Seller Disclosure Requirements in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania requires sellers of residential real property to provide buyers with a Seller's Property Disclosure Statement under the Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (68 Pa.C.S. § 7301 et seq. ).

What Must Be Disclosed

The disclosure covers the condition of nearly every system and component of the property, including: roof, basement, water intrusion, structural problems, plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling, well and septic systems, pests, hazardous substances (lead, asbestos, radon, underground storage tanks), environmental hazards, zoning violations, boundary disputes, and any known material defects.

The "Known Defect" Standard

Pennsylvania follows a "known defect" standard: the seller must disclose defects they are aware of . There is no duty to inspect or discover latent defects. But actively concealing a known defect (painting over water damage, for example) can give rise to fraud claims that survive closing.

Exemptions

Certain transfers are exempt: transfers by court order (sheriff's sales, condemnation), transfers by a fiduciary administering an estate ( executor /administrator) or a guardianship, conservatorship or trust, transfers between co-owners, transfers to a spouse or a lineal family member, transfers resulting from mortgage foreclosure, and first sales of newly built homes never occupied (exempt only if the buyer received a written warranty of at least one year, the dwelling passed a building or model code inspection, and a certificate of occupancy or code compliance was issued, 68 Pa.C.S. § 7302(a)(2)).

Statutory content on this page was last verified against Pennsylvania statutes (20 Pa.C.S.; 72 P.S. Art. XXI): Jun. 2026. If you are reading this significantly after that date, confirm key provisions with current statute text or contact our office.