A Pennsylvania lease termination notice is a document which officially announces the upcoming end of a rental tenancy. Either a landlord or tenant may give notice, in most cases at least 30 days in advance.
| Notice Form | Length of Lease |
| 15 Day Notice To Vacate | Periodic / < 1 Year |
| 30 Day Notice To Vacate | 1 + Years |
A Pennsylvania 15 Day Notice To Vacate terminates a lease with a term of one (1) year or less, and all periodic tenancies (e.g. week-to-week or month-to-month), regardless of length. [1] This form may also terminate unwritten rental situations and tenancies under one (1) year in length which are now under an expired lease. The non-terminating party must receive notice at least fifteen (15) calendar days before the date of termination.
A Pennsylvania 30 Day Notice To Vacate terminates a lease with a term of more than one (1) year, and tenancies of more than one (1) year which are now under an expired lease. The non-terminating party must receive notice at least thirty (30) calendar days before the date of termination. [2]
To ensure the legal compliance of a lease termination notice:
It is easy to lose an otherwise justified legal action because of improper notice. Check carefully to ensure enough time after notice is delivered , not when it’s sent.
The “clock” for a lease termination notice starts “ticking” the day after the notice gets delivered (served). For example, to give at least 30 days of notice and terminate a tenancy as of June 30th, delivery of the termination letter must be no later than May 31st.
In most jurisdictions, if the last day of a notice period is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to run until the end of the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.
Pennsylvania landlords and tenants may deliver a lease termination notice using any of these methods: [3]
Except as provided for in subsection (c), in case of the expiration of a term or of a forfeiture for breach of the conditions of the lease where the lease is for any term of one year or less or for an indeterminate time, the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove within fifteen days from the date of service thereof.
In case of the expiration of a term and when the lease is for more than one year, then within thirty days from the date of service thereof.
The notice provided for in this section may be served personally on the tenant, or by leaving the same at the principal building upon the premises, or by posting the same conspicuously on the leased premises.
