BIZREFUND guide
Pennsylvania small claims court: limit and fee
A refund request that a company refuses can end in small claims court. This page gives the Pennsylvania facts a letter writer needs before deciding anything: the limit, the court, the fee, the rule on asking first, and where to complain. Each fact names its official source and the date it was checked.
The limit
In Pennsylvania, the general small claims limit is USD 12,000. The Philadelphia Municipal Court has the same USD 12,000 civil limit (42 Pa.C.S. § 1123); a plaintiff may give up the amount above USD 12,000 to stay within the limit.
Which court
Small claims cases in Pennsylvania are heard in the Magisterial District Court. The minor courts, where a magisterial district judge decides the case. The court's own page, linked below, explains where to file and what the forms are called.
Filing fee range
The filing fee runs from USD 68.50 to USD 171, depending on the amount you claim. For 2026, USD 68.50 for a claim of USD 500 or less, rising to USD 171 for a claim between USD 4,001 and USD 12,000; the fees adjust each January and exclude service and postage.
Before you file
Official guidance for this state recommends that you ask the other side for the money in writing before you file. The attorney general's consumer page says to contact the person who sold the item or did the work first, explain the problem and say what you are asking for.
Your state's consumer law
The main consumer protection law in Pennsylvania is the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (73 P.S. § 201-1 et seq., Act of December 17, 1968, P.L. 1224, No. 387). A letter can name it; what it covers in your case is a question for the statute itself or a lawyer.
Where to complain
The Pennsylvania attorney general takes consumer complaints through its own page, linked below. A complaint there is a report that the office keeps and can act on; it is not a claim for your money.
E-filing
The official pages read for this state do not say whether the court takes small claims online. Ask the court's clerk before you file.
Worked example
Example: a USD 850 refund that a store in Pennsylvania refused is under the USD 12,000 limit, so it is the size of claim the Magisterial District Court hears. The filing fee for it would fall between USD 68.50 and USD 171. The letter from the refund desk is the written request that comes first, and the timeline log is the record you bring.
Sources
- Small claims limit
- Filing fee
- The court
- Asking first
- Consumer law
- Pennsylvania attorney general: consumer complaint
Checked on 2026-10-11 against the sources above. Limits and fees change; confirm on the court's own page before you file.
Not legal advice and not a law firm. This page says what the court and the rule are, not whether you should file.
Common questions
What if my claim is over the limit?
Then small claims is not the court for the whole amount. People sometimes claim only up to the limit and give up the rest, or use a different court. Which is right for you is not something this page can say.
Do I have to send a letter before I file?
In Pennsylvania, a request first is recommended, by the official pages read for this guide. A dated letter with the evidence attached is the record either way.
Is this page legal advice?
No. It lists what the court and the rule are, with the official source for each fact and the date it was checked. It does not judge your case or tell you to file.