(a)General rule.--
(1)Beginning July 1, 1987, and thereafter, the total of all fines, fees and costs collected by any division of the unified judicial system which are in excess of the amount collected from such sources in the fiscal year 1986-1987 shall be deposited in the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account. Any fines, fees or costs which are allocated by law or otherwise directed to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, to the Pennsylvania Game Commission or to counties and municipalities, to the Crime Victim's Compensation Board, to the Commission on Crime and Delinquency for victim-witness services grants under section 477.15(c) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, to rape crisis centers, to the Emergency Medical Se
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(a) General rule.--
(1) Beginning July 1, 1987, and thereafter, the total of all fines, fees and costs collected by any division of the unified judicial system which are in excess of the amount collected from such sources in the fiscal year 1986-1987 shall be deposited in the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account. Any fines, fees or costs which are allocated by law or otherwise directed to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, to the Pennsylvania Game Commission or to counties and municipalities, to the Crime Victim's Compensation Board, to the Commission on Crime and Delinquency for victim-witness services grants under section 477.15(c) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, to rape crisis centers, to the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund or to domestic violence shelters shall not be affected by this subchapter.
(2) Beginning July 1, 1999, any fines, fees or costs which are allocated by law or otherwise directed to the Child Passenger Restraint Fund shall not be affected by this subchapter.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2025, and notwithstanding section 3571 (relating to Commonwealth portion of fines, etc.) or this section, any costs charged by magisterial district judges under section 1725.1 (relating to costs) otherwise paid to the Commonwealth shall be deposited into the restricted account established in section 3731 (relating to establishment of restricted receipt account). Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as affecting the amount payable to counties under section 3572 (relating to county portion of fines, etc.). This paragraph shall expire June 30, 2028.
(a.1) Additional fees.--
(1) In addition to the court costs and filing fees authorized to be collected by statute:
(i) An additional fee of $10 shall be charged and collected by the prothonotaries of the Pennsylvania Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts for each initial filing for which a fee, charge or cost is now authorized.
(ii) An additional fee of $10 shall be charged and collected by the prothonotaries, clerks of orphans' courts and registers of wills of all courts of common pleas, or by any officials designated to perform the functions thereof, for the initiation of any civil action or legal proceeding.
(iii) An additional fee of $10 shall be charged by the clerks of courts of all courts of common pleas, or by any officials designated to perform the functions thereof, for the initiation of any criminal proceeding for which a fee, charge or cost is now authorized and a conviction is obtained or guilty plea is entered. The additional fee under this subparagraph shall also be charged and collected when a defendant is granted entry into Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition or any other pretrial diversionary program.
(iv) An additional fee of $10 shall be charged and collected by the minor judiciary, including magisterial district judges, Philadelphia Municipal Court, Philadelphia Traffic Court and Pittsburgh Municipal Court, for the initiation of a legal proceeding for which a fee or cost is now authorized, except that in criminal, summary and traffic matters the fee shall be charged only when a conviction is obtained or guilty plea is entered. The additional fee under this subparagraph shall also be charged and collected when a defendant is granted entry into Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition or any other pretrial diversionary program.
(v) An additional fee of $10 shall be charged and collected by the recorders of deeds and clerks of court, or by any officials designated to perform similar functions, for each filing of a deed, mortgage or property transfer for which a fee, charge or cost is now authorized. The Supreme Court shall designate by financial regulations which filings meet the criteria of this subparagraph.
(2) The additional fees identified in paragraph (1) shall be fixed and charged for the fiscal years as indicated:
(i) For the fiscal year 2002-2003, $9 of each additional fee shall be deposited into the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account, and $1 of each additional fee shall be deposited into the Access to Justice Account under section 4904 (relating to establishment of Access to Justice Account).
(ii) For the fiscal years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, $8.50 of each additional fee shall be deposited into the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account, and $1.50 of each additional fee shall be deposited into the Access to Justice Account under section 4904.
(iii) For the fiscal year 2005-2006 and each fiscal year thereafter, $8 of each additional fee shall be deposited into the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account, and $2 of each additional fee shall be deposited into the Access to Justice Account under section 4904.
(3) The moneys charged and collected under this subsection shall be paid to the court imposing the fee, which shall transfer the moneys to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the appropriate account. For the purposes of paragraph (1)(v), the court shall be the court of common pleas.
(b) Limitation on total amount in account.--(Deleted by amendment).
(c) Expiration of section.--(Deleted by amendment).
(June 29, 1990, P.L.257, No.59, eff. imd.; Mar. 19, 1992, P.L.18, No.7, eff. imd.; July 11, 1996, P.L.607, No.104, eff. imd.; June 25, 1997, P.L.321, No.32, eff. July 1, 1997; Oct. 12, 1999, P.L.420, No.38, eff. 60 days; Oct. 2, 2002, P.L.841, No.122, eff. Nov. 1, 2002; Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days; Oct. 9, 2009, P.L.494, No.49, eff. 60 days; Feb. 4, 2026, P.L.1, No.1, eff. imd.) 2026 Amendment.Act 1 added subsec. (a)(3). Section 4 of Act 1 provided that the amendment or addition of sections 3532 and 3733(a)(3) shall apply retroactively to July 1, 2025. 2009 Amendment.Act 49 amended subsec. (a.1)(1)(iii), (iv) and (v). 2004 Amendment.See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to construction of law. 2002 Amendment.Act 122 amended subsec. (a.1). 1999 Amendment.Act 38 amended subsec. (a). Court Costs.See section 5 of Act 167 of 1992 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to commencement of compensation increases. References in Text.Section 477.15 of the act of April 9, 1929, P.L.177, No.175, known as The Administrative Code of 1929, referred to in subsec. (a), was repealed by the act of November 11, 1998, P.L.882, No.111, known as the Crime Victims Act. The subject matter is now contained in Act 111 of 1998. The Traffic Court of Philadelphia, referred to in subsec. (a.1)(1)(iv), was abolished by Joint Resolution No.2 of 2016. Cross References.Section 3733 is referred to in section 3733.1 of this title; section 7511 of Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses); sections 1618, 3111, 3733 of Title 75 (Vehicles).