Filed by the property managers who live under these rules.
A Philadelphia rental license is the start of a compliance plan, not a form filed once and forgotten. HubKey is a licensed Pennsylvania brokerage — we file rental licenses for our own portfolio every week, and we'll file yours.
HubKey's flat service fee covers the filing; the City's per-unit license fee and any required lead testing are billed separately, at cost.
HubKey Real Estate is an independent licensed brokerage, not affiliated with the City of Philadelphia. You can apply directly with the City through eCLIPSE.
Check your property. See your price.
One address. We pull from Philadelphia's city records and show what's on file,what may be required, and exactly what you'll pay. No email gate.
Free check — no email required. Philadelphia addresses only, straight from city records.
Plus your exact itemized price: $500.00 HubKey service + $69.00/unit city fee + lead test only if pre-1978.
Why it matters
This is a compliance plan, not a stamp.
- 01Without an active rental license, Philadelphia law can bar collecting rent or recovering possession. The Code denies an owner the right to collect rent for periods when a required license is missing or suspended, and a licensing gap can affect the owner's position in a possession case.
- 02From November 1, 2026, a new or renewed license must reach tenants within 7 days. Within 7 days after receiving a new or renewed rental license, provide tenants the license plus the required tenant-rights restatement.
- 03Every new tenancy needs a Certificate of Rental Suitability, issued within the prior 60 days. Already required today: at the start of each tenancy, provide a Certificate of Rental Suitability issued within the prior 60 days, the owner's attestation, and the City's Partners for Good Housing handbook.
- 04A pre-1978 rental needs a lead-safe certificate, and it expires every four years. The certificate must come from an EPA-certified lead dust sampling technician or a Pennsylvania-licensed lead inspector–risk assessor — an owner cannot self-certify.
Official sources
Read the rules
Bills 250329-AA and 250330-AA reach every Philadelphia rental on November 1.
Effective 11 · 01 · 2026November 1 also gives these duties a tenant-side remedy: under §9-3901(4)(i) a tenant may recover compensatory damages or $1,000 per violation, whichever is greater, plus abatement or refund of rent for periods of non-compliance, injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs — and in an eviction or rent action the owner carries the burden of showing certificate compliance for the whole tenancy (§9-3903(2)(d)(.1)). HubKey is a licensed Pennsylvania brokerage, not a law firm; this describes what the ordinance says and is not legal advice.
What HubKey handles
One coordinator. Every prerequisite.
- A compliance check across the City's license, violation, ownership and lead-certificate records for the property.
- Tax account (PHTIN) setup and Commercial Activity License verification.
- Lead testing coordination, only when the City's record shows it's owed.
- Application preparation and eCLIPSE submission to the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
- The November 1 Compliance Packet, included with the license.
Pricing
One flat fee. Everything else at cost.
$500flat, per property — not per unit
- HubKey service fee$500.00
- City license fee, per unit, paid to L&I$69.00
- Lead test, pre-1978 only, by bedrooms$130.00–$280.00
- Additional property in the same checkout$450.00
Included: Commercial Activity License verification, tax-account setup, the rental license itself, and your Certificate of Rental Suitability.
What’s handled for you
- A compliance check across the City's license, violation, ownership and lead-certificate records for the property.
- Tax account (PHTIN) setup and Commercial Activity License verification.
- Lead testing coordination, only when the City's record shows it's owed.
- Application preparation and eCLIPSE submission to the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
More than one property? License them together.
Same owner or entity, one checkout: the first property is $500 and each additional property is $450. City and lead fees stay at cost.
Questions? We've got answers.
We review available City records, owner and property details, tax-account prerequisites, open violations, and lead-certificate requirements before preparing the filing. A coordinator confirms anything the public records do not resolve.
Timing depends on the property's records, missing prerequisites, tax clearance, lead work, and the City's processing queue. We provide status updates, but we do not promise a specific submission or City issuance date.
For a standard new-license application, HubKey's service fee is $500 per property. The City's $69-per-unit license fee and any required lead testing are separate and are not discounted.
HubKey never guarantees City approval, and issuance timing is the City's. Refunds are governed by a single rule — the Service Fee Refund in our Rental License Procurement Agreement, linked in the site footer.
For properties with the same owner or legal entity that are submitted and paid together through the portfolio checkout, the first property's HubKey service fee is $500 and each additional property's is $450. Stripe displays every service and pass-through line at full price, then shows the automatic portfolio discount separately. City and lead-testing fees are never discounted.
It is separate from the rental license and is included in HubKey's full rental-license procurement flow. The owner remains responsible for giving it to the tenant and making any required owner attestations.
Starting November 1, 2026, after receiving a new or renewed Philadelphia rental license, the owner must provide tenants the license and required tenant-rights restatement within seven days. Delivery may be by conspicuous posting, personal delivery, or certified mail. Email is allowed only for a one- or two-unit property when the tenant has qualifying written consent. The free property report explains the property-specific steps; it does not send the notice or prove delivery.
Renewals start with a property check and coordinator review. Eligibility, scope, and any payment path are confirmed after the current City record is reviewed; the public renewal page does not open an immediate checkout.
No. HubKey is an independent filing service and is not affiliated with the City. Owners may use the City's eCLIPSE portal directly without paying HubKey a service fee.
Start with the free check. Decide with the report in hand.
Ten seconds, no email. You’ll see the City’s record of your property, what the license needs, and the exact price before anyone asks you for anything.