Pennsylvania Commercial Lease Agreement (2026)

Lease retail, office or industrial space: gross, modified gross or triple-net with pro-rata pass-throughs, rent escalation, renewal options, TI allowance, insurance, default and holdover terms, plus your state's deposit rule, statutory disclosures, landlord's lien, cure periods, rent taxes and signing formalities.

Updated September 11, 2026≈ 14 minReviewed against 68 P.S. § 250.501 · 68 P.S. § 250.302 · Phila. Code § 19-1806

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What you'll get

Sample first page of the Commercial Lease Agreement. Your answers fill in the blanks; the clauses required in Pennsylvania are added automatically.

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What this document covers

Landlord, tenant and optional personal guarantor
Retail, office or industrial premises with rentable area and pro-rata share
Term, rent commencement and renewal options
Base rent with fixed or CPI escalation
Gross, modified gross or triple-net (NNN) pass-throughs
Security deposit under the state rule
Permitted and exclusive use, hours, ADA compliance
Tenant improvements and maintenance split
Assignment, subletting, insurance and indemnity
Default, remedies, landlord's lien and holdover
SNDA, estoppel, relocation and broker disclosure
State disclosures, exhibits and guaranty

Pennsylvania rules that this document follows

Commercial security deposit	Varies — No statute — amount and return terms as the lease providesSource: No statute governs security deposits for non-residential leases; 68 P.S. § 250.511a et seq. applies to residential deposits only
Default notice before eviction	Varies — 10 days' notice for nonpayment (lease may vary)Source: 68 P.S. § 250.501
Landlord's lien on tenant property	Varies — Distress for rent available on the tenant's goods on the premises; may be waived in the leaseSource: 68 P.S. § 250.302
Tax on commercial rent	Varies — Local tax — Philadelphia Business Use and Occupancy Tax: users or occupiers of real estate for business purposes in Philadelphia pay 1.21% of the assessed value of the space used (less a $2,000 monthly exemption per property), collected by the landlord and remitted monthly; no rent tax elsewhere in the CommonwealthSource: Phila. Code § 19-1806
Notary / recording for long leases	Varies — No notary or witnesses; acknowledgment only to recordSource: 68 P.S. § 250.202
Required lease disclosures	None specific to commercial leasesSource: 68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq.

Rules current as of 2026-09-14. Statutes change; verify before relying on them.

How to use this Commercial Lease Agreement in Pennsylvania

Start with the exact legal names of both entities and decide on a personal guaranty. Enter the rentable area of the premises and the building — that ratio becomes the tenant's share of taxes, insurance and CAM in a modified gross or NNN lease — then set the term, rent commencement, renewal options and escalation. Choose the maintenance split and insurance limits deliberately: they are the clauses that cost money later.

Answer the state-disclosure questions, review the cure periods (pre-filled with Pennsylvania's statutory figures where they exist) and decide whether to waive the landlord's lien for the tenant's equipment lender. Budget for the rent tax (Phila. Code § 19-1806). Both parties sign with name and title; attach the floor plan, work letter, guaranty and rules.

Frequently asked questions

Is a commercial security deposit regulated in Pennsylvania?

No — Pennsylvania has no statute on commercial security deposits (residential rules do not apply), so the amount, use and return are whatever the lease says; this lease sets a 30-day return with an itemized statement.

How much notice must I give a commercial tenant before eviction in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania requires 10 days' written notice before an eviction action for nonpayment (68 P.S. § 250.501); the lease may set a different contractual cure period, and this lease pre-fills it with the statutory figure.

Is there a tax on commercial rent in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Philadelphia Business Use and Occupancy Tax: users or occupiers of real estate for business purposes in Philadelphia pay 1.21% of the assessed value of the space used (less a $2,000 monthly exemption per property), collected by the landlord and remitted monthly; no rent tax elsewhere in the Commonwealth (Phila. Code § 19-1806). The lease makes it additional rent.

Does a commercial lease need a notary or witnesses in Pennsylvania?

No — a written lease signed by both parties is valid for any term; a notary is needed only if you record the lease or a memorandum of lease (68 P.S. § 250.202).

What is the difference between a gross and a triple-net (NNN) lease?

In a gross lease the base rent covers taxes, insurance and common-area maintenance, so the landlord bears cost increases. In a triple-net lease the tenant pays its pro-rata share of those three items on top of base rent, reconciled annually against actual costs. Modified gross sits between: the tenant pays only increases over a base year. This lease drafts all three, and in Pennsylvania the landlord also keeps a statutory lien on the tenant's goods (68 P.S. § 250.302) unless waived.

Other names

commercial lease
business lease agreement
retail lease
office lease
industrial lease
warehouse lease
triple net lease
NNN lease
gross lease
storefront lease

Other states

FormsByState provides self-help document templates and general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm. For advice about your situation consult a licensed attorney in your state.