Department of Licenses and Inspections

The Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) issues rental and property licenses in the City of Philadelphia. Licenses are generally renewed on a regular basis and require a renewal fee.

What kind of license do I need?

Rental License

The Rental License is the most common type of property license.

You need a Rental License to rent dwelling, rooming, or sleeping units to tenants in Philadelphia. That includes residential dwellings and units, rooms in a home, dormitories, and certain visitor accommodations.

A Rental License is a type of business license. All businesses that operate in the city need to:

• Register for an Activity License, or
• Get a Commercial Activity License.

Landlords in Philadelphia need to follow certain requirements in addition to obtaining a Rental License. Learn how to rent your property long-term.

Still have questions? See the Rental License FAQ.

Common rental and property situations

In most cases, you will need a Rental License to operate your rental property. However, there are some situations where a different license or approval is needed. Here are some common examples:

• Residential dwellings.
• Rooming or boarding houses.
• Assisted living facilities.
• Dormitories.
• Hotels, motels, hostels, bed-and-breakfasts, and other short-term rentals of properties without a primary resident (i.e. visitor accommodations).
• Certain other properties.