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Pennsylvania small claims cost guide

In Pennsylvania you can claim up to $12,000 excluding interest & costs. The filing fee is All-in cost by tier: $67 (to $500) · $89 (to $2,000) · $111.50 (to $4,000) · $167 (to $12,000).

Pennsylvania at a glance	Figure
Maximum claim	$12,000 excluding interest & costs
Court	Magisterial District Court (Philadelphia: Municipal Court)
Filing fee	All-in cost by tier: $67 (to $500) · $89 (to $2,000) · $111.50 (to $4,000) · $167 (to $12,000)
Service of process	Service is arranged by the court and built into the all-in filing cost — constable service runs about $21 plus mileage where itemised

Where you file

You file a Civil Complaint with the Magisterial District Court for the district where the defendant lives or does business, or where the incident occurred. In Philadelphia, file in Philadelphia Municipal Court instead — the limit is the same $12,000 (excluding interest and costs).

Filing fees by claim amount

All-in cost by tier: $67 (to $500) · $89 (to $2,000) · $111.50 (to $4,000) · $167 (to $12,000). Because the schedule is tiered, the exact fee for your claim is in the calculator on the homepage — select Pennsylvania and enter your amount.

Service of process: options and costs

Method	Cost	Notes
Court-arranged service (included)	Built into the all-in filing cost — the court serves by certified mail and/or a sheriff or certified constable	You do not hire your own server to start a Pennsylvania small claim
Constable service, itemised	$13 to serve the complaint, +$5 per additional defendant at the same address, +$2.50 per return of service, plus mileage at the IRS rate (44 Pa.C.S. §7161)	Shown so you can see what the all-in fee is paying for

Step by step: filing in Pennsylvania

Complete the Civil Complaint form at the Magisterial District Court office (staff will help you with the form, though they cannot give legal advice).
Pay the all-in filing cost for your tier: $67 up to $500, $89 up to $2,000, $111.50 up to $4,000, $167 up to $12,000. (The statute's base costs are $30/$40/$50/$75; the Unified Judicial System cost table adds statewide surcharges and service, and the table figure is what you actually pay.)
The court arranges service on the defendant — certified mail, sheriff, or constable.
The defendant may file a counterclaim or a notice of intent to defend; there is no separate fee simply to defend and be heard.
The hearing is before the Magisterial District Judge — no jury. Bring your documents and witnesses.
The loser has 30 days to appeal to the Court of Common Pleas, where the case starts over (de novo) and a jury is available. If nobody appeals, the judgment is final and you can enforce it — an Order of Execution costs $22.50, and the constable's levy fee is $75 plus mileage.

Timelines and extra fees

Appeal window: 30 days after judgment, to the Court of Common Pleas.
Reinstatement of a dismissed complaint: $5 fee (42 Pa.C.S. §1725.1).
Winning plaintiffs: the judge orders the defendant to reimburse your court costs on top of the judgment.

The honest summary: Pennsylvania's two-number problem trips up most cost guides: they quote the statute's $30–$75 base costs and forget the surcharges and service that roughly double the real price. Budget with the all-in table — $67 to $167 depending on your claim — and remember the pleasant flip side: service is the court's job, not yours.

Worked total: what a case costs to file

Claim amount	Filing fee	Service	Total to file
$500	$67	$0	$67
$2,500	$111.50	$0	$111.50
$5,000	$167	$0	$167

These totals are filing fee plus service only, for one defendant, before any mediation, jury, or enforcement charges itemised above. If you win, courts generally order the defendant to reimburse these costs — see recovering your court costs.

Sources: 42 Pa.C.S. §1725.1 — Pennsylvania General Assembly · LegalClarity summary of the UJS Magisterial District Judge Cost Table. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court clerk.

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