Service of civil process is handled through the Sheriff's Civil Division. Click here for the locations of all Civil Division offices.

Notice Regarding New Mandatory Judicial Council Instruction Forms Pursuant to AB 2791 and GOV § 26666.10, the Judicial Council has created new, mandatory service instructions to be used by all California Sheriff's and Marshals.  The two new forms created by the Judicial Council are the SER-001 - Request for Sheriff to Serve Court Papers, and the SER-001A - Special Instructions to Serve Court Papers.   These new Judicial Council forms supersede all pre-existing service instructions created by the Sheriff's Department and are mandatory for use as of 1/1/2024 when submitting requests for service of civil process to the Sheriff's Department.  The SER-001 is required for all services being submitted to the Sheriff's Department for service. The SER-001A is required for all writ-related services (in addition to the SER-001) being submitted to the Sheriff's Department for service. If necessary, additional service information may be provided on a separate page entitled "Attachment to Sheriff's Instruction for Service". (Requests for wage garnishments are still made on the WG-001 Application for Earnings Withholding Order.)

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Important Message About Civil Process Service

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department discontinued service of all non-enforcement types of civil processes on January 2, 2009.

Non-enforcement civil process can be served by anyone over the age of 18 who is not a party to the action or by a registered process server. You may locate a San Diego County registered process server by searching for "attorney support services" or "process serving" in a telephone directory or internet search.

Please Note:  The Sheriff's Department cannot provide legal advice.  If you are not sure how to serve your paperwork or have questions regarding a legal matter, you should ask the court’s self-help center or contact a lawyer. Click for help finding a lawyer.

OUT-OF-COUNTY/STATE PROTECTIVE/RESTRAINING ORDERS: All out-of-county and out-of-state protective/restraining orders submitted to our agency for service must be accompanied by the SER-001 Request for Sheriff to Serve Court Papers.

 

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Civil Process No Longer Served After January 2, 2009*

• Citations
• Claim & Order to go to court (Small Claims)
• Landlord Notice (Eviction Letter)
• Notice of Hearing
• Notice of Motion
• Out-of-State process (other than protective orders and criminal subpoenas)
• Request for Order/Order to Show Cause
• Subpoena - Civil (for appearance only)
• Summons & Complaint (or Petition)
• All other non-enforcement process not listed

*Service of non-enforcement process will still be made where a California court has ordered a waiver of fees for the party requesting service.  A certified copy of the order indicating that it applies to Sheriff's fees is required when submitting the process for service.

Civil Process Service Continuing After January 2, 2009

• 3rd Party Levy
• Bank Levy
• Keeper
• Order for Examination or Appearance
• Personal Property Levy
• Real Property levy
• Rent Levy
• Restraining Orders (Including out-of-state protective/restraining orders)
• Subpoena - Criminal or Juvenile (only)
• Subpoena duces Tecum/Subpoena for production of documents and things
• Till Tap
• Verbal Demand for Payment
• Wage Garnishment
• Warrant of Arrest/Attachment (Civil Bench Warrant)
• Writ of Execution or Attachment
• Writ of Possession - Claim and Delivery
• Writ of Possession - Personal Property
• Writ of Possession - Real Property (Eviction)
• Writ of Sale

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Instructions and Process Required for Service

Each process submitted to the Sheriff's Department for service MUST include instructions signed by the attorney of record or the party without an attorney and must provide all the information necessary for the Sheriff's Department to attempt service of the process.  

Where the party requesting service has a court-issued fee waiver that waives the sheriff's fees for service, a certified copy of the fee waiver must be submitted.

Number of copies required for document services:

• Summons and Complaints - Two copies of the Summons & Complaint for each defendant to be served.  (if two copies are not provided for each defendant to be served, sub-service will not be attempted.)
• Small Claims Claim and Order - Two copies of each process per defendant to be served.
• Other Non-Writ document process - One copy per defendant to be served.

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Electronic Writ Statement*

The electronic writ statement that is required pursuant to CCP § 687.010 when a writ that was issued as an electronic record by the court is submitted to the Sheriff is now included in the new, mandatory Judicial Council form SER-001A Special Instructions for Writs and Levies-Attachment and a separate statement is no longer necessary.

*The separate Electronic Writ Declaration is still required when submitting a Wage Garnishment for service.

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Click HERE to submit a request (via email) to have court documents served by the Sheriff's Department. (Currently, only litigants with court-issued fee waivers that waive the Sheriff's fees for service may use the email system.)

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If you have any questions regarding service of process by the Sheriff's Department, please contact one of our Civil offices.