General legal information for the United States, not legal advice. Read the disclaimer
Law Pebble

Philadelphia, PA: Tenant Rules, Courts and Legal Help

How is this page verified?Every figure on this page comes from a source listed on it: published 50-state surveys that we cross-check (a number appears only when at least two agree) or the official government page named under Sources. Local rules were read on the official page on 2026-10-20 and are re-checked on a schedule. Laws change, so confirm with the source before you act.How we verifyBy Law Pebble Editorial Team

Philadelphia guarantees free lawyers to many low-income tenants facing eviction, but only in certain ZIP codes.

Philadelphia by the numbers

MeasureFigureNote
Population (2024 estimate)1,573,916City of Philadelphia, down 1.9% since the 2020 census base.
Poverty rate, Philadelphia County19.7%Census SAIPE 2024 county estimate.
Median household income, Philadelphia County$60,500Census SAIPE 2024 county estimate.
Traffic deaths, Philadelphia County, 20221429.02 per 100,000 residents. NHTSA FARS.

Right to Counsel for tenants

Philadelphia's Right to Counsel program provides free legal help to eligible renters in eviction cases. It covers eviction proceedings, lease or tenancy termination proceedings and termination of Philadelphia Housing Authority subsidies, in both court cases such as Municipal Court and administrative hearings such as the Fair Housing Commission.

  • Household income must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
  • You must live in one of these ZIP codes: 19121, 19124, 19131, 19132, 19134, 19139, 19141, 19144, 19153 or 19154. Coverage is not citywide.
  • Immigration status does not affect eligibility.
  • The service is free.

How to apply

  1. Call the Philly Tenant Hotline at (267) 443-2500. It is run by the Tenant Union Representative Network, and interpretation is available.
  2. If you do not have a phone, visit Community Legal Services at 1424 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102. The City lists walk-in hours of Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  3. Be ready to describe your situation, your household income and your ZIP code, and to share any hearing notice or subsidy termination notice.
  4. If you qualify, staff refer you to a provider. The participating providers are Community Legal Services, Legal Clinic for the Disabled and SeniorLAW Center.
  5. If you do not qualify, staff will still try to connect you with other services or advice.

If you live outside the covered ZIP codes

You can still ask for help. Call the hotline anyway and explore the free and low-cost options in our guide to finding free legal help. Court deadlines apply to everyone, so respond to any court notice on time.

Pennsylvania rules that also apply in Philadelphia

City rules sit on top of state law. In Pennsylvania, individuals can bring small claims of up to $12,000, the personal injury filing deadline is generally 2 years and landlords have about 30 days to return a security deposit. See the full Pennsylvania legal guide for statutes and notes.

Small claims limit$12,000
Personal injury deadline2 years
Security deposit return30 days

Related guides: how evictions work, security deposit rules, tenant repairs and habitability and how small claims court works.

Where to get help in Philadelphia

Sources and how we checked

Local rules above were read on the official pages below on 2026-10-20. City rules change, so check the page before you act.

  • City of Philadelphia: Right to Counsel
  • Population: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates (SUB-EST2024).
  • Poverty and income: Census Bureau SAIPE 2024 county estimates.
  • Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2022 data, summed by county.