Pennsylvania Filing and E-Filing: Spend Less Time on Paperwork
FamilyCourtHelp is an independent educational platform. It is not a court, law firm, government agency, or government partner. We organize and link to publicly available resources published by courts and government agencies. Official requirements may change. Always confirm current requirements with the applicable court or clerk.
PACFile mainly covers Pennsylvania's appellate courts plus certain filings in some county trial courts. Divorce, custody, and support filings are handled county by county, so check your county court's website or ask the prothonotary's office.
Many counties, including Philadelphia, run their own e-filing for family cases and some allow people without lawyers to use them. Where there is no county system, you file on paper at the courthouse.
In Pennsylvania, online filing is only partly open to a parent without a lawyer, so check what applies to your court before you count on it.
Official Pennsylvania filing resources
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PACFile plus county e-filing systems (PA Courts): PACFile mainly covers Pennsylvania's appellate courts plus certain filings in some county trial courts. Divorce, custody, and support filings are handled county by county, so check your county court's website or ask the prothonotary's office. https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/
Pennsylvania official filing information (Pennsylvania judicial branch): The court's own page explaining how documents are filed in Pennsylvania and what a parent without a lawyer is allowed to do. https://www.pacourts.us/
PA Courts of Common Pleas by county (Pennsylvania judicial branch): Find the courthouse or clerk that serves your area, with locations and contact details. https://www.pacourts.us/courts/courts-of-common-pleas
Pennsylvania family law forms (official index) (Pennsylvania judicial branch): The official statewide collection of Pennsylvania family law forms. When a direct document link stops working, this index is where the current version lives. https://www.pacourts.us/forms/for-the-public
Pennsylvania court self-help resources (Pennsylvania courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Pennsylvania family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://www.palawhelp.org
Pennsylvania rules of procedure (Pennsylvania judicial branch): The court rules that control deadlines, service, and how family cases move in Pennsylvania. https://www.pacourts.us/Storage/media/pdfs/20231103/180944-civilrules-ruletext.pdf
Official link data for Pennsylvania was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file my own family papers online in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, online filing is only partly open to a parent without a lawyer, so check what applies to your court before you count on it. Many counties, including Philadelphia, run their own e-filing for family cases and some allow people without lawyers to use them. Where there is no county system, you file on paper at the courthouse.
How much does it cost to file a family case in Pennsylvania?
Divorce filing fee: ~$200-$350 by county. If you cannot afford the fee, ask the clerk about a fee waiver or indigency application; every state has a process for requesting one.
Which court hears family cases in Pennsylvania?
Family cases in Pennsylvania are heard in the Court of Common Pleas, usually in the Family Division. Divorce, custody, and support are heard in the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas. Pennsylvania organizes its Courts of Common Pleas into judicial districts, mostly one per county.
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