Frequently Cited Municipal Laws of Pennsylvania
Disclaimer: The following references to laws are provided to assist users in their searches for information and are not a substitute for competent legal advice. The text of these laws, made available through the Pennsylvania General Assembly's (opens in a new window) Legislative Data Processing Center, may not be current. Court decisions, later amendatory statutes, and a variety of other influences on the interpretation of a particular law may need to be considered. Users should seek legal assistance with regard to interpreting or researching a law or determining its current status.
Tip: When accessing a law that is part of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (Pa.C.S.) (opens in a new window), the link will take you to a listing of all titles of the Pa.C.S., with the selected title at the top of your screen. To access the named law, click on the HTML, PDF or Microsoft Word link to the right of the title. Then scroll down to the cited section number, which is the beginning of the law. For example, the "Consolidated County Assessment Law" begins at "53 Pa.C.S. § 8801. (opens in a new window)" Click on the link, click on the HTML, PDF or Microsoft Word link to the right of "53 MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY (opens in a new window)," and then scroll down to the cited section (§ 8801) to begin reviewing the law.
CODES RELATING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
| “The Administrative Code of 1929” | Act 175 of 1929, P.L. 177 (opens in a new window); 71 P.S. § 51 |
| “Eminent Domain Code” | 26 Pa.C.S. § 101 (opens in a new window) |
| “General Local Government Code” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 101 (opens in a new window) |
| “Public Library Code” | 24 Pa.C.S. § 9301 (opens in a new window) |
| “Pennsylvania Election Code” | Act 320 of 1937, P.L. 1333 (opens in a new window); 25 P.S. § 2601 |
| “Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code”(MPC or PA MPC) | Act 247 of 1968, P.L. 805 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 10101 |
| “Public School Code of 1949” | Act 14 of 1949, P.L. 30 (opens in a new window); 24 P.S. § 1-101 |
| “Vehicle Code” | 75 Pa.C.S. § 101 (opens in a new window) |
OTHER IMPORTANT LAWS RELATING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
| “Agricultural Area Security Law” | Act 43 of 1981, P.L. 128 (opens in a new window); 3 P.S. § 901 |
| “Antibid-Rigging Act” | 62 Pa.C.S. § 4501 (opens in a new window) |
| “Bluff Recession and Setback Act” | Act 48 of 1980, P.L. 122 (opens in a new window), 32 P.S. § 5201 |
| “Business Improvement District Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 5401 (opens in a new window) |
| City Revitalization and Improvement Zones; Article XVIII-C of the Tax Reform Code of 1971 | Act 2 of 1971, P.L. 6 (opens in a new window), 72 P.S. § 8801-C |
| “The Clean Streams Law” | Act 394 of 1937, P.L. 1987 (opens in a new window); 35 P.S. § 691.1 |
| Compensation in Counties of the Second Through Eighth Classes | Act 113 of 1971, P.L. 495 (opens in a new window); 16 P.S. § 11011-1 |
| “Conservation and Preservation Easements Act” | Act 29 of 2001, P.L. 390 (opens in a new window); 32 P.S. § 5051 |
| "Consolidated County Assessment Law" | 53 Pa.C.S. § 8801 (opens in a new window) |
| Counterterrorism Planning, Preparedness and Response Act | Act 227 of 2002, P.L. 1967 (opens in a new window), 35 P.S. § 2140.101 |
| "County Officer and Employee Fiscal Security Act" | 16 Pa.C.S. § 1121 (opens in a new window) |
| "County Pension Law" | Act 96 of 1971, P.L. 398 (opens in a new window), 16 P.S. § 11651 |
| County Records Act | Act 407 of 1963, P.L. 839 (opens in a new window); 16 P.S. § 13001 |
| Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act | Act 101 of 1976, P.L. 424 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 891 |
| Enforcement Officer Disability Benefits Law (Heart & Lung Act) | Act 193 of 1935, P.L. 477 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 637 |
| Fire and Panic Act | Act 299 of 1927, P.L. 465 (opens in a new window); 35 P.S. 1221 |
| Fire Escrow Law (in “The Insurance Company Law of 1921”) | Act 284 of 1921, P.L. 682 (opens in a new window), Section 508; 40 P.S. § 638 |
| “Flood Plain Management Act” | Act 166 of 1978, P.L. 851 (opens in a new window); 32 P.S. § 679.101 |
| Foreign Casualty Insurance Premium Tax Allocation Law (State funding for local pensions) | Act 120 of 1943, P.L. 259 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 2263.1 |
| “Foreign Fire Insurance Tax Distribution Law” (in the “Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act”) | Act 205 of 1984, P.L. 1005 (opens in a new window), Section 701; 53 P.S. § 895.701 |
| General Road Law | Act 169 of 1836, P.L. 551 (opens in a new window); 36 P.S. § 1781 |
| “Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 2901 (opens in a new window) |
| “Homestead Property Exclusion Program Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 8581 (opens in a new window) |
| "Improvement of Deteriorating Real Property or Areas Tax Exemption Act” | Act 34 of 1971, P.L. 206 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 4711-101 |
| “Institutions of Purely Public Charity Act” | Act 55 of 1997, P.L. 508 (opens in a new window); 10 P.S. § 371 |
| Intergovernmental Cooperation Law | 53 Pa.C.S. § 2301 (opens in a new window) |
| Intergovernmental Relations (Cooperative Purchasing) and Administrative Code provisions | 62 Pa.C.S. § 1901 (opens in a new window) and Act 175 of 1929, P.L. 177 (opens in a new window), Section 2403; 71 P.S. § 633 |
| “Keystone Opportunity Zone, Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone, and Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone Act” | Act 92 of 1998, P.L. 705 (opens in a new window); 73 P.S. § 820.101 |
| Land Banks | 68 Pa.C.S. § 2101 (opens in a new window) |
| “Lethal Weapons Training Act” | Act 235 of 1974, P.L. 705 (opens in a new window); 22 P.S. § 41 |
| Liquid Fuels Tax Municipal Allocation Law | Act 655 of 1955, P.L. 1944 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 2615.1 |
| “Local Agency Law”– Practice and Procedure of Local Agencies; Judicial Review of Local Agency Action | 2 Pa.C.S. §§ 551 (opens in a new window), 751 (opens in a new window) |
| “Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act” (LERTA) | Act 76 of 1977, P.L. 237 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 4722 |
| Local Government Commission Law | Act 102 of 1935, P.L. 244 (opens in a new window); 46 P.S. § 431.1 |
| “Local Government Unit Debt Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 8001 (opens in a new window) |
| "The Local Option Small Games of Chance Act" | Act 156 of 1988, P.L. 1262 (opens in a new window); 10 P.S. § 311 |
| “Local Tax Collection Law” | Act 394 of 1945, P.L. 1050 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 5511.1 |
| “The Local Tax Enabling Act” (Act 511) | Act 511 of 1965, P.L. 1257 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 6924.101 |
| “Local Taxpayers Bill of Rights Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 8421 (opens in a new window) |
| “Motor Vehicle Procurement Act” | 62 Pa.C.S. § 3731 (opens in a new window) |
| Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law | Act 153 of 1923, P.L. 207 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 7101 |
| “Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act” | Act 99 of 2000, P.L. 724 (opens in a new window); 68 P.S. § 1081 |
| “Municipal Consolidation or Merger Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 731 (opens in a new window) |
| “Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act” | Act 205 of 1984, P.L. 1005 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 895.101 |
| Municipal Police—Intrastate Hot Pursuit | 42 Pa.C.S. § 8953 (opens in a new window) |
| Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Law | 53 Pa.C.S. § 2161 (opens in a new window) |
| Municipal Police Pension Law (Act 600) | Act 600 of 1955, P.L. 1804 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 767 |
| “Municipal Reapportionment Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 901 (opens in a new window) |
| “Municipal Records Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 1381 (opens in a new window) |
| “Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act” (Act 101) | Act 101 of 1988, P.L. 556 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 4000.101 |
| “Municipalities Financial Recovery Act” (Distressed Municipalities) | Act 47 of 1987, P.L. 246 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 11701.101 |
| “Municipality Authorities Act” | 53 Pa.C.S. § 5601 (opens in a new window) |
| Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act | 53 Pa.C.S. § 6101 (opens in a new window) |
| “Neighborhood Improvement District Act” | Act 130 of 2000, P.L. 949 (opens in a new window); 73 P.S. § 831 |
| Nutrient Management and Odor Management | 3 Pa.C.S. § 501 (opens in a new window) |
| Optional Retirement Law – Third Class Cities | Act 362 of 1945, P.L. 903 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 39371 |
| “Pennsylvania Construction Code Act” (Uniform Construction Code) | Act 45 of 1999, P.L. 491 (opens in a new window); 35 P.S. § 7210.101 |
| “Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act of 1974”(Clean and Green) | Act 319 of 1974, P.L. 973 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 5490.1 |
| “Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement Law” | Act 15 of 1974, P.L. 34 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 881.101 |
| “Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act” | Act 442 of 1961, P.L. 987 (opens in a new window); 43 P.S. § 165-1 |
| “Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act” (Act 537) | Act 537 of 1965, P.L. 1535 (opens in a new window); 35 P.S. § 750.1 |
| Policemen and Firemen Collective Bargaining Act (Act 111) | Act 111 of 1968, P.L. 237 (opens in a new window); 43 P.S. § 217.1 |
| Police Officers – Benefits to Nonunion Officers (Police Chief Pay Law) | Act 204 of 1984, P.L. 1004 (opens in a new window); 43 P.S. § 218 |
| Police Tenure Act | Act 144 of 1951, P.L. 586 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 811 |
| Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act | 42 Pa.C.S. § 8541 (opens in a new window) |
| Preserving Land for Open Air Spaces | Act 442 of 1967 (1968), P.L. 992 (opens in a new window), 32 P.S. § 5001 |
| “Public Employee Relations Act” (Act 195) | Act 195 of 1970, P.L. 563 (opens in a new window); 43 P.S. § 1101.101 |
| “Public Official and Employee Ethics Act” | 65 Pa.C.S. § 1101 (opens in a new window) |
| Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act (911) | 35 Pa.C.S. § 5301 (opens in a new window) |
| Public Works Contract Regulation Law | 62 Pa.C.S. § 3901 (opens in a new window) |
| "Public Works Contractors’ Bond Law of 1967” | Act 385 of 1967, P.L. 869 (opens in a new window); 8 P.S. § 191 |
| “Real Estate Tax Sale Law” | Act 542 of 1947, P.L. 1368 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 5860.101 |
| Recreational Use of Land and Water Act (RUA or RULA) | Act 586 of 1965, P.L. 1860 (opens in a new window); 68 P.S. § 477-1 |
| Religious Freedom Protection Act | Act 214 of 2002, P.L. 1701 (opens in a new window), 71 P.S. § 2401 |
| "Right-to-Know Law" (Open Records) | Act 3 of 2008, P.L. 6 (opens in a new window); 65 P.S. § 67.101 |
| Second Class County Assessment Law | Act 294 of 1939, P.L. 626 (opens in a new window); 72 P.S. § 5452.1 |
| “Solid Waste Management Act” | Act 97 of 1980, P.L. 380 (opens in a new window); 35 P.S. § 6018.101 |
| “Special Ad Hoc Municipal Police and Firefighter Postretirement Adjustment Act” | Act 147 of 1988, P.L. 1192 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 896.101 |
| “Steel Products Procurement Act” | Act 3 of 1978, P.L. 6 (opens in a new window); 73 P.S. § 1881 |
| Sterling Act (Philadelphia City Taxation) | Act 45 of 1932(1), P.L. 45 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 15971 |
| “Sunshine Act” (Open Meetings) | 65 Pa.C.S. § 701 (opens in a new window) |
| “Tax Increment Financing Act” | Act 113 of 1990, P.L. 465 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 6930.1 |
| Taxpayer Relief Act | Act 1 of 2006(1), P.L. 1873 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 6926.101 |
| “Transportation Partnership Act” | Act 47 of 1985, P.L. 187 (opens in a new window); 53 P.S. § 1621 |
| Underground Utility Line Protection Law (One-Call) | Act 287 of 1974, P.L. 852 (opens in a new window); 73 P.S. § 176 |
| Uniform Mileage Fee Law | Act 51 of 1979, P.L. 156 (opens in a new window); 65 P.S. § 371 |
| “Uniform Facsimile Signature of Public Officials Act” | Act 367 of 1961, P.L. 849 (opens in a new window); 65 P.S. § 301 |
| Voter Registration Act | 25 Pa.C.S. § 1301 (opens in a new window) |
| “Whistleblower Law” | Act 169 of 1986, P.L. 1559 (opens in a new window); 43 P.S. § 1421 |
| Wireless Broadband Collocation Act | Act 191 of 2012, P.L. 1501 (opens in a new window), 53 P.S. § 11702.1 |
NOTES
- The use of quotation marks in identifying the name of a law indicates that the formal short title is being referenced. In cases where a short title does not exist, a common, descriptive, or informal designation is used.
- Following the short title or descriptive designation of the law is either a single citation or two citations:
- A single citation is used when reference is made to a law codified within a specific title of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (Pa.C.S.). This is the official citation for these codified laws. Both the volume number of the consolidated statute title and the section number of the first provision of the cited law are provided.
- Not all laws are codified in the Pa.C.S. When a reference is made to an uncodified, freestanding law, two citations are provided. The "official citation" for the uncodified law is provided first, followed by the citation in Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes (P.S.), an unofficial annotated compilation of Pennsylvania laws published by West Publishing Corporation. The official citation includes the act number and year (with special session number, when applicable), along with the pamphlet law (P.L.) designation, which is the page designation of the law in the applicable year's Session Laws. If the law referred to is only a portion of the act cited, the relevant section or sections of the act are provided. The second citation references the law as placed, by volume and section, in Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes.
- As a part of its compilation of freestanding or uncodified laws, Purdon's also offers a parallel, annotated version of the official consolidated statutes The citation to the annotated consolidated statutes in Purdon's is Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (Pa.C.S.A.).