Does Pennsylvania have the death penalty?
Not used in practice
The death penalty remains in law, but executions are suspended (by Governor moratorium).
Pennsylvania is classified “Not used in practice” for the death penalty, as are 10 of the other 49 states and the District of Columbia. For the United States as a whole, the classification is “Retained / in use”.
Source
- Note
- In 2015, Governor Tom Wolf set a moratorium. In 2023, Josh Shapiro continued the moratorium.
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read from the source’s state-by-state coverage; the topic is published only once hand-verified reference states match it.
Across the United States
- Retained / in use 16 states.
- Not used in practice 11 states, including Pennsylvania.
- Fully abolished 23 states and the District of Columbia.
Nearby states
- New Jersey
- Fully abolished New Jersey abolished the death penalty in 2007.
- New York
- Fully abolished New York abolished the death penalty in 2004.
- Delaware
- Fully abolished Delaware abolished the death penalty in 2016.
- District of Columbia
- Fully abolished The District of Columbia abolished the death penalty in 1981.
- Maryland
- Fully abolished Maryland abolished the death penalty in 2013.
- Connecticut
- Fully abolished Connecticut abolished the death penalty in 2012.
Other laws in Pennsylvania
- Abortion
- Legal on request
- Euthanasia
- Illegal
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal
- Age of Consent
- 16–17
- Sex Work
- Illegal
- Gun Laws
- Permissive
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical)
The death penalty in the United States → · Which countries have the death penalty? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.