How to file a small claims case in Pennsylvania, step by step

Ask for payment in writing

Pennsylvania doesn't require a demand letter, but one often settles the case and is good evidence.

Use the free demand letter generator, give them 10–14 days, and keep a copy with proof of the date you sent it.

Check the limit and your deadline

In Pennsylvania you can sue for up to $12,000 in the Magisterial District Court (Philadelphia Municipal Court in Philadelphia).

Run the 60-second case check to see the last day you can file.

Collect the details the form asks for

• Your full name, address and phone
• The defendant's exact legal name and a street address where they can be served (not a P.O. box)
• The amount you're asking for and how you got that number
• The date the problem happened
• A short plain description of what happened
• Proof you asked for payment, if you did

Find the defendant's exact legal name

Use the company's registered name and address; fictitious (trade) names are listed there too.

Search: Pennsylvania Department of State Business Search.

Gather your evidence

• The contract, lease, invoice or receipt
• Photos of the damage, dated if possible
• Texts, emails and letters with the other side
• Two written repair estimates or proof of what you paid
• Your demand letter and proof it was sent
• Names and contact details of any witnesses

Get the right form

AOPC 308A: Civil Complaint (Statement of Claim in Philadelphia). Get the form.

Describe your claim clearly

• Who: you and the defendant, with full legal names and addresses
• What: the agreement or event, in 2–4 plain sentences
• When: the date it happened
• How much: the exact amount (no more than $12,000) and how you calculated it
• What you did: when you asked for payment and their response

Sign it the right way

Sign the complaint, which includes a verification that the facts are true; no notary is needed.

Make copies

Bring the original and one copy for each defendant, plus one for yourself.

File your claim

Choose how you'll file:

Outside Philadelphia, file at the Magisterial District Court where the defendant lives or does business, where the problem happened, or where the contract was made; the pacourts.us locator finds the office. In Philadelphia, file in person at Municipal Court, 1339 Chestnut St, 10th floor.

Pay the filing fee

Fees depend on the amount and the county. A typical 2026 schedule outside Philadelphia: about $125 for claims up to $500, $148 up to $2,000, $171 up to $4,000, and $228 up to $12,000, including surcharges and certified mail. Constable service costs about $60 more. In Philadelphia, about $95 up to $2,000 and $117 above that, including service at one Philadelphia address. Can't afford it? Ask for a fee waiver: Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis.

Keep what the clerk gives you

You get a docket number and the hearing date, set 12 to 60 days out.

Have the papers served

The court handles service; you choose and pay for it: certified mail sent by the court, or delivery by a sheriff or constable.

The defendant must be served at least 10 days before the hearing.

File proof of service

The court mails by certified mail or the constable serves; the return receipt or constable's return goes into the court file.

If service fails

Don't wait until the hearing. Ask the clerk right away for a new hearing date and try another method, such as personal delivery instead of mail, or a different address.

Watch for the defendant's response

A defendant who wants to fight the claim notifies the court before the hearing, and must file any counterclaim at least 5 days before it.

Settling before the hearing

If you settle, tell the court in writing that the case is settled or withdrawn.

Get any settlement in writing, signed by both sides, with the amount and payment date.

Line up your witnesses

A witness who saw what happened is stronger than a written statement; some judges won't accept letters.

Ask the MDJ office for a subpoena for a witness or documents.

Prepare your file

• Three copies of every document: for you, the judge and the defendant
• A one-page timeline of what happened, with dates
• A short sheet showing how you calculated the amount
• Photos printed or ready on your phone (ask the clerk if screens are allowed)

On the day

• The judge usually rules at the hearing or within about 5 days
• Arrive 30 minutes early and check in with the clerk or bailiff
• Bring three copies of every document and your evidence in date order
• Bring your witnesses, or a subpoena if they won't come voluntarily
• Turn your phone to silent; dress neatly

Tell your story

Speak to the judge, not the other side. Stay calm, answer the question asked, and don't interrupt.

If someone doesn't show up

If the defendant doesn't come, you can get a judgment by default. If you don't come, your case can be dismissed.

Know the appeal rules

Either side can appeal to the county Court of Common Pleas within 30 days of the judgment and get a brand-new trial, often first before a panel of arbitrators.

Collect your money

Pennsylvania generally doesn't allow wage garnishment for ordinary debts. After 30 days, ask for an Order of Execution so a constable can seize property, or transfer the judgment to create a lien on real estate.

Close the case once you're paid

Keep proof of every payment. When you're paid in full, tell the court; some courts require a satisfaction-of-judgment form.