This one document trips up almost every Philadelphia landlord — so let's be exact about it. The Certificate of Rental Suitability is a City-required document you must obtain within 60 days before a new tenant moves in, and hand to that tenant at the start of the lease. Skip it, and you can lose the right to evict that tenant for nonpayment.
What's on this page
What the certificate is
The Certificate of Rental Suitability is a document the City of Philadelphia requires you to obtain and give to each new tenant when their lease begins. It's tied to your Rental License: it's part of being a properly licensed, legally rentable property. It is not the same as your Rental License — it's a separate, tenancy-specific document on top of it.
The 60-day rule
The timing is precise and easy to get wrong: the certificate must be obtained within 60 days before the new tenant moves in. A certificate older than that window doesn't satisfy the requirement for a new lease. This is the detail landlords most often miss — they assume an old certificate, or none at all, is fine.
What you must give the tenant
At the start of each tenancy you must give the new tenant:
- The Certificate of Rental Suitability (obtained within the prior 60 days), and
- The City's partners-for-good-housing handbook — the tenant/landlord rights-and-responsibilities guide the City requires you to provide.
Why skipping it costs you the right to evict
This is the part with teeth. If you didn't give the tenant a valid Certificate of Rental Suitability at the start of the lease, you can lose the right to evict that tenant for nonpayment of rent. Philadelphia courts can dismiss an eviction filing when a landlord can't show a valid Rental License and the required certificate. In practice, that means a missing certificate can leave you unable to remove a non-paying tenant — the opposite of what every landlord wants.
A fresh certificate for each tenancy
The certificate is tenancy-specific. A new tenant means a new certificate, obtained within 60 days before that tenant moves in. The one you pulled for the last tenant doesn't carry over. Treat it as a standard part of your turnover checklist.
We pull it as part of your license package.
Getting licensed in Philadelphia and turning over a unit? We obtain your Certificate of Rental Suitability inside the 60-day window — along with your Business Tax Account, Commercial Activity License where required, and Rental License — so nothing's missing when your tenant signs.
Handle my licensing → Call (215) 402-6882Common questions
Is the Certificate of Rental Suitability the same as my Rental License?
No. The Rental License is your annual authorization to rent the property at all. The certificate is a separate, tenancy-specific document you must obtain within 60 days before each new tenant moves in and give to them at lease signing.
Can I reuse an old certificate for a new tenant?
No. It must be obtained within 60 days before the new tenant moves in. A certificate from a prior tenancy or one older than 60 days doesn't satisfy the requirement.
What actually happens if I don't give one?
You can lose the right to evict that tenant for nonpayment — a court can dismiss the eviction. It's one of the most avoidable ways a landlord loses an eviction case.
Can you obtain it for me?
Yes. We pull the Certificate of Rental Suitability as part of the license package, within the 60-day window, so your new tenancy is fully covered.