If you wish to appeal a final decision of a state agency (for example, the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, or similar state administrative agency), you must start your appeal by filing a Petition for Review in the Commonwealth Court.  Use the forms on this page to complete and file your Petition for Review. Before choosing or completing a form, read all instructions in the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) section below as well as the specific instructions for each form.

FAQs

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    How long do I have to appeal a decision of a state administrative agency?

    Your appeal (Petition for Review) must be filed with the Court within 30 days of the date of the agency decision or order that you are appealing. The Court cannot consider your appeal unless it is filed within the 30-day time period.

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    What information do I need to appeal a decision of a state administrative agency?

    You will need a copy of the agency decision or order that you are appealing to complete the Petition for Review.

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    What form do I use to file my appeal with the Court?

    From the options below, choose the Petition for Review form that applies to the state agency decision that you want to appeal.  You must complete all pages of the appropriate form.  Follow the forms' instructions closely. If you do not provide all the information requested on the form, it may may delay or prevent the Court from processing your appeal.

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    How do I file my Petition for Review form?

    • All filings with the Commonwealth Court must be made in the Court’s filing office in Harrisburg. (The filing office is also referred to as the Prothonotary’s Office.) You may file your documents in person, by mail as provided by the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure (often abbreviated Pa.R.A.P.), or electronically via the PACFile appellate court electronic filing system.
       
    • You may file your Petition for Review in person at the Court’s filing office:
      Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
      Pennsylvania Judicial Center
      601 Commonwealth Ave.
      Suite 2100
      Harrisburg, PA 17106
      Filing Office hours:  Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
       
    • If you file in person, your Petition for Review must be received in the Court’s filing office within 30 days of the decision or order date that you are appealing.
       
    • You may file your Petition for Review by first class, express, or priority United States Postal Service (USPS) mail addressed to:
      Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
      Pennsylvania Judicial Center
      601 Commonwealth Ave.
      Suite 2100
      P.O. Box 69185
      Harrisburg, PA 17106-9185
       
    • If you file by mail, your Petition for Review must be received in the Court’s filing office within 30 days of the decision or order date that you are appealing OR you must have proof that your Petition for Review was mailed within 30 days of the agency decision or order. In order to demonstrate that you mailed your Petition for Review within 30 days of the agency decision or order, you must obtain a USPS Form 3817 (Certificate of Mailing), USPS Form 3800 (Receipt for Certified Mail), USPS Form 3806 (Receipt for Registered Mail), or other similar USPS proof of mailing. A postmark alone is not sufficient proof that the Petition for Review was timely mailed.
       
    • You may file your Petition for Review electronically via the PACFile appellate court electronic filing system. For information about using the PACFile system, visit the Pennsylvania Courts Web Portal at https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/PACFile/Overview or contact the PACFile Help Desk at 717-795-2097.

      If you file electronically by PACFile, your Petition for Review must be properly submitted to the PACFile electronic filing system within 30 days of the decision or order date that you are appealing.
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    Do I need to send my completed Petition for Review form to anyone else?

    Yes. A copy of your Petition for Review must be sent to the agency that issued the decision or order that you are appealing, and to any other parties involved in your case. A Proof of Service form must be attached to your Petition for Review to demonstrate that you sent a copy of your Petition for Review to the agency and other parties. The Petition for Review forms below each include a Proof of Service. Follow the instructions on the Proof of Service form carefully. If you do not serve your Petition for Review on the agency and any other necessary parties, it may delay or prevent the Court from processing your appeal.

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    Is there a fee to file a Petition for Review? What if I cannot afford to pay the fee?

    In most cases, a filing fee is required to file a Petition for review.  Each Petition for Review form below lists the associated filing fee, if any. If there is a filing fee but you cannot afford to pay it, you can request that the fee be waived. A request to waive fees is referred to as an Application for Leave to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (IFP).  At the bottom of this page, there is a link to an IFP form. File this form along with your Petition for Review form if you are unable to pay the applicable filing fee and you are requesting that the fee be waived.

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    What happens after I file my Petition for Review with the Court?

    • If your Petition for Review is complete and you provided a copy of your Petition for Review to the administrative agency that issued the decision and all necessary parties, the Court will issue a Notice of Filing Petition for Review-Agency. This Notice directs the administrative agency to transmit the record for your case to the Court. You will receive a copy of the Notice. Once the Court receives the agency’s record, it will issue a briefing schedule informing the parties when their briefs must be filed with the Court. As the Petitioner, your brief will be filed first.
       
    • If your Petition for Review is not fully completed or is missing information, or you have not sent a copy of your Petition for Review to the administrative agency or necessary parties, the Court will send you a Defect Correction Notice that sets forth the additional steps that you need to take to properly complete your Petition for Review
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    I have a question about filing - who can I call?

    Please direct questions about filing to the Prothonotary’s Office at 717-255-1650. The Prothonotary’s Office cannot give you legal advice.

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    Where can I find more general information?

    The filing, processing, and disposition of a Petition for Review is governed by the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure (Pa.R.A.P.). View the Rules of Appellate Procedure at  210 Pa. Code Part I. Rules Of Appellate Procedure.

Petition for Review Form – Unemployment Compensation Board of Review (Claimant)

Use this form if you are the Claimant in an Unemployment Compensation Board of Review (UCBR) matter and you are appealing a final order of the UCBR.  Read and follow all instructions carefully.  A copy of the UCBR order must be submitted with this form.

Petition for Review Form – Department of Human Services, Bureau of Hearings and Appeals

Use this form if you are appealing a final order of the Department of Human Services, Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA).  Read and follow all instructions carefully.  A copy of the BHA order must be submitted with this form.

Petition for Review Form – Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Claimant)

Use this form if you are the Claimant in a Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (WCAB) matter and you are appealing a final order of the WCAB.  Read and follow all instructions carefully.  A copy of the WCAB order must be submitted with this form.

Petition for Review Form – Other State Agencies

Use this form if you are appealing a final decision or order of a state administrative agency other than the specific agencies listed above.  Read and follow all instructions carefully.  A copy of the agency decision or order must be submitted with this form.

  • You must submit a filing fee of $90.25 payable to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania OR an Application for Leave to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (IFP Form) (a request that fees be waived) with this form.
  • Petition for Review Form – Other State Agencies

Application for Leave to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (IFP Form)

File this form along with your Petition for Review form if you are unable to pay the applicable filing fee and you are requesting that the fee be waived.