Was I served correctly in California?
California strongly prefers personal service. Substituted service requires you first attempt personal service with reasonable diligence; mail service requires the defendant's signed acknowledgment. Email/text service is not authorized for initial process. Defendant has 30 days to respond after service.
Service methods
Personal service
AllowedHand-delivered to the defendant. Preferred method. Must be left with the defendant personally — not slid under a door or taped to a car.
Substituted service
AllowedAllowed only after reasonable diligence to personally serve. Leave with a competent member of the household (≥18) at the defendant's residence OR with someone apparently in charge at the office. Must be followed by mailed copy to the same address.
Service by mail
AllowedBy certified mail with return receipt requested AND a written acknowledgment form the defendant must sign and return. If the defendant doesn't return the acknowledgment within 20 days, mail service is treated as unsuccessful and personal service must be attempted.
Service by publication
AllowedLast-resort method when personal service is impossible despite diligence. Requires a court order. Notice published once a week for 4 successive weeks in a court-approved newspaper.
Electronic service (email/text)
Not allowedEmail and text are NOT generally allowed for initial service of a complaint, even with court order. Electronic service is only permitted for documents AFTER appearance under CCP § 1010.6.
Who can serve?
Any person who is at least 18 and not a party to the action may serve. Process servers serving more than 10 papers per year must be registered.
Response deadlines
- If you live in-state
- 30 days
- Proof of service required?
- Yes (within 60 days)
Frequently asked
- Was I served if the papers were taped to my door?
- Almost certainly not, in California. Posting on a door is not a recognized method except as a fallback after a court orders 'nail and mail' service. If you returned home to find papers on the door without prior personal-service attempts, the service may be defective.
- What if I was served at work but the papers were left with the receptionist?
- This can be valid substituted service IF the process server first attempted reasonable diligence to serve you personally and the receptionist is 'apparently in charge.' California requires a follow-up mailed copy. If those steps were skipped, the service may be defective.
- Can I be served by email in California?
- Generally no — not for initial service of a complaint. Once you've appeared in the case, electronic service of subsequent papers is permitted under CCP § 1010.6.