The rule in Pennsylvania
The small claims limit in Pennsylvania is $12,000. The rule is 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515(a)(3); the Lycoming County (Pa.), Magisterial District Judges puts it this way: “where the amount in controversy does not exceed $12,000, exclusive of interests and costs”. The court that hears these cases: Magisterial district court (Philadelphia: Municipal Court).
Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, Pennsylvania ranks 11th from the top. That is $2,000 above the median of $10,000. It is 4.8 times Kentucky's $2,500 floor and 48% of the $25,000 top figure. South Dakota uses the same $12,000 figure.
Next door, Delaware allows $25,000, Maryland allows $5,000, New Jersey allows $5,000, New York allows $10,000, Ohio allows $6,000 and West Virginia allows $20,000. A claim of $12,000 that fits in Pennsylvania would be $7,000 over the line in Maryland. Delaware goes $13,000 further, so a dispute worth $25,000 could stay in small claims there but not in Pennsylvania.
Worked check against the $12,000 figure: a $6,000 claim uses 50% of the limit and leaves $6,000 of room; a claim of exactly $12,000 still fits, because the rule caps the amount rather than excluding it; a claim of $12,001 is $1 over, and the rule leaves interest and costs out of that count.
The source checked for Pennsylvania does not publish a statewide filing fee, so this page shows none; the clerk of the court where the case is filed posts the current amount.
The Philadelphia Municipal Court states the same figure: it hears small claims cases involving up to $12,000.
Deposit disputes are a common small claims case. Pennsylvania caps deposits at 2 months' rent in the first year of the lease; 1 month from the second year on (deposit rules), so a claim for a full deposit stays under the $12,000 limit whenever the monthly rent is $6,000 or less.
Source: Lycoming County (Pa.), Magisterial District Judges · 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515(a)(3) · last checked October 20, 2026.
Where the case goes
A claim within the limit is filed with the Magisterial district court (Philadelphia: Municipal Court). The linked source is the place to confirm forms, the filing fee and where to file before starting; the guides on filing a small claims case and serving the papers explain the usual steps in general terms.
Questions
What is the small claims limit in Pennsylvania?
$12,000, under 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515(a)(3). Checked October 20, 2026.
Do interest and costs count toward the Pennsylvania limit?
No. The source words the limit as “where the amount in controversy does not exceed $12,000, exclusive of interests and costs”, which leaves those amounts out of the count.
How much does it cost to file a small claim in Pennsylvania?
The source checked does not publish a statewide fee; the clerk of the court where the case is filed posts it.