The notices and their periods
- 10-Day Notice to Pay or Quit — for nonpayment (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)) — 10 calendar days counted from the date of service. Pennsylvania has no statutory grace period unless the lease provides one.
- 15-Day or 30-Day Notice to Quit — for a lease violation or end of term: 15 days if the lease is one year or less (or month-to-month), 30 days if it's more than one year. Pennsylvania's notice is a quit/forfeiture notice — any right to cure comes from the lease, not the statute.
- 10-Day Notice — for illegal-drug activity on the premises (§ 250.505-A).
Ending a tenancy and serving notice
To end a month-to-month tenancy without cause, give a 15-day notice to quit (the lease can shorten or even waive this). Tenancies longer than a year require 30 days. Always check the lease, which controls if it specifies a different period.
The notice to quit precedes filing a Landlord-Tenant Complaint in the Magisterial District Court (or Philadelphia Municipal Court). A defective or mistimed notice gets the case dismissed.
Leases and Philadelphia rules matter
Pennsylvania leases frequently shorten or waive the statutory notice, so the lease is the first thing to check. There's no statewide rent control, but Philadelphia adds local requirements — including an obligation to offer a payment plan before filing for nonpayment in many cases.
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How many days' notice for nonpayment in Pennsylvania?
10 days to pay or quit (68 P.S. § 250.501(b)), counted from the date of service — unless the lease sets a different period.
Does Pennsylvania require a chance to cure a lease violation?
Not by statute. The 15- or 30-day notice is a quit/forfeiture notice; any right to cure within that window comes from the lease.
What notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Pennsylvania?
15 days for a month-to-month or lease of one year or less; 30 days for a lease longer than a year — subject to whatever the lease says.
More notice types: Pay or Quit · Cure or Quit · Unconditional Quit · eviction notices overview. By state: California · Texas · Florida · New York · Illinois · Ohio · Georgia · North Carolina · Michigan · New Jersey · Virginia · Washington · Arizona · Massachusetts · Tennessee · Indiana · Missouri · Maryland · Wisconsin · Minnesota · South Carolina · Alabama · Louisiana · Kentucky · Oregon · Oklahoma · Connecticut · Utah · Nevada · Iowa · Arkansas · Mississippi · Kansas · New Mexico · Nebraska · Idaho · West Virginia · Colorado · Hawaii · New Hampshire · Maine · Montana · Rhode Island · Delaware · South Dakota · North Dakota · Alaska · Vermont · Wyoming · Washington, D.C..
WriteMyNotice.com is a self-help document preparation service, not a law firm, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Eviction rules are strict and vary by state, county, and city — many cities add rent-control or just-cause requirements on top of state law, and an improper or mistimed notice can get an eviction case delayed or dismissed. Verify the current requirements for your property's location and, for contested or high-stakes evictions, consult a landlord-tenant attorney. Statute references verified June 2026.