviction at any time before the writ of possession is executed by paying the rent in arrears and costs (68 P.S. § 250.503(c)).
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Pennsylvania?
The court filing fee is $102.50-$171 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Pennsylvania?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Pennsylvania costs a landlord roughly $2,700 to $4,000: about 7 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,252/month (about $2,000), court and service fees of about $208-$428 (some are national defaults because we could not verify them), and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 11 weeks can pass $5,600. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
Is Pennsylvania landlord-friendly for evictions?
Pennsylvania scores 62 out of 100 on the LandlordCost landlord-friendliness score (timeline 29.2/50, right to cure 3/20, statewide tenant protections 30/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Pennsylvania: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: states.json · states.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourcelegis.state.pa.us ↗
- Notice period (backup)secondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourcepacodeandbulletin.gov ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcepacodeandbulletin.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourcepacodeandbulletin.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcepacodeandbulletin.gov ↗
- Service feeunverifiednone found
- Lockout feeunverifiednone found
- Right to cureofficial sourcelegis.state.pa.us ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
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