Get a new Philadelphia rental license, without learning eCLIPSE

What the City requires before it issues a license

L&I will not issue a rental license until several other city records line up. Most rejected applications fail on one of these, not on the application itself:

1. Philadelphia tax account. Non-owner-occupied rentals and buildings with more than 4 units need a Revenue Department account, and the owner must be current on city taxes, water and fines.
2. Commercial Activity License (CAL). Free, lifetime, and it must be in exactly the same legal name as the tax account and the deed. A mismatch between an LLC and an individual owner is the most common snag we fix.
3. Lead certification. Buildings constructed before March 1978 need a lead-safe or lead-free certificate uploaded to the Health Department portal. Newer buildings file an exemption.
4. No open L&I violations and proof of legal use and occupancy for the number of units you rent.
5. Local agent. Owners who do not live in Philadelphia must name a local managing agent with a city address.

How we get you licensed

We start with a records check across the Office of Property Assessment, L&I licenses, L&I violations, unsafe case lists and the zoning record for your address. Then we fix what is missing in the right order, because the city systems depend on each other: tax account first, then CAL, then lead, then the license application in eCLIPSE. You get a status update at each step.

How long it takes

When the prerequisites are in place, the city typically issues a license within a few business days of a complete submission. If we need to book lead testing or set up a new tax account, plan on one to three weeks. We file within two business days of a complete intake.