Guide
What does PA law require sellers to disclose about radon?
Short version: sellers must disclose what they actually know — prior test results and any mitigation system — but Pennsylvania does not require radon testing before a sale. This page is plain-language guidance, not legal advice.
Guidance reviewed against the statute, the PAR disclosure form, and EPA source material: July 22, 2026
The statute
What the disclosure law actually says.
Pennsylvania's Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (68 Pa.C.S. § 7301 and following) requires sellers of residential property to disclose all known material defects on a disclosure form delivered before the agreement of sale is signed. Two boundaries matter: the duty covers the seller's actual knowledge only — the statute states the seller is not obligated to make any specific investigation or inquiry — and the statute never names radon. It requires disclosure of "hazardous substances" generally; radon enters by name through the disclosure forms. Violations carry a two-year limitations period after settlement.
The form
Where radon actually appears: the PAR disclosure form.
The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors Seller's Property Disclosure Statement — the form used in most PA transactions — has a dedicated radon subsection (Section 21(B)). It asks three things: whether the seller is aware of any radon tests performed in any building on the property; if so, the test dates and results; and whether the seller is aware of any radon removal system. For buyers, the practical read: a blank radon section usually means "never tested," not "tested clean" — which is exactly why the inspection contingency exists.
Common confusion
What Senate Bill 760 is — and is not.
Some radon pages cite Pennsylvania SB 760 (2025–2026 session) in a real-estate context. That is wrong. SB 760 is an amendment to the Public School Code that would require radon testing in public school buildings built before 2014 in EPA Zone 1 counties, with mitigation required for results at or above 4.0 pCi/L. It applies to schools, not home sales — and as of July 2026 it has not moved out of committee and is not law.
Practical playbook
What buyers and sellers should actually do.
Buyers: read Section 21(B), then use the inspection contingency — typically 10–15 days under the standard PAR agreement, defaulting to 10 if left blank — to get a certified test. A valid short-term test needs at least 48 hours plus reporting time, so schedule at the top of the window. Sellers: disclose every known result and system honestly, including old or unfavorable ones; a pre-listing test can turn radon from a mid-deal surprise into a solved line item. The transaction mechanics live on the real-estate radon testing page; agents have a dedicated resource page.
Clear next step
Request Chester County radon testing or mitigation routing.
Use this for first tests, real-estate deadlines, 4.0+ pCi/L results, mitigation planning, and post-mitigation retests.
Requests are routed only where an appropriate PA DEP-certified provider is available.
FAQ
Common homeowner questions
Does Pennsylvania law require sellers to test for radon?
No. The Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law requires disclosing known material defects; it does not require sellers to investigate or test. If no radon test was ever done, there is nothing to disclose.
What exactly must a PA seller disclose about radon?
What they actually know. The widely used PAR disclosure form asks whether the seller is aware of prior radon tests, the test dates and results, and any radon removal system on the property.
Does the disclosure statute mention radon by name?
No. The statute (68 Pa.C.S. § 7304) requires disclosure of "hazardous substances" generally; radon appears by name on the disclosure forms, not in the statute text itself.
Is Senate Bill 760 a home-sale radon law?
No. SB 760 (2025–2026 session) is a Public School Code amendment about radon testing in Pennsylvania public school buildings. As of July 2026 it remains in committee and is not law — and it has nothing to do with residential disclosure.
How long do buyers have to act on a disclosure problem?
The statute sets a two-year limitations period after final settlement for disclosure violations. Contract remedies during the inspection contingency are separate and much faster — that window is typically 10–15 days.