Pennsylvania's residential real estate disclosure framework — anchored by 68 Pa. C.S. §§ 7301-7315 (the Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law) and the underlying Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission rules — requires sellers to disclose known radon information about the property. Combined with Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240's contractor certification requirement, Pennsylvania has one of the most structured radon transaction frameworks in the United States.
68 Pa. C.S. §§ 7301-7315: what the statute requires
Under Section 4(b) of the Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law, sellers must complete a Seller's Property Disclosure Statement that addresses, among other property conditions:
- Whether the seller is aware of any radon testing having been performed at the property, and if so, the date and results.
- Whether a radon mitigation system has been installed at the property, and if so, the installation date, the certified contractor who performed the work, and any subsequent verification testing.
- Any other condition that may affect the buyer's decision to purchase — including known radon-related issues even if no formal testing has been performed.
Sellers cannot legally withhold radon information they possess. Penalties for failing to disclose include potential rescission of the sale, actual damages, and attorney's fees under 68 Pa. C.S. § 7311.
Why Pennsylvania disclosure goes beyond most states
Three features make 68 Pa. C.S. §§ 7301-7315 stricter than most states' frameworks:
Feature 1: Explicit Section 4(b) radon line items
Many states' disclosure forms have a general "environmental hazards" question. Pennsylvania's form has specific line items asking about radon testing, mitigation, and verification — which makes it harder for sellers to plausibly claim they didn't know the question applied.
Feature 2: Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240 cross-reference
Pennsylvania mitigation work must be performed by PA DEP-certified contractors under Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240 (the Pa. Radon Certification Act). If the seller has installed mitigation using an uncertified contractor, the work is not only a violation of state law but may also fail to satisfy the 68 Pa. C.S. disclosure requirement (since the disclosed mitigation isn't legally valid).
Feature 3: Reading Prong context
Pennsylvania's geology — particularly the Reading Prong covering Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester counties — makes elevated radon a default expectation. PA realtor associations including the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS (PAR), Greater Philadelphia Association of REALTORS (GPAR), Realtors Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh (RAMP), and Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS all recommend radon testing as standard transaction practice given the geological background.
For the Reading Prong geological background, see Reading Prong Geology: Why Eastern Pennsylvania Has Uranium-Rich Soils.
The PAR Standard Agreement radon contingency
The Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS' Standard Agreement for the Sale of Real Estate includes a radon contingency clause that allows buyers to:
- Conduct radon testing during the inspection contingency period (typically 10-14 days).
- Require seller mitigation if results exceed 4 pCi/L.
- Negotiate cost responsibility for the mitigation.
- Terminate the agreement if mitigation cannot be completed within the closing timeline.
This contingency is standard in essentially every Pennsylvania residential transaction. Buyers in Reading Prong counties almost always exercise it.
Three common Pennsylvania transaction patterns
Pattern 1: Seller-paid mitigation before closing (~60%)
The standard outcome. Buyer's inspection radon test returns elevated → seller agrees to mitigate before closing → install + verification in 7-14 days → closing proceeds. The seller maintains the agreed-upon sale price; the buyer gets a verified-mitigated home with full lender-acceptable documentation.
Pattern 2: Closing credit / escrow (~30%)
Seller credits the buyer at closing (typical Pennsylvania range: $1,200-$3,500 depending on city — Philadelphia metro tends higher, rural PA lower) and the buyer mitigates post-close. Faster path to closing but introduces lender complications for FHA/USDA/VA financing.
Pattern 3: Buyer-paid or walk (~10%)
Rare. Usually only when the seller refuses to negotiate and the market is competitive enough that the buyer accepts.
Typical Pennsylvania transaction timeline
- Day 0: Buyer's inspection radon test returns above 4 pCi/L.
- Day 1-2: Lead routed to NRPP + PA DEP-certified partner contractor; binding written quote within 2 hours.
- Day 2-4: Buyer/seller negotiation under the radon contingency.
- Day 4-7: Mitigation installed (4-8 hours on-site work). Pressure-field extension (PFE) testing performed for high-reading homes.
- Day 8-11: Post-mitigation verification test (48-96 hour CRM under closed-house conditions, ideally by independent measurement provider).
- Day 11+: Verification report delivered. Closing documentation package ready.
- Day 12-14: Closing proceeds.
Typical Pennsylvania cost ranges
Use our Pennsylvania radon mitigation cost calculator for a precise estimate based on your city, foundation, and home characteristics. General ranges:
- Active Sub-Slab Depressurization (ASD): $800-$2,500 (Philadelphia Metro $1,200-$2,000 typical; rural PA $800-$1,500)
- Sub-Membrane (crawl space): $1,500-$3,500
- Block-Wall Depressurization: $1,500-$4,500 (common in older PA basements)
- Pressure-field extension diagnostic testing: included in standard install for high-reading homes
- Post-mitigation verification: $75-200 separate (always recommended)
The contractor verification requirement
Critical for Pennsylvania transactions: the mitigation contractor MUST hold both NRPP (or NRSB) national certification AND active PA DEP certification under Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240. For the complete verification process, see PA DEP Radon Certification — How to Verify Your Mitigator.
An uncertified install may not satisfy 68 Pa. C.S. disclosure requirements and could expose the seller to disclosure claims later. The dual-credential requirement is part of why Pennsylvania has one of the strictest contractor-quality frameworks in the US — see also the related history of the 1984 Watras Incident that drove the original PA radon legislation.
For the Reading Prong geological context affecting most Pennsylvania transactions, see Reading Prong Geology.
Sources: 68 Pa. C.S. §§ 7301-7315, Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240, Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS Standard Agreement guidance, PA DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection.