Landlord-Tenant Law in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Luzerne County is the anchor county of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Wyoming Valley, a region whose history is defined by the anthracite coal industry that once made it one of the most economically productive areas in the United States. Wilkes-Barre, the county seat, sits at the center of this valley alongside the Susquehanna River, sharing the metropolitan area with Scranton to the north in Lackawanna County. The county’s 906 square miles encompass Wilkes-Barre, the city of Nanticoke, the borough of Hazleton, and dozens of smaller communities whose character reflects the coal heritage, the Polish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Italian immigrant communities that built the region, and the economic challenges of post-industrial transition.
Residential landlord-tenant matters throughout Luzerne County are governed by the Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq.). The county government has no county-wide landlord-tenant ordinances beyond Pennsylvania state law. Wilkes-Barre City and Hazleton City may have local code enforcement requirements. Eviction actions are filed in the Magisterial District Court for the district in which the property is located, with appeals going to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre.
Luzerne County has no county-wide landlord-tenant ordinances. Local rules apply at the municipal level — verify with the specific city, borough, or township where your property is located.
Category
Details
Rental Registration / Licensing
No county-wide rental registration or licensing program. Wilkes-Barre City and Hazleton City may have local code enforcement and registration requirements. Verify with the applicable municipality before renting.
Rent Control
None. Pennsylvania state law does not permit local rent control. No municipality in Luzerne 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. Must be returned within 30 days with itemized deduction list. Double damages for wrongful withholding. (68 P.S. § 250.511a – 250.512)
Additional Ordinances
No county-wide just-cause eviction, no source-of-income protection at county level, no mandatory mediation. Verify locally before renting.
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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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.
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⚠️ 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. Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton markets require especially thorough screening discipline.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Luzerne County sits at the heart of Pennsylvania’s Wyoming Valley, a region shaped by over a century of anthracite coal mining and the economic disruption that followed the industry’s collapse. Wilkes-Barre, the county seat, and Hazleton, the county’s second major city in its southern reaches, are the two urban anchors of a rental market that is frankly challenging by most measures but that offers acquisition prices and yield potential that more prosperous markets cannot match.
Wilkes-Barre and the Wyoming Valley Market
Wilkes-Barre is a mid-sized post-industrial city that has experienced significant population loss since its coal-era peak but maintains a functioning urban economy anchored by healthcare — primarily Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Commonwealth Health facilities — higher education through Wilkes University and King’s College, and a distribution sector that has grown alongside the broader regional logistics industry. The rental market in Wilkes-Barre and the immediately surrounding communities of Kingston, Forty Fort, and Edwardsville is modest in rent level but consistent in demand from a tenant pool of healthcare workers, students, and working families whose employment spans the county’s diverse service and industrial economy.
Hazleton: A Demographically Transformed Market
Hazleton, in the county’s mountainous southern portion, has undergone one of the most dramatic demographic transformations of any Pennsylvania city in the past two decades. Once a declining coal and manufacturing community, Hazleton has become a major destination for Latino immigrants and their families attracted by employment in the CAN DO industrial park and the broader distribution and manufacturing operations that have located in the region’s affordable commercial real estate. The city’s population is now predominantly Hispanic, its rental market is active and demand-driven, and its operational profile requires the same thorough income verification and reference-checking discipline that any economically mixed urban market demands.
The Legal Framework and Eviction Process
Luzerne County’s eviction process follows Pennsylvania’s standard MDJ framework. The county’s multiple magisterial districts serve specific geographic areas. Proper notice — 10 days for nonpayment, 15 or 30 days for lease violations — precedes the complaint filing. The MDJ schedules a hearing, enters judgment if the landlord prevails, and a writ of possession may issue five days after judgment. Appeals go to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre. Landlords with complete documentation — written lease, served notice, accurate rent ledger — move through the process efficiently. The county’s economic profile means eviction filings are proportionally higher than in more prosperous counties, making screening discipline the primary risk management tool.
Luzerne County rewards the patient, operationally disciplined investor who approaches its market with realistic expectations. Acquisition prices are low, cash-flow yields can be strong, and the demand base — while economically modest — is genuine and stable for well-maintained properties occupied by well-screened tenants.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, the applicable Magisterial District Court, or a licensed Pennsylvania attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: March 2026.
