Pennsylvania security deposit law: 30 days to return it, and the penalty
How long a landlord has to return a security deposit in Pennsylvania, what must be sent, and the penalty, read in Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, Section 512 (68 P.S. 250.512).
The deadline
Within 30 days after the lease ends or you hand back the home, whichever comes first, the landlord must give you a written list of any damages and pay you the rest of the deposit, with any unpaid interest.
You must give the landlord your new address in writing when you leave. Without it, the landlord is not liable under this law.
During the first year of a lease, a deposit cannot be more than two months of rent; after that, one month.
The penalty
Without the written list within 30 days, the landlord loses the right to keep any part of the deposit and cannot sue you for damage to the home.
If the landlord does not pay the difference within 30 days, the landlord owes double the amount by which the deposit is more than the actual damage. The landlord must prove the damage.
What to do
Send a written demand that cites the law, by certified mail or email, and keep proof. If the landlord does not pay, you can file in small claims court in the county of the rental.
Source: Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, Section 512 (68 P.S. 250.512), read on November 3, 2026.