Landlord-Tenant Law in Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Residential landlord-tenant matters throughout Franklin County are governed by the Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq.). Franklin County government has no county-wide landlord-tenant ordinances beyond Pennsylvania state law. Eviction actions are filed in the Magisterial District Court for the district in which the property is located, with appeals going to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in Chambersburg.
Franklin County has no county-wide landlord-tenant ordinances. Local rules apply at the municipal level.
Category
Details
Rental Registration / Licensing
Franklin County has no county-wide landlord-tenant ordinances. Chambersburg Borough and Waynesboro Borough may have local code enforcement requirements. Verify with the applicable municipality before renting.
Rent Control
None. Pennsylvania state law does not permit local rent control. No municipality in Franklin County has rent stabilization.
Local Notice Requirements
None beyond Pennsylvania state requirements. Nonpayment: 10 days. Lease violation / end of term (lease ≤1 yr): 15 days. Lease violation / end of term (lease >1 yr): 30 days.
Security Deposit
Governed by PA state law. Year 1 maximum: 2 months’ rent. Year 2+: 1 month’s rent. Return within 30 days with itemized deduction list. Double damages for wrongful withholding. (68 P.S. § 250.511a – 250.512)
Last verified: 2026-03-15
🏛️ Franklin County Courthouse
Where landlords file eviction actions
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Tenant Can Cure?Yes - tenant can pay all rent owed at any time before writ of possession is executed to supersede the writ (68 PS §250.503(c))
Days to Hearing7-15 days
Days to Writ10-15 days
Total Estimated Timeline30-60 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-$500
⚠️ Watch Out
Lease can SHORTEN or WAIVE notice requirements - always check lease first. 10-day notice is the default but lease may allow less. Tenant can pay all rent before writ execution to stop eviction. MDJ judgment can include both possession and money. Appeal to Court of Common Pleas results in trial de novo. Philadelphia has Eviction Diversion Program (mandatory since 2022 for nonpayment).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Magisterial District Court (MDJ) / Philadelphia Municipal Court. Pay the filing fee (~$60-150).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Pennsylvania eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Pennsylvania attorney or local legal aid organization.
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Ready to File?
Generate Pennsylvania-Compliant Legal Documents
AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Pennsylvania requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Verify income at 3x monthly rent, check eviction history through the MDJ system, and call prior landlords directly. Apply consistent standards across every application regardless of market segment.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Franklin County occupies south-central Pennsylvania along the Maryland border, wedged between the South Mountain range to the east and the Tuscarora Mountain to the west. The county’s 772 square miles are primarily agricultural and small-town in character, anchored by Chambersburg — the county seat and largest community — and the borough of Waynesboro to the south. The county’s position along the I-81 corridor makes it an important distribution and logistics county, and its proximity to both Harrisburg to the north and the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area to the south gives it a commuter market character in its eastern communities.
Chambersburg: The Market Anchor
Chambersburg, with a population of approximately 22,000, is one of south-central Pennsylvania’s larger communities and serves as the commercial, governmental, and healthcare center for Franklin County and the surrounding region. Chambersburg Hospital (part of WellSpan Health) and the broader healthcare sector are significant employers. The county’s manufacturing base — which includes distribution operations along the I-81 corridor — provides working-class employment that anchors the primary rental demand segment. The rental market in Chambersburg and the surrounding townships is affordable by Pennsylvania standards, with consistent demand from working families, healthcare workers, and the distribution sector workforce whose employment has grown with the logistics industry’s expansion along the I-81 corridor.
The I-81 Logistics Corridor
Interstate 81 runs north-south through Franklin County and is one of the most heavily trafficked logistics corridors on the East Coast. The warehousing and distribution operations that have located along this corridor — attracted by its connectivity to major markets from Florida to Canada — generate significant working-class employment that creates consistent rental demand throughout the county’s communities accessible to the highway. For landlords, this means a steady tenant base of logistics workers whose employment is geographically tied to the county’s distribution facilities and whose housing needs are conventional and straightforward.
The Eviction Process
Franklin County’s eviction process follows Pennsylvania’s standard MDJ framework with appeals to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in Chambersburg. The county’s relatively stable economic profile produces moderate eviction rates. Standard documentation discipline applies throughout the county’s MDJ districts.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, the applicable Magisterial District Court, or a licensed Pennsylvania attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: March 2026.
