E-Filing Tips

NOTICE

In order to receive electronic notices regarding filings, notices and orders, please make sure that you file an official “Entry of Appearance.” By filing an Entry of Appearance electronically, you will automatically receive court orders and notices electronically, rather than through the US mail.

The following documents will not be accepted via e-filing and must be filed by paper:

  • Chester County Family Court Filings
  • Election Appeals and Challenges

Account Setup

  • If you are an attorney, you must sign up for both a financial administrator account and an attorney account prior to e-filing any documents with a filing fee if paying online.  
  • Although e-filing can be accessed at any time, requests for new accounts will only be processed during regular business hours (M-F 8:30am-4:30pm).
  • Pro se filers do not need to sign up for a financial administrator account. 
  • If you are an attorney and change firms, please contact our office.

Rule Returnables and Per Curium Orders

Please note that it is the filer’s responsibility to ensure that time-stamped/completed Rule Returnables and Per Curium Orders are served on all other counsel and unrepresented parties. Please see Chester County Local Rule 206.3 Service and Certification for more information.  

Filing Tips

  • The following documents must be filed by paper and will not be accepted via e-file
    • Chester County Family Court Filings
    • Election Appeals and Challenges 
  • Although e-filing can be accessed at any time, filings are only processed during regular business hours.
  • Self-service kiosks are available for civil e-filing at our office during regular business hours.
  • We still accept documents sent to our office via postal mail. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of service.
  • Chester County’s e-filing program automatically generates both State and Local cover sheets. There is no need to upload cover sheets with an initial filing.
  • When filing a Complaint, you must file Notice to Defend separately from the Complaint.
  • When filing a Writ of Summons, it is not necessary to upload a blank Writ of Summons as it is automatically generated when you select the “Writ of Summons Filed” document type. Download detailed instructions on how to file a Writ of Summons
  • For service of original process, print the filed documents and submit them separately to the Sheriff for service purposes. The Prothonotary’s Office does not process service requests.
  • All documents must be in PDF format except for proposed orders which must be submitted in Microsoft Word format.
  • The current size limit for documents is 10 megabytes per document and 30 megabytes per submission. More information about submitting large files
  • A document is time-stamped only when a filing is accepted by our office. If a filing is rejected, it will not be time-stamped until it is re-filed and accepted.  
  • For a secondary filing, the fee document code cannot be the only document code in the submission-there must be an accompanying document code with document attached.
  • For a secondary filing, the fee document code cannot be the last document code in the submission.

  • When entering your docket number, the efiling system requires that you use the two digit letter extension assigned to your case based on your case type. If you do not have the case type extension, please reference the extension guide. 

  • Instructions on Efiling Confidential Filings

Fees and Payments

  • Acceptable forms of payment for Efiling: Discover, Mastercard and Visa
  • E-file fees
    • $20 for new case filings 
    • $5 for a secondary filing that already has a fee attached
    • No e-filing fee for filings that do not have a fee.