Rent Rebate Deadline Is December 31: Get $380 to $1,000 Back on Rent You Already Paid
If you’re 65 or older, a widow or widower 50 or older, or an adult with a disability, Pennsylvania may owe you money back on rent or property tax you already paid — but the claim deadline for this cycle is December 31, 2026. The Property Tax / Rent Rebate program (PTRR) pays $380 to $1,000, and Philadelphia’s city supplement can bring the maximum to $1,500. Every year, eligible Philadelphians miss it simply because nobody told them it exists.
Who can claim
- Adults 65 and older
- Widows and widowers 50 and older
- Adults 18 and older with a disability
- Household income of $48,110 or less for the year
Renters claim on the rent they paid; homeowners claim on property tax. The claim is filed once a year with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue — online through myPATH or on the paper PA-1000 form — and filing is free. Full details are on our Property Tax / Rent Rebate program page.
Why December 31 is a hard deadline
Miss it and the money for this cycle is gone — there is no late filing for a rebate on last year’s rent. If you claimed in a past year, you still have to file again for this one; the rebate does not renew itself. Start now while there’s time to gather what you need: proof of age or disability status, your income records, and for renters, the rent certificate or receipts from your landlord.
Free help — and one warning
Filing is free, and free help exists: BenePhilly centers help Philadelphians with benefit paperwork at no cost. The warning: every season, paid preparers charge seniors a cut or a flat fee to file a claim that takes minutes and costs nothing. Never pay to file PTRR, and never pay anyone a percentage of your rebate.
Stack it with the rest of your December
The rebate lands in the same season as two other deadlines: Pennie enrollment by December 15 for January 1 health coverage, and LIHEAP season (open now through April 23, 2027). Our rent help guide lays out what’s actually open for Philadelphia renters. Take our free 2-minute check and we’ll match you to the rebate and everything else your household fits — and email you the steps.
Philadelphia Benefits is not a government agency. Applying is always free at the official sites.
