(a) The plaintiff shall commence an execution to attach wages by filing a praecipe with the prothonotary of a county in which judgment has been entered and in which the defendant resides, the defendant works or the residential real property which is the subject of the action is located. The praecipe shall be filed within five years of the date of the original judgment. The praecipe shall be in the form prescribed by Rule 3311.
Rule 3302.Commencement. Notice.
Adopted December 21, 2005 · Last amended July 16, 2012 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceA landlord starts a wage attachment by filing a praecipe, whereupon the prothonotary issues a Notice of Intent to Attach Wages that is served on the tenant as original process.
Full Text of Rule 3302
(b) Upon the filing of the praecipe, the prothonotary shall issue a Notice of Intent to Attach Wages in the form prescribed by Rule 3312(a). The prothonotary shall attach to the notice a copy of both (1) the praecipe filed with the prothono- tary for issuance of the Notice of Intent to Attach Wages and (2) the most recent poverty income guidelines issued by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services as they appear on the web site of the Civil Procedural Rules Committee.
Plain-English Summary
This rule sets how a wage attachment begins. The judgment creditor-landlord files a praecipe with the prothonotary of a county where the judgment is entered and the writ is to issue. The prothonotary then issues a Notice of Intent to Attach Wages in the prescribed form and attaches the required papers.
That notice is served on the defendant in the manner used for original process in a civil action. Requiring a notice of intent, served like original process, gives the tenant advance warning and a chance to claim an exemption before any wages are attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a landlord start attaching wages?
By filing a praecipe, after which the prothonotary issues a Notice of Intent to Attach Wages.
Is the tenant notified first?
Yes. The notice of intent is served on the tenant before wages are attached.
Official Note
Official Note: The web site of the Civil Procedural Rules Committee is part of the home page of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts at www.pacourts.org. The poverty income guidelines set forth on the Committee web site which are to be attached to the Notice of Intent to Attach Wages are stated in monthly amounts.
Official Note: The notice shall be served (1) by the sheriff in the manner prescribed by Rule 402(a) for the service of original pro- cess upon a defendant, or (2) pursuant to special order of court as prescribed by Rule 430 if service cannot be made as provided in paragraph (1) of this note.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 3302 adopted December 21, 2005, effective one month after the date of the Order, 36 Pa.B. 176; amended July 16, 2012, effective immediately, 42 Pa.B. 4907. Immedi- ately preceding text appears at serial page (316418).
Source & verification. Rule text, the Official Note, and the amendment
history are reproduced verbatim from the Pennsylvania Code, Title 231, the official compilation
of rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Last verified June 30, 2026. ·
Official text
Also known as: notice of intent to attach wagescommencement wage attachment