Philadelphia Free Civil Legal Aid: CLS vs. PLA, Who to Call (2026-27)
Updated: 2 hours ago
Philadelphia has two big free civil legal aid offices, CLS and PLA, each with its own hotlines, hours and intake rules. Here is which one to call for your problem.
AT A GLANCE
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Philadelphia has two large free civil legal aid offices, and they split the work in ways that are not obvious from the outside. Community Legal Services (CLS) and Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) both help low-income Philadelphians, but each runs its own hotlines, hours and intake rules. Call the wrong one on the wrong morning and you can lose a day. This guide sorts the most common non-eviction problems (debt, mortgages and property taxes, unemployment, family law, public benefits, utilities, SSI and records) by which office to contact first, and when.
Everything below comes from the two organizations' own websites, which we read directly in October 2026. Hours change often. CLS posted new hours as of February 2, 2026, so check the source pages linked at the end before you head out.
If your problem is an eviction or another landlord-tenant issue, CLS runs a separate tenant line, covered briefly below. Our Philadelphia eviction diversion guide goes into that process in depth.
Start Here: Match Your Problem to an Office
This table shows where each office's own pages send you. Some problems appear on both sides. In that case, use whichever line is open when you can call.
Your problem | Where to start | Phone | Listed hours |
|---|---|---|---|
Mortgage, sheriff sale or tangled title | PLA Save Your Home Philly Hotline | 215-334-4663 | Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (leave a message after hours) |
Mortgage or property taxes | CLS general line | 215-981-3700 | Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Debt, collectors, garnishment, bankruptcy | CLS general line | 215-981-3700 | Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Custody, leaving an abusive home, other family issues | PLA Family Law Hotline | 215-981-3838 | Tue and Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. |
DHS or dependency cases | CLS Family Hotline or general line | 215-981-3765 or 215-981-3700 | General line Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Unemployment compensation, tax issues | PLA General Intake Hotline | 215-981-3800 | Mon–Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. |
Job problems, criminal record clearing, wills | CLS general line | 215-981-3700 | Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Gas, water or electric (utilities) | CLS general line | 215-981-3700 | Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
SSI disability benefits | CLS (PLA sends SSI callers to CLS) | 215-981-3700 | Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Welfare, SNAP (food stamps), senior issues | CLS benefits line | 215-981-3700 | Mon and Wed, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. (leave a message) |
Landlord-tenant | CLS tenant line | 267-443-2500 | Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. |
Two details are easy to miss. PLA's hotline page says that if your legal problem is SSI, you need to apply to CLS, and your case may be referred from CLS to PLA. And if you aren't sure which PLA line fits, PLA says to call 215-981-3800 and someone will direct you.
Call the wrong one on the wrong morning and you can lose a day.
Who Qualifies
Community Legal Services
CLS states its rule plainly. It gives free legal advice and representation to low-income residents of Philadelphia, and your income can't be more than 125% of the federal poverty line. CLS adds that in rare cases it may be able to help people with slightly higher incomes.
Two more CLS rules matter:
Residency. CLS can only help current Philadelphia residents. If you lived in Philadelphia when your legal problem happened, you may still be eligible.
Civil only. CLS handles civil cases, not criminal cases. Clearing a criminal record is a civil service CLS does offer.
CLS does not publish a dollar chart on the pages we read. The table below is our own computation: 125% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states. Treat it as a rough guide, not CLS's official cutoff. CLS makes the final decision at intake.
Household size | 125% of 2026 poverty guideline (yearly, our computation) | Approximate monthly |
|---|---|---|
1 | $19,950 | $1,663 |
2 | $27,050 | $2,254 |
3 | $34,150 | $2,846 |
4 | $41,250 | $3,438 |
5 | $48,350 | $4,029 |
6 | $55,450 | $4,621 |
7 | $62,550 | $5,213 |
8 | $69,650 | $5,804 |
For each additional person, add $7,100 a year (125% of the $5,680 HHS increment).
Philadelphia Legal Assistance
PLA serves Philadelphia residents who can't afford a lawyer, and it says eligibility varies by legal issue. Its "What to Expect from Legal Services" page explains that, in general, its funding lets it help people under a certain income level who have less than $8,000 in assets, but some legal issues have different rules. PLA does not post a single income figure on the pages we read, so call to find out whether you qualify.
PLA also says it can't help everyone. Even if you qualify financially, it may turn you down because it doesn't handle that type of problem, because it has already helped someone else involved in your case, or because a funder restricts it. When that happens, PLA says it tries to refer you to another free source or to the Philadelphia Bar Association's Lawyer Referral and Information Service.
How to Apply
CLS: phone or walk-in
CLS has two offices:
Center City Office: 1424 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102. Main phone 215-981-3700.
North Philadelphia Law Center: 1410 W. Erie Ave. (Broad and Erie), Philadelphia, PA 19140. Main phone 215-227-2400.
For most non-housing issues (mortgage or property taxes, debt, wills, job problems, DHS or dependency cases, criminal records, child abuse cases affecting employment, SSI appeals and utilities), CLS lists:
Call: 215-981-3700, Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Walk in: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.–12 p.m., at either office.
For welfare, public benefits, food stamps and senior issues, the hours are narrower:
Call: 215-981-3700, Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. (leave a message).
Walk in: 1410 W. Erie Ave. only, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
CLS provides interpreters at no cost.
PLA: hotline or online form
PLA no longer offers walk-in service. You have two ways in:
Call a hotline. PLA says this is the fastest way to reach an advocate. Use the numbers in the table above.
Apply online at philalegal.org/apply, any time of day. PLA says someone will call you back to finish the application. It also warns: don't use the online form if you have an upcoming appeal deadline or need to talk to someone right away. Call during hotline hours instead. After you apply online, you can call on any intake morning and tell the paralegal you already submitted a form.
What the intake call covers
PLA describes the screening. Expect questions about who lives with you, your income, the income of others in your home, and the things you own, plus demographic questions such as race, date of birth and gender. PLA says all of this information is kept confidential.
If you're found eligible, PLA says it will look at your problem and decide how to help. That could be brief advice or limited help from a paralegal, full representation by an attorney, or a referral to a pro bono partner.
Before you call
CLS's guidance is short: before you call or visit, collect materials relating to your case, including letters and any recent bills. Neither office posts a fixed checklist on the pages we read. Based on what the intake questions cover, it helps to have ready:
☐ Every letter, notice, court paper or bill about the problem, especially anything with a deadline or hearing date
☐ Recent proof of income for everyone in your household (pay stubs, benefit letters, unemployment statements)
☐ A rough list of what you own, since PLA asks about assets
☐ Your Philadelphia address, plus any earlier address if the problem started while you lived elsewhere in the city
☐ For a debt, the collector's name, any account number, and any garnishment or bank freeze notice
☐ For a mortgage or tax problem, your mortgage statements, tax bills or sheriff sale notice
A Closer Look at Debt Problems
CLS's debt and consumer rights page lists what it can do:
Bankruptcy representation, advice and referrals
Help if a debt collector is harassing, pressuring or suing you
Help if your bank account is frozen or your wages or benefits are being garnished
Help getting your credit report and connecting with a credit counselor to dispute errors, plus advice on recovering from identity theft
Advice on high-cost loans, and help with illegal payday loans
Help for student loan borrowers facing garnishment or a dispute with their servicer
CLS also gives a direct warning: most debt relief programs are scams. Call CLS before you pay anyone for help with debt, and before you refinance or pay anyone for help with student loans.
If You're Turned Down
A "no" from one office isn't the end. Options to try:
Ask why. If it's income, ask CLS whether your case is one of the rare ones where it helps slightly higher earners. If it's the type of problem, ask for a referral. PLA says it tries to give one.
Try the other office. The two offices cover different issues and have different rules, so being outside one doesn't rule out the other.
Ask for the Lawyer Referral and Information Service. PLA names the Philadelphia Bar Association's service as a fallback when it can't help.
Call 211. CLS points people to Philadelphia 211 at 211sepa.org or by dialing 211.
Use the complaint process if something went wrong. CLS links to a page explaining clients' rights and responsibilities and how to file a grievance.
Don't sit on a deadline. If a hearing or appeal date is close, call a hotline during open hours rather than waiting on an online application.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help in Philadelphia
Find more local guides on rent, utilities, food, taxes and legal help at our Philadelphia Financial Help Guides hub.
Related guides
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Hours and phone numbers can change. Confirm with the office before you rely on any detail.
October 2026 (CLS and PLA websites)
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