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Process service · Northeast · United States

New York Process Server

Process service across all 62 New York counties, including the five boroughs, by servers who meet New York City's licensing, GPS and record-keeping rules.

Request service in New York 855-505-9155
TIME TO SERVE
120 days
FIVE BOROUGHS
NYC license
COUNTIES
62

Who may serve

Any adult non-party

NYC license needed above 5 services a year

Deadline to serve

120 days

From filing (CPLR 306-b)

Sunday service

Void

Except limited court-approved emergencies

Substituted service

Deliver-and-mail

Complete 10 days after proof is filed

Overview

Process Server in New York: How Service of Process Works

New York has no statewide license for process servers, but New York City does: anyone serving more than five papers a year in the five boroughs must be licensed by the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), keep electronic records and use GPS-verified logs of each attempt. Statewide, the Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) set the methods and deadlines. A summons must be served within 120 days of filing, and service made on a Sunday is void.

Who may serve

Who Can Serve Legal Papers in New York

Under CPLR 2103(a), any person who is at least 18 and not a party to the action may serve a summons. There is no statewide licensing requirement.

In New York City, anyone who serves more than five papers a year must hold a process server license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which also requires GPS-verified records of each attempt and detailed logbooks. Courts look closely at these records when a defendant challenges service.

Typical documents include summonses and complaints, petitions, subpoenas, Housing Court papers, matrimonial papers and orders to show cause.

Proof you receive

The server signs a sworn affidavit of service describing who was served, when, where and how, including a physical description of the person served. For deliver-and-mail or nail-and-mail, it also records the mailing date and is filed within 20 days.

Our services

Our New York Process Serving Services

01

NYC-licensed process service

Service in all five boroughs by DCWP-licensed servers, with GPS-verified records and affidavits that hold up at a traverse hearing.

02

Statewide service, all 62 counties

From Long Island to Buffalo, service by the CPLR method that fits the case, with the mailing and filing deadlines tracked for you.

03

Secretary of State and corporate service

Service on New York corporations and LLCs through the Department of State or their registered agent.

The rules

New York Service of Process Rules

The New York rules that matter most for service:

RuleWhat it covers
CPLR 2103(a)Who may serve: any adult who is not a party
CPLR 308Methods of service on individuals
CPLR 311Service on corporations
CPLR 306-bServe within 120 days of filing
CPLR 312-aService by mail with acknowledgment
General Business Law § 11Service of civil process on a Sunday is void
Business Corporation Law § 306Service on corporations through the Secretary of State
NYC Admin. Code (DCWP)Licensing and record-keeping for NYC process servers

Service methods

How to Serve Legal Documents in New York

From the first choice to the last resort, with the rule that allows each one.

1

Personal service

First choice

Handing the summons to the defendant personally.

CPLR 308(1)
2

Deliver and mail

Standard alternative

Leaving the papers with a person of suitable age and discretion at the home or workplace, then mailing a copy within 20 days. Proof must be filed within 20 days, and service is complete 10 days after filing.

CPLR 308(2)
3

Nail and mail

Only after due diligence on the first two methods

Affixing the papers to the door of the home or workplace and mailing a copy. Courts strictly enforce the due diligence requirement.

CPLR 308(4)
4

Mail with acknowledgment

If the defendant cooperates

Mailing the papers with an acknowledgment form; service counts only when the signed acknowledgment comes back.

CPLR 312-a
5

Court-ordered service

When other methods are impracticable

A method the court directs, such as email or publication.

CPLR 308(5)

Courts

New York Courts for Civil Cases

Contact details for the courts that handle most civil litigation in the state.

Federal Court

U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan)

Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007

(212) 805-0136M-F: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM

Court website
Federal Court

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn)

225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201

(718) 613-2600M-F: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM

Court website
State Supreme Court

New York Court of Appeals (Highest State Court)

20 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207

(518) 455-7700M-F: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM

Court website
Family Law Court

New York Family Courts — By County

Family law matters are handled at the county Family Court level; see each county's page for its exact courthouse address

Varies by countyM-F: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (typical)

Court website

Statewide reach

Process Server Coverage in Every New York County

Process service in every New York county, 62 in all. Choose a region, then click any county to view its courts and local service details.

New York City

5 counties
01Bronx County
02Kings County
03New York County
04Queens County
05Richmond County

Every assignment is completed under this state's rules of civil procedure and returned with a sworn proof of service for your court.

Good to know

Serving Court Papers in New York: What to Know

120 days, then possible dismissal

CPLR 306-b gives 120 days from filing to serve. Courts can extend it for good cause or in the interest of justice, but ask before it runs out.

Track three dates

For deliver-and-mail or nail-and-mail, the delivery or posting, the mailing and the filing of proof all matter; service is complete 10 days after filing.

NYC records protect your case

Licensed NYC servers keep GPS-verified logs of every attempt, which is the evidence courts examine at a hearing on contested service.

Serving New York corporations

A New York corporation can be served through the Department of State under Business Corporation Law § 306, often faster than locating an officer.

FAQs

Process Server New York: Frequently Asked Questions

Can't find your answer? Call 855-505-9155.

Do process servers need a license in New York?

Not statewide. In New York City, however, anyone who serves more than five papers a year must be licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and keep GPS-verified records.

How long do I have to serve a summons in New York?

120 days from filing, under CPLR 306-b. If you miss it, the court can dismiss or extend the time for good cause or in the interest of justice.

How do you serve someone in New York who is avoiding you?

If personal delivery fails, papers can be left with a person of suitable age and discretion at the home or workplace and mailed. If that isn't possible after due diligence, nail-and-mail under CPLR 308(4) is allowed, and the court can order another method under CPLR 308(5).

Can papers be served on a Sunday in New York?

No. Service of civil process on a Sunday is void, with narrow exceptions a court can allow to prevent irreparable harm.

What is a "service of process letter"?

It usually refers to the papers that start a lawsuit, such as a summons and complaint, or a letter enclosing them. In New York, those papers must be delivered by a method the CPLR allows and proven with an affidavit of service.

I was served in New York. How long do I have to respond?

Generally 20 days if you were personally handed the summons in New York, and 30 days after service is complete if another method was used. Check the summons and speak to a lawyer promptly.

How much does a process server cost in New York?

Prices in New York depend on where the person is, from Albany to Western & Central New York, how fast you need it, how many attempts it takes and whether we need to find a new address first. You get a fixed quote before we start.

Sources and further reading

This page is general information, not legal advice. Court rules change, so we confirm current requirements for every assignment.

Need a Process Server in New York?

Send us the documents and the address. We'll confirm cost and timing before we start.

Request service 855-505-9155

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