How to Become a Legal Process Server in California

Help uphold the legal process - become a process server.

Whenever a summons, subpoena, complaint, or other court document must be delivered to the people in a court case, a process server normally handles the job. The process server personally hands the required documents to the defendant or sub-serves them to someone within the household. Once they've been served, a notarized Affidavit of Service is given to the client. The Affidavit states that the papers have been given to the appropriate people (Reference 1). It's not difficult to become a legal process server in California, it just requires some time and careful planning.

Things You'll Need

• Process server bond
• Two passport-size photos
• Photo identification
• Registration fee

Instructions

1. Complete an application. Each county in California has a county clerk office. Obtain the process server registration form from your local county clerk office and fill it out. But don't sign it.You can only do that in front of an actual clerk (Reference 2).

2. Get your fingerprints taken. Most county clerks in California will submit your fingerprints to the Department of Justice through an electronic fingerprinting process called Live Scan. Others will require fingerprint cards. The fingerprints are necessary for conducting felony background checks through the state and the FBI. You may need to book an appointment to be fingerprinted. If so, make the appointment fairly early on since you'll need to have a few other documents in place before heading over to the county clerk (reference 2).

3. Obtain a $2,000 process server bond. An insurance or surety company needs to issue the bond for the entire two-year process server registration term. As of September 2009, the bond costs approximately $50. According to the California Association of Legal Support Professionals, the start date of the bond must match the date that your register at the county clerk's office. So carefully plan the purchase of the bond with your fingerprint appointment (Reference 2).

4. Get two passport-sized photos. Include these with your application (Reference 3).

5. Bring all of your registration material, including a photo ID, to the county clerk office. In September 2009, the base registration fee was $134. You may have to pay additional fees depending on your county. Call your clerk's office for the exact fee information (Reference 2). Once everything has been submitted, you'll be given a temporary Process Server Registration ID card. Pending there are no felony reports returned from your fingerprints, you'll be sent a permanent card within 60 days (Reference 3).

References

• Reference 1 What does a process server do?
• Reference 2 Process Server Registration Information
• Reference 3 File the Certificate of Registration and the bond with the County Clerk.