Family Court SidekickYour next clear step
State guide · PA

Pennsylvania Family Court: Custody and Parenting-Time Guide

Plain-language Pennsylvania information for a custody or parenting-time route, including filing, official forms, free help, fee waivers, and legal-cost context.

Last reviewed:

This page provides general legal information, not legal advice. State law, court rules, forms, and local procedures can change. Confirm current requirements with the court handling the case.

State laws, court rules, and forms can change. Automated link checks will run every week once the monitoring job is deployed. Please check each cited source before relying on it. Report a broken link or changed law.

Find the right family court

The custody or parenting-time route described in this guide is handled through the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas. Other family-law matters can follow a different court or procedure.

Find the court for your area.

How Pennsylvania courts decide custody

In a custody order, Pennsylvania law directs the court to determine the child's best interest by considering all relevant factors and giving substantial weighted consideration to listed safety factors.Sources:23 Pa.C.S. § 5328 Factors to Consider When Awarding Custody

Key legal sources

Parenting time

Pennsylvania's custody rules use legal and physical custody terms; physical custody means actual possession and control of a child.Sources:231 Pa. Code Chapter 1915. Actions for Custody of Minor Children

  • The statewide custody page directs filers to check the handling county's child-custody procedures, so this draft does not state a county-specific schedule.Sources:Custody Proceedings

Key legal sources

How to file

This draft covers an initial Pennsylvania parent-to-parent custody complaint in a Court of Common Pleas. It excludes divorce, modification, contempt, emergency, dependency, adoption, interstate, nonparent-standing, and the rule's conditional paternity-claim routes.Sources:231 Pa. Code Chapter 1915. Actions for Custody of Minor Children, Custody Proceedings

  1. Confirm the handling county and local procedure

    The statewide custody page says to identify the appropriate county court before beginning and to check that county's current custody procedures. The statewide rules identify venue categories, but this draft does not resolve a county-specific venue or scheduling question.Sources:Custody Proceedings, 231 Pa. Code Chapter 1915. Actions for Custody of Minor Children

  2. Prepare the required initial documents

    For this initial route, the rules require a verified custody complaint and an order attached to it. The statewide custody page provides the Complaint for Custody, Form 3 Criminal Record/Abuse History Verification, and Form 5 Scheduling Order; check the county's current filing directions before using them.Sources:231 Pa. Code Chapter 1915. Actions for Custody of Minor Children, Custody Proceedings, Complaint for Custody, Form 3 Criminal Record Abuse History Verification, Form 5 Scheduling Order

  3. File the complaint and required verification

    The custody rules require the plaintiff to file the Criminal Record/Abuse History Verification when filing the custody action. The complaint form states that the verification is attached; do not use this parent-to-parent route if its stated conditional paternity or nonparent-standing rules apply.Sources:231 Pa. Code Chapter 1915. Actions for Custody of Minor Children, Complaint for Custody

  4. Complete the applicable service record

    Rule 1915.3-2 requires the plaintiff to serve the custody complaint with a copy of the filed Criminal Record/Abuse History Verification and a blank verification form for the defendant. The statewide custody page says to use the affidavit or certificate appropriate to the service method and to consult the applicable rules; the correct service record depends on the method and case.Sources:231 Pa. Code Chapter 1915. Actions for Custody of Minor Children, Custody Proceedings, Form 3 Criminal Record Abuse History Verification

Official forms

Open the official forms portal.

  • Pennsylvania's statewide custody page provides the initial custody and service forms, directs filers to the appropriate county court, and says the rules prevail if webpage directions differ from the rules.Sources:Custody Proceedings

Free court self-help

Find court self-help near you.

  • Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network

    Area served: Pennsylvania; the application is processed by the legal-aid program serving the applicant's county.

    A statewide network of independent programs provides civil legal assistance and offers an application for legal services.Sources:Application for Legal Services

    Eligibility: The network describes its service as for low-income individuals and families; the receiving county program decides whether it can assist.

  • North Penn Legal Services

    Area served: Northeast Pennsylvania; availability varies by county.

    Provides free civil legal services to low-income families and lists children-and-family and child-custody topics.Sources:Legal Topics

    Eligibility: It bases eligibility on the legal need, household income, and location, and says an intake and local-office acceptance are required.

Fee waivers

Pennsylvania Rule 240 applies to civil actions, including domestic-relations actions outside its stated protection-order exceptions, and permits a party without financial resources to proceed in forma pauperis.Sources:231 Pa. Code Rule 240 In Forma Pauperis

Who may qualify

  • A party generally files a petition and affidavit; when filed with the action, the prothonotary dockets the matter without the filing fee, subject to the court's later action on the request.Sources:231 Pa. Code Rule 240 In Forma Pauperis

What to do

  1. Use Form 2 when requesting IFP relief

    The Pennsylvania Forms Center provides Form 2, Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. The statewide custody page directs a completed IFP form to the appropriate county records office; confirm the handling county's current practice.Sources:Form 2 Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis, Custody Proceedings

Official fee-waiver forms

Key statute or rule

Attorney cost benchmark

Lawyer fees vary by county, experience, services, and the facts of a case. This state benchmark is context for planning, not a quote.

State and local details to confirm

  • Pennsylvania's statewide custody page states that the applicable rules control if they differ from the webpage instructions, and county procedures still require confirmation.Sources:Custody Proceedings

Part of Family Law in Your State.