In the City of Philadelphia, obtaining a rental license is only half the battle. Before you can legally move a tenant in, you must generate and provide them with a Certificate of Rental Suitability.

Failing to provide this simple document can cause massive legal headaches for landlords down the road. Watch our quick screen-share tutorial below to see exactly how to generate your certificate in minutes, or read on for the step-by-step instructions.

Why You MUST Have a Certificate of Rental Suitability

You are legally required to provide this document to every single tenant at the time of lease signing. If you do not provide it, you face two massive risks:

  1. You Cannot Legally Collect Rent: By Philadelphia law, a landlord cannot legally collect rent from a tenant if a Certificate of Rental Suitability was not provided.
  2. You Cannot File for Eviction: If your tenant stops paying rent and you need to take them to landlord-tenant court, your eviction filing will be blocked or thrown out by the judge if you cannot prove you delivered this certificate.

What Changes on November 1, 2026

Under Philadelphia's Safe Healthy Home Act, the Certificate of Rental Suitability becomes more important for landlords starting November 1, 2026. You can no longer file for eviction without attaching a certificate issued within 30 days of the filing, and an expired or missing one gets the filing rejected. Tenants can also request a certificate once every 90 days. You have 10 days to provide it, and until you do, you are barred from collecting rent. Because the certificate is free and instant, generate a fresh one before any eviction filing and keep a record of every request. For the full list of what to do before the deadline, see our Safe Healthy Home Act landlord checklist. If an eviction is on the horizon, our Philadelphia eviction process guide walks through the steps, and our rental license guide covers keeping the license that this certificate depends on active.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Certificate

Generating the document is completely free and instant, provided your rental license is currently active.

  1. Go to the eCLIPSE Website: You actually do not even need to log into your account to do this.
  2. Navigate to the Search Tool: Scroll to the bottom of the eCLIPSE homepage and locate the section that says "Search eCLIPSE".
  3. Click the Link: Click the specific button that says "Click here to request Certificate of Rental Suitability".
  4. Enter Your License Number: Type in your active Philadelphia Rental License number and click Search.
  5. Generate the Certificate: Select your property, click Next, and request the certificate. It will instantly pop up on your screen as a printable PDF.

How to Prove You Delivered It

Generating the certificate isn't enough; you must be able to prove to a judge that the tenant actually received it.

Once you download the certificate, fill in your name and the rental unit number. You must sign and date the document as the landlord. Then, provide it to the tenant and strictly require them to sign and date a copy as well. Keep this counter-signed copy securely in your records as proof of delivery. (This can easily be done electronically via e-signature software during the lease signing process).

Certificate of Rental Suitability FAQs

What is a Certificate of Rental Suitability? It is a document you generate through the City of Philadelphia's eCLIPSE system showing your rental unit has an active rental license. You must give it to every tenant at lease signing.

Is the certificate free? Yes. It is free and instant as long as your rental license is active.

Do I need to log in to eCLIPSE to get it? No. Use the "Search eCLIPSE" section at the bottom of the eCLIPSE homepage and enter your rental license number.

What happens if I don't give my tenant the certificate? You cannot legally collect rent, and a judge can block or throw out an eviction filing if you can't prove you delivered it.

How do I prove the tenant received it? Sign and date the certificate, have the tenant sign and date a copy, and keep the counter-signed copy in your records. E-signature software works.

Does the Safe Healthy Home Act change anything? Yes. Starting November 1, 2026, eviction filings require a certificate issued within 30 days, and tenants can request one every 90 days.

Having trouble with compliance, missing certificates, or an impending eviction? Contact TrustArt Realty today and let our expert property management team get your portfolio back on track!