Most people never think about a process server until the day they need one. Then it becomes urgent. A complaint has been filed and the court wants proof of service within weeks. A hearing is set and the other side has to be notified first. A tenant has stopped paying. A defendant has stopped answering the door.
At that point, who you hire decides a great deal. If the papers are served late, the case can stall or be dismissed. If they are served the wrong way, the defendant can ask the court to throw the service out, and a default judgment you were counting on can be set aside. If the defendant is evasive and nobody keeps a proper record of the attempts, a judge may refuse to let you use any other method. All of that costs time and money you had not planned to spend.
We built The Global Process Server to prevent those outcomes. In this guide, we explain who we are, what a process server does, how to compare companies, what service costs, how the rules shift from one kind of case to another, and what you should know if you are the person being served. Even if you never hire us, you will finish with a clear idea of what good service of process looks like.
To reach us directly, call 855-505-9155 or visit TheGlobalProcessServer.com.
Our company was founded by experienced licensed private investigators, with a leadership team that knows the legal system at every level. That background shapes how we work. A courier asks, “Where do I drop this?” An investigator asks, “Is this person actually here, and how do I prove it?”
Our investigators and support staff have over 30 years of experience finding defendants, serving legal papers, obtaining records, conducting field investigation, and running database searches. Those years were spent in courthouses, law offices, and government offices, and on the street.
We serve legal documents in Los Angeles, across all 58 California counties, in all 50 states, in U.S. territories, and on Indian Reservations. Our team is located around the country and connected electronically, so an assignment that starts in Los Angeles can be handed to the right person in another state without the client starting over. For defendants abroad, we arrange international service of process to 195 nations.
Our clients include:
Whether the client is a law firm with fifty serves a month or a person with one envelope, the job is the same: deliver the paperwork correctly, document it, and return a proof the court will accept.
We are not a law firm, and we do not give legal advice. We provide process serving, investigation, and legal support services. Decisions about what to file and which method of service to use belong to you and your attorney. Our role is to carry those decisions out properly.
A process server delivers court papers to a party or witness in a way the law recognizes, then swears to the court how and when it was done.
Service of process protects a basic right. Under the principle of due process, no one should have a court rule against them without first receiving notice and a chance to respond. Service is that notice. It is also what gives the court jurisdiction, the authority to make orders that bind the defendant. Without valid service, a judgment rests on sand.
Every assignment follows the same basic path:
California’s Code of Civil Procedure, sections 413.10 through 417.40, governs service of a summons. The main methods are:
The proof of service is the document the court relies on. It states who was served, with what, when, where, how, and by whom. Other states call it an affidavit of service. A serve without a correct proof is, for practical purposes, no serve at all.
People move. Leases end, jobs change, relationships break up. The address in a contract or a police report may be years old. A server with no investigative support will make three trips to an empty apartment and send the papers back.
Skip tracing is the work of finding someone who has moved or does not want to be found. We use database searches, public records, and address verification to develop a current location. When the paper trail is thin, field investigation takes over: visiting the last known address, checking for signs of who lives there now, and following leads. Once the tracing produces an address we can verify, a server goes out.
Investigative training also shows up at the door. Is there a car in the driveway registered to the defendant? Is mail piling up? Is the name on the buzzer current? These details go into our notes. They help us decide when to return, and they give a judge confidence that the person really lives there if we later serve by substitution.
When a defendant truly cannot be found, the next step is a request to the court for service by publication. Judges do not grant those lightly. They want a declaration describing a real search. Our attempt logs and investigation reports are written to support exactly that.
In short, nearly any document a court, an attorney, or a party needs delivered and documented. The most common are:
We also support complex litigation and class actions, where dozens of parties may need to be served on a coordinated schedule.
The idea behind service never changes. The details change constantly.
A divorce in California cannot become final until at least six months after the respondent is served with the summons and petition, or appears in the case. The waiting period does not begin at filing. It begins at service.
Several other rules matter:
Family cases are personal. We serve them with discretion, and we are mindful when children are present.
Eviction paperwork is served in two rounds, and each has its own rules.
The first round is the notice. Section 1162 of the Code of Civil Procedure allows personal delivery; or, if the tenant is absent from home and work, delivery to a person of suitable age and discretion with a mailed copy; or, if neither is possible, posting in a conspicuous place with a mailed copy.
The second round is the lawsuit. The unlawful detainer summons and complaint are served personally or by substituted service. The tenant’s response time is short and counted in court days. If the tenant cannot be served after diligent effort, section 415.45 permits posting and mailing, but only by court order. A prejudgment claim of right to possession under section 415.46, which must be served by a registered process server or levying officer, covers occupants not named in the case.
One error at either stage can force a landlord to start again.
A company acts through people, and the law names which people can accept a lawsuit. For a corporation, section 416.10 lists the designated agent for service of process, the president or chief executive officer, a vice president, a secretary or assistant secretary, a treasurer or chief financial officer, a general manager, or a person the corporation has authorized.
In commercial process serving, the most common mistake is handing papers to a receptionist or a guard. That is usually not service. Before each corporate assignment, we verify the current agent on file with the California Secretary of State and deliver to that agent. LLCs, partnerships, and associations each have their own rules.
If a corporation’s agent has resigned or cannot be found with reasonable diligence, Corporations Code section 1702 allows a court to order service through the Secretary of State.
Subpoenas are the tools of discovery and trial. A personal appearance subpoena in a civil case is delivered to the witness in person, a reasonable time before the date. The witness may ask for fees and mileage when served, so the server must be ready to pay them.
A records subpoena is served on the custodian of records. If it seeks a consumer’s personal records or an employee’s employment records, sections 1985.3 and 1985.6 require that the person be notified first and given time to object. The sequence matters. So does the timing.
For cases pending in other states, a subpoena must be reissued under California procedure before it can be served here. We assist with that domestication step, in both directions.
A small claims case can be served by certified mail through the clerk, by the sheriff, or by a process server. Certified mail is cheap and often fails, since the defendant must sign for it. The claim must be served a certain number of days before the hearing. Check the deadline on your form.
A judgment does not enforce itself. Collection usually begins with a writ of execution directed to the levying officer. From there, a bank levy is served on the financial institution, an earnings withholding order on the employer, or an order to appear for examination on the debtor in person. California lets a registered process server perform several of these steps in coordination with the levying officer. When a debtor’s employer or bank is unknown, our investigators can help identify it.
A city, county, district, or state agency is served through specific officials. Under section 416.50, that means the clerk, secretary, president, presiding officer, or other head of the governing body. Claims against the State are generally served on the Attorney General. Many claims against public entities also require a written government claim before a lawsuit is filed.
California law requires that the server be at least 18 and not a party to the case. A plaintiff or petitioner cannot serve their own papers.
An adult friend or family member who is not a party can legally serve. For a simple, uncontested matter, that may be enough. But consider what you are asking of them. They have to find the person, hand over the papers properly, fill out the proof without error, and, if the defendant later disputes it, testify. If the defendant is not home, they have to know what to do next. Many well-meaning friends do not.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department serves civil papers for a statutory fee. It is a sound choice when the address is certain and there is no hurry. The limits are practical ones. Deputies carry a large caseload, usually attempt service during limited hours, and do not investigate. If the person is not there, the papers come back unserved.
A professional brings four advantages:
For anything contested, urgent, or complicated, the professional route is the reliable one.
The Global Process Server has provided fast, professional and affordable legal support to businesses and individuals on every continent for more than three decades. We serve legal documents of all types to 195 countries around the world according to Hague Service Convention, Letters Rogatory, Inter-American Treaty, as well as any other national or international requirements.
Click any nation below for more information about international process service.
Type “process servers near me” into a search engine and you will see ads, map results, and review pages. The questions below will help you sort through them. We have included our own answers, because you should hold us to the same standard.
California does not license process servers as such. It registers them. Anyone who serves more than 10 papers a year for pay must register in their county, with a background check and a bond, unless they fall under an exemption. Licensed private investigators and their employees are one such exemption, and they answer to state licensing instead.
Our answer: We were founded by licensed private investigators. Ask us for current credentials on any assignment and we will provide them.
No honest company can promise that every person will be served. Anyone who guarantees it is selling something else.
Our answer: We do not guarantee outcomes. We do commit to making real attempts, telling you what happened on each one, and recommending the next step when a serve gets difficult.
A Los Angeles defendant can become an Orange County, Nevada, or overseas defendant overnight.
Our answer: Los Angeles County, all of California, all 50 states, U.S. territories, Indian Reservations, and 195 nations.
Reviews on Yelp, Google, and other sites are worth reading, with care. Look for specifics about communication and difficult serves, not only star counts. Notice how a company responds to criticism. Keep in mind that sponsored placements are paid, and that “best process servers” lists are not official rankings.
Our answer: Read what clients say about us and about others, and ask any company for attorney references.
This is the most important question and the one asked least.
Our answer: Every attempt gets a date, a time, and a note: who answered, what was said, what we observed. When service is complete, you receive a signed proof of service ready to file.
You should never have to wonder what is happening with your papers.
Our answer: We keep you updated as the serve progresses, and a person answers when you call.
The ranges below are general market figures for California metro areas, offered so you know what to expect when shopping. They are not our price list. For a quote on your assignment, call 855-505-9155.
Routine service, with a first attempt in a few business days and several attempts included, commonly costs about $60 to $125 per address.
A faster first attempt typically adds $40 to $100 or more. Same-day and after-hours service is higher again and may reach a few hundred dollars depending on the distance.
When the person must be located first, expect a separate fee, often about $50 to $150 for a standard search. Extended investigation is quoted by the job.
Waiting for an evasive person to appear is billed by the hour, commonly $75 to $150, sometimes with a minimum.
Ask every company the same four questions. How many attempts are included? Over what period? Is the proof of service included? What happens if the address is bad? Then weigh the answers, not just the number at the top. A serve that has to be redone is never the cheaper one.
We serve the whole county, including these popular locations:
Our local coverage continues into Orange County (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach), Ventura and Santa Barbara to the north, Riverside and San Bernardino to the east, and San Diego to the south. You do not need to find a separate company with offices in Ventura or an office in San Diego. One call covers it.
From the Bay Area and Sacramento to Fresno and Bakersfield, we serve all 58 counties. That includes settings with special rules: gated communities, where section 415.21 gives a registered process server a right of access; military bases, where access varies by installation; and tribal land, where tribal authorities may be involved.
We serve in every state. The rules for who may serve, and what the proof must contain, differ from state to state. We make sure the serve is valid where it is made and acceptable where it is filed.
When a defendant is outside the United States, service usually must follow an international treaty. Under the Hague Service Convention, documents are sent to the foreign country’s Central Authority, which arranges service under local law and returns a certificate. Many countries require translations, and many reject service by mail. For countries outside the Convention, Letters Rogatory or the Inter-American Convention may apply. These routes take months. We prepare the request, coordinate translation, track progress, and deliver the proof.
The more you tell us, the faster it goes. Useful details include work hours, a description or photo, vehicles, gate codes, other adults in the home, and any history of avoiding service. If there is a hearing date, tell us that first.
If an address fails, we tell you promptly and recommend skip tracing. If the person is dodging, we change the timing, try the workplace, or suggest a stakeout. If personal service is not going to happen, we complete substituted service where the law allows it and supply the declaration of diligence. If the person cannot be located at all, we give your attorney the record needed to ask for publication.
We aim to deliver every assignment in a timely way. When we cannot, we say so and explain why. An honest “not yet” is more useful to a client than a comfortable silence.
The Hague Convention on the Service of Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters is designed to simplify the process of servicing process to assure that defendants sued in foreign jurisdictions receive actual and timely notice of suit and to facilitate proper proof of service. For more information on the Page Convention please visit the following resources:
Please read our Terms of Service by clicking here.
Our international locations do NOT receive mail,
direct inquiries, or courier deliveries.
Please contact our main California office with all correspondence below:
Dial 855-505-9155 to speak with a representative.
Live chat is available at the lower right hand corner button.
Process service is often one piece of a larger task. As an attorney service, we also offer:
For a busy law firm, having one litigation support vendor for all of this means fewer handoffs and fewer chances for something to be missed. To be clear, this is support for legal work. It is not a legal service in the sense of advice or representation.
For routine service, a general market range is about $60 to $125 per address. Rush and same-day service cost more. Skip tracing, stakeouts, and additional addresses are charged separately. The total depends on the location, the deadline, and how hard the person is to reach. Call us for a specific quote.
Good process servers rely on persistence, not tricks. That means attempting service at different hours, trying a workplace, waiting for a person to come or go, and using investigation to confirm an address. A server does not have to state their business before confirming who they are speaking to. There are lines that must not be crossed: posing as a police officer, making threats, forcing entry, or falsifying a proof of service.
The server will try again at other times and places. After reasonably diligent attempts, California allows the papers to be left with a competent adult at your home or business and mailed to you. Once that substituted service is complete, the time to respond begins. If you do not respond, a default judgment can be entered. Not answering the door delays the case briefly. It does not end it.
The law sets no exact number. It requires reasonable diligence. Courts generally look for at least two or three attempts at personal service on different days and at different times before substituted service. Many companies include three or four attempts in the base fee. A request for publication usually needs a stronger showing.
Generally not for a summons and complaint. Papers left on an empty doorstep do not usually count. Exceptions exist. If you are present and refuse to take them, the server may leave them in your presence. After diligent attempts, they may be left with a competent adult and mailed. Some eviction notices may be posted and mailed, and a court may order posting in an unlawful detainer case.
The best one for your case will have current credentials, honest reporting, careful documentation, investigative support, and coverage wide enough to follow the defendant. Use reviews as one input. Ask the vetting questions in this guide and compare the answers. We believe we meet that standard and are glad to be measured against it.
You can refuse to take the papers in your hand. It will not help. If the server has identified you and told you what the documents are, leaving them in your presence is generally treated as valid service. Refusing to give your name or shutting the door does not change that. The better course is to accept the papers and contact an attorney.
It varies widely. Many process servers work as independent contractors and are paid per assignment, receiving a portion of the fee the client pays. Others are employees of an attorney service or legal support company. Income depends on volume, territory, and the difficulty of the work. Rush jobs, stakeouts, and long-distance serves generally pay more than routine local ones.
Yes, if the family member is at least 18 and is not a party to the case. They must complete the proof of service accurately and may be called to testify if service is disputed. A relative who is a party, or who is a protected person in a restraining order being served, should not serve. For anything contested, a neutral professional is the safer choice.
You can call, but lawful service of process is not a crime, and the police will generally not stop it. A process server is permitted to approach your door and attempt delivery. If someone claiming to be a server threatens you, tries to force their way in, or refuses to leave after the papers have been delivered, that is different, and calling for help is reasonable. Be aware that threatening or assaulting a process server can lead to criminal charges against you.
The search continues by other means. Skip tracing may locate a new address or employer. If you still cannot be found after a diligent effort, the plaintiff may ask the court to allow service by publication in a newspaper. If the court approves and you do not respond, a default judgment may follow. If you discover a judgment you never knew about, see an attorney quickly, since the time to seek relief is limited.
A server may come to your front door by the normal route, as any visitor could. California law also gives registered process servers limited protection from trespass claims while lawfully attempting service, and a right of access to gated communities. It does not allow a server to enter your home, force a locked gate, or remain on the property after the job is done.
Yes. Many of our clients are individuals. We cannot tell you what to file or advise you on your case, but we can explain how service works and make sure your papers are delivered and documented correctly.
The accuracy of data submitted by the requestor will directly determine the accuracy of results obtained. While the information we furnish is from reliable sources, its accuracy is not guaranteed. Use of available data may be affected by the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Graham-Leach-Bliley Act, and/or federal and state privacy laws. Our investigative reports are prepared by The Global Process Server, at the specific instance and request of our clients. Clients agree by accepting our reports that reports and information received from The Global Process Server, are strictly confidential, and are intended solely for our client's sole private, exclusive use. Any other use, communication, publication or reproduction of our reports, or any portion thereof, without the written consent of The Global Process Server, is strictly forbidden. By ordering and accepting delivery of this report, our client agrees to indemnify The Global Process Server, against any damages or claims resulting from any such unauthorized use. Our reports are not a recommendation, endorsement or approval of any kind, with respect to any specific transaction, decision or evaluation, and should not be relied on as such under any circumstances. All information contained in our reports is confidential and proprietary, i.e., our work product, hence our property as provider of our reports.
No warranty or guarantee of a particular outcome, result or recovery of information is promised or implied by The Global Process Server, or by the materials presented on theglobalprocessserver.com. The Global Process Server agrees to work to achieve the goals of any client work or engagement with aggressive, professional methods, within the bounds of the law.
All sales are final. There are no refunds.
Charges for Work Performed; Credit Card Charges
All orders placed for process service, document-related services, deposition-related services, subpoenas, document preparation and/or investigative services of any kind or description through this website will regarded by both Parties hereto as firm orders, not subject to cancellation after work has begun, other than as the Parties shall subsequently agree in writing. All credit card transactions will carry an extra four percent (4%) fee to cover bank credit card processing fees. By paying any advance or invoice, Client acknowledges that Client has reviewed and agreed to these terms and conditions. All sales are final and non-refundable. There is no guarantee of success.
