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HB 558PENNSYLVANIASession 2025-2026State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Pennsylvania Caps Residential Rental Application Fees at $20 and Restricts Fee Use to Background Checks

Original title: 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.

Last action · October 22, 2026: Act No. 67 of 2026, Oct. 22, 2026Sponsors: Mary Isaacson and 15 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Pennsylvania restricts residential landlords and their agents from charging rental application fees exceeding $20 and mandates that these fees be used exclusively for conducting criminal history and credit s. The measure takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Why it matters

Caps out-of-pocket costs for prospective residential tenants applying for housing and restricts landlords from using application fees for general revenue purposes.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

residential rental applicants

Prospective tenants face a $20 cap on application fees and have assurance that fees are used solely for screening.

Directly affected

landlords and rental agents

Landlords are restricted from charging more than $20 for residential applications and must limit fee usage to criminal and credit background checks.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum amount a landlord can charge for a residential rental application fee under this bill?

A landlord or their agent may not charge more than $20 for a residential rental application fee.

What can landlords use the rental application fee money for?

Landlords may only use the fee to conduct s, which must include checking the applicant's criminal history record and credit score.

Does this bill apply to commercial property rentals?

No, the bill specifies that nothing in the section prohibits or requires charging a fee for commercial or nonresidential property.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

22 actions

Oct 22, 2026Governor of Pennsylvania
Act No. 67 of 2026, Oct. 22, 2026
Oct 22, 2026Governor of PennsylvaniaEnrolled
Approved by the Governor, Oct. 22, 2026
Oct 22, 2026Governor of PennsylvaniaEnrolled
Presented to the Governor, Oct. 22, 2026
Oct 22, 2026Senate
Signed in Senate, Oct. 22, 2026
Oct 21, 2026House
Signed in House, Oct. 21, 2026
Oct 21, 2026SenateFloor
Third consideration and final passage, Oct. 21, 2026 (36-14)

Show 16 earlier actions

Oct 19, 2026SenateCommittee
Re-reported as committed, Oct. 19, 2026
Oct 19, 2026SenateCommittee
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Oct. 19, 2026
Oct 19, 2026SenateFloor
Second consideration, Oct. 19, 2026
Oct 7, 2026SenateIntroduced
First consideration, Oct. 7, 2026
Oct 7, 2026SenateCommittee
Reported as committed, Oct. 7, 2026
May 7, 2026SenateCommittee
Referred to URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, May 7, 2026
May 7, 2026Senate
In the Senate
May 4, 2026HouseFloor
Third consideration and final passage, May 4, 2026 (148-53)
May 4, 2026HouseCommittee
Re-reported as committed, May 4, 2026
Apr 29, 2026House
Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS, April 29, 2026
Apr 29, 2026HouseFloor
Second consideration, April 29, 2026
Apr 28, 2026House
Removed from table, April 28, 2026
Apr 13, 2026House
Laid on the table, April 13, 2026
Apr 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
First consideration, April 13, 2026
Apr 13, 2026House
Reported as amended, April 13, 2026
Feb 12, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Feb. 12, 2025

Version history & redline

2 versions on file

Comparing Printer's No. 0562 → Printer's No. 3170

removed addedOfficial 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 WARREN, WAXMAN AND WAXMAN, SMITH-WADE-EL, FEBRUARY 12, 2025 REFERRED TO AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FEBRUARY 12, 2025 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 […] only use a rental application fee to conduct a background check on the applicant. A background check under this subsection shall include a check<--

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Related Legislation

State Bill

Pennsylvania Caps Residential Rental Application Fees at $20 and Restricts Fee Use to Background Checks

Pennsylvania restricts residential landlords and their agents from charging rental application fees exceeding $20 and mandates that these fees be used

State Bill

Pennsylvania House Bill 530 establishes expedited police removal of unauthorized occupants and creates first-degree felony criminal mischief for building trespassers

Pennsylvania House Bill 530 allows law enforcement officers to remove unauthorized occupants and trespassers from real property based on a property ow

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State Bill

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Pennsylvania House Bill 72 establishes early lease termination and lock-change rights for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking

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Connected Entities

The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951

otherThe Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951“The existing act being amended by the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.palegis.us

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy35
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level

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What This Bill Does

Who It Affects

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

News Coverage

Where This Stands

Procedural history

Version history & redline

Lobbying Activity

Full breakdown

Sponsors

Related Legislation

Pennsylvania Caps Residential Rental Application Fees at $20 and Restricts Fee Use to Background Checks

Pennsylvania House Bill 530 establishes expedited police removal of unauthorized occupants and creates first-degree felony criminal mischief for building trespassers

Pennsylvania requires residential leases to disclose parking fees and bans mid-lease fee hikes

Pennsylvania House Bill 573 prohibits nonrefundable security deposits and pet fees in residential leases

Pennsylvania Bill Regulates Rental Property Borrowing, Abandonment, and Receivership Standards

Pennsylvania House Bill 914 establishes state-calculated annual rent increase limits and capital improvement surcharge rules for landlords

Pennsylvania House Bill 734 Requires Landlords to Relocate Temporarily Displaced Tenants and Return Security Deposits Upon Permanent Displacement

Pennsylvania requires clear disclosures and renewal notices for automatic renewal service contracts

Pennsylvania House Bill 72 establishes early lease termination and lock-change rights for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking

Connected Entities

Sources

Analysis Score

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