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HB558 • 2025

An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

Housing Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
ISAACSON
Last action
2026-05-07
Official status
Referred to URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, May 7, 2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

A02832

04/13/26

04/13/26

Plain English: H0558B0562A02832 MAB:JMT 04/07/26 #90 A02832 AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO.

  • H0558B0562A02832 MAB:JMT 04/07/26 #90 A02832 AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO.
  • 558 Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE MARKOSEK Printer's No.
  • 562 Amend Bill, page 1, lines 14 through 19; page 2, line 1; by striking out "not charge a rental application fee of more" in line 14, all of lines 15 through 19 on page 1 and all of line 1 on page 2 and inserting only charge a fee that is reasonably related to the actual administrative expenses incurred and may not use fees as a general revenue source.
  • Amend Bill, page 2, line 2, by striking out "(c)" and inserting (b) Amend Bill, page 2, line 3, by inserting after "charging" or require a person to charge Amend Bill, page 2, line 4, by inserting after "commercial" , residential 2026/90MAB/HB0558A02832 - 1 - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-07 S

    In the Senate

  2. 2026-05-07 URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING

    Referred to URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, May 7, 2026

  3. 2026-05-04 APPROPRIATIONS

    Re-reported as committed, May 4, 2026

  4. 2026-05-04 H

    Third consideration and final passage, May 4, 2026 (148-53)

  5. 2026-04-29 H

    Second consideration, April 29, 2026

  6. 2026-04-29 APPROPRIATIONS

    Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS, April 29, 2026

  7. 2026-04-28 H

    Removed from table, April 28, 2026

  8. 2026-04-13 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

    Reported as amended, April 13, 2026

  9. 2026-04-13 H

    First consideration, April 13, 2026

  10. 2026-04-13 H

    Laid on the table, April 13, 2026

  11. 2025-02-12 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

    Referred to HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Feb. 12, 2025

Official Summary Text

An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 562 PRINTER'S NO. 3170
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 558
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY ISAACSON, CARROLL, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, DONAHUE, GREEN,
HILL-EVANS, HOHENSTEIN, HOWARD, KENYATTA, NEILSON, PIELLI,
SANCHEZ, WARREN, WAXMAN AND SMITH-WADE-EL, FEBRUARY 12, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 13, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), entitled "An
act relating to the rights, obligations and liabilities of
landlord and tenant and of parties dealing with them and
amending, revising, changing and consolidating the law
relating thereto," in creation of leases, statute of frauds
and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental
applications.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known
as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 207. Rental Applications. --( a) A landlord or the
landlord's agent may not charge a rental application fee of more
than twenty dollars ($20) to apply to enter into a rental
agreement for a residential dwelling unit.
(b) A landlord or the landlord's agent may only use a rental
application fee to conduct a background check on the applicant.
A background check under this subsection shall include a check
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of the applicant's criminal history record and credit score.
ONLY CHARGE A FEE THAT IS REASONABLY RELATED TO THE ACTUAL
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES INCURRED AND MAY NOT USE FEES AS A
GENERAL REVENUE SOURCE.
(c) (B) Nothing in this section shall be construed to
prohibit a person from charging OR REQUIRE A PERSON TO CHARGE a
rental application fee to apply to enter into a rental agreement
for commercial , RESIDENTIAL or nonresidential property.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250HB0558PN3170 - 2 -
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