Rules that Private Process Servers Must Follow

Many people are under the impression that a process server is an agent of the court, which gives them more authority than a civilian. This is a common misconception bred from movies and mystery novels. In reality, private process servers are citizens just like you; and, therefore, they have to follow rules just like anyone else. Here are some of the rules that process servers must follow.

Certification

No one should be working as a private process server in the state of Florida if they have not been certified with the courts. To be a certified process server, you must go through a process service course, pay an application fee, complete an application and background check, and pay a $5,000 bond through a surety company. If you are working with a process server who is not on the certified list, you should immediately change services.

Restrictions on Time of Service

Process servers can serve papers almost anytime Monday through Saturday throughout the state of Florida. Process servers cannot serve papers on Sundays or on national holidays. When serving a business, you can only serve a representative of the business at their normal work location during their normal business hours.

Following the Law

Process servers are civilians just like anyone else, and that means that they have to follow the same laws. This somewhat restricts their access to people who need to be served in certain situations. If they are working or living on private property marked as such or with “no trespassing” signs, process servers will not be able to cross that property line to serve the papers.

If you are looking for a reputable process server who follows the laws and rules in execution of our services, contact us today for more information.