2026 Pennsylvania judgment & prejudgment interest rates
Current 2026 snapshot: Pennsylvania post-judgment interest is 6% per year; the recorded prejudgment reference is 6% per year.
Everything Pennsylvania charges in interest on a money judgment or an overdue debt, in one place — the rate after judgment and the rate before it, each recorded with a cited source and linked to its full page with observations, scope, and known carve-outs.
| Metric | Rate or rule | Effective / reference date | Authority | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-judgment interest | 6% | July 9, 2026 | 42 Pa.C.S. §8101 / 41 P.S. §202 | Fixed by statute |
| Prejudgment interest | 6% | July 9, 2026 | 41 P.S. §202 (6% contract); 231 Pa. Code Rule 238 (tort delay damages, prime+1%) | Fixed by statute |
Post-judgment interest
Pennsylvania's post-judgment interest rate is 6% per year. Pennsylvania judgments carry interest at the state’s legal rate of 6% per year — 42 Pa.C.S. §8101 sets judgment interest at "the lawful rate," which 41 P.S. §202 fixes at 6%. It’s simple interest and has been 6% for decades. A judgment on a loan or contract can carry a higher lawful contract rate where the documents set one.
→ Full Pennsylvania post-judgment page — 42 Pa.C.S. §8101 / 41 P.S. §202, effective-date history, scope, and official source.
Prejudgment interest
Pennsylvania's prejudgment interest rate is 6% per year (fixed by statute). Pennsylvania uses different prejudgment paths. The lawful-rate reference under 41 P.S. §202 is 6% for qualifying contract and liquidated obligations. Pa.R.C.P. 238 separately governs delay damages in covered bodily-injury, death, and property-damage actions; the official 2026 Rule 238 rate is 7.75%. The branches have different eligibility and timing rules.
→ Full Pennsylvania prejudgment page — 41 P.S. §202 (6% contract); 231 Pa. Code Rule 238 (tort delay damages, prime+1%), when it applies, accrual, compounding, and carve-outs.
Frequently asked
What is the post-judgment interest rate in Pennsylvania?
As of July 9, 2026, the Pennsylvania post-judgment interest rate is 6% per year. Pennsylvania’s flat 6% legal judgment rate.
What is the prejudgment interest rate in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania's prejudgment interest rate is 6% per year (fixed by statute). The 6% legal-rate and 7.75% Rule 238 branches cover different claims and cannot be merged.
Is Pennsylvania judgment interest simple or compound, and when does it start?
The general statutory reference is treated as simple interest. StatuteRates keeps a general Pennsylvania calculator disabled until every day-count, payment-allocation, contract-rate, and judgment-type branch is verified. Section 8101 runs interest from the date of the verdict or award, or from the date of the judgment if it is not entered on a verdict or award, until satisfaction.
Cite this page
StatuteRates. “Pennsylvania Judgment & Prejudgment Interest Rates.” StatuteRates.com. Accessed today. https://statuterates.com/states/pennsylvania/ Each rate includes a cited source and an effective or recorded-reference date; confirm the controlling authority before use.
Compare every state on the state interest-rate index and the prejudgment interest index, or enter a confirmed rate in the judgment interest and per-diem calculator. Reference data only — not legal advice.