Our Process Serving Services
This page lists all our process serving services, grouped by the document you are holding, so solicitors, business owners and people running their own case can find the right serve in under a minute. If a court or tribunal in New South Wales says a document must be served, we can serve it, prove it and tell you what happens next.
Each document type carries its own rules: who may serve it, how long you have, what counts as valid service and what the registry expects as proof. The sections below set those rules out in plain terms and point to a dedicated page for each one. We serve documents; we do not draft them or give legal advice. For coverage, our 7-day schedule and how a serve runs from start to finish, start with our overview of process servers in Sydney and across NSW.
Which documents need a process server?
Any document that starts a case, compels someone to act, or must reach a person before a court can proceed usually needs personal service, and our process serving services cover all of them: divorce and family law applications, statements of claim, subpoenas, court attendance notices, summonses and many NCAT notices. Your situation usually tells you which rules apply.
Family
Separating, divorcing or seeking parenting or property orders. Federal family law rules apply, and the court sets the timing against your hearing date.
Civil claim
Recovering a debt or suing for a loss. The statement of claim starts the case, and the time for a defence runs from the day it is served.
Subpoena
Someone holds records or evidence you need. The subpoena has to reach them with conduct money and enough time to comply.
Tribunal
A tenancy, strata, consumer or guardianship dispute before NCAT, where the Tribunal may direct you to serve the other party.
| Document | Who usually instructs | Rules that apply | Timing that matters | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce application Family | Self-represented spouses, family lawyers | Family Law Rules 2021, FCFCOA | At least 28 days before the hearing, or 42 days if the spouse is overseas | [$ figure] |
| Initiating application or response Family | Family lawyers, self-represented parents | Family Law Rules 2021 | Set by the court against the first listing | [$ figure] |
| Statement of claim Civil | Debt recovery firms, businesses, individuals | UCPR 2005 (NSW) | Within six months of filing; defence due 28 days after service | [$ figure] |
| Documents for a company Civil | Creditors, solicitors, landlords | Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 109X | Registered office checked on a current ASIC extract | [$ figure] |
| Subpoena to produce or give evidence Subpoena | Solicitors, self-represented parties | UCPR 2005 (NSW), Part 33 | By the last date for service printed on the subpoena, with conduct money | [$ figure] |
| Court attendance notice Criminal | Private prosecutors, practitioners | Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) | Before the first listed court date | [$ figure] |
| Summons Civil or criminal | Solicitors, councils, agencies | Rules of the issuing court or tribunal | Before the return date on the summons | [$ figure] |
| NCAT application or notice Tribunal | Landlords, agents, owners corporations, applicants | NCAT procedural directions | As directed by the Tribunal, before the hearing | [$ figure] |
| Short-service or same-day documents Urgent | Solicitors with a hearing listed | Court order or short-service direction | Same day in Sydney metro if instructed before [cut-off time] | [$ figure] plus urgent rate |
Prices include GST and are confirmed as a fixed quote before we attend. Deadlines are summaries; the document itself and the court's orders always govern.
Five families of documents make up most of what we serve. Open any card for the rules, the timing and the page that covers it in full.
Family Law Rules 2021How do we serve divorce and family law documents?
We serve divorce applications and family law documents by hand on the named spouse or party, early enough to meet the court's timing, and return the affidavit the registry needs before your hearing. Family matters are attempted discreetly, with any safety concerns built into the plan.
Rules, timing and proof
For a sole divorce application, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia requires service at least 28 days before the hearing if your spouse is in Australia, or 42 days if they are overseas. The applicant cannot hand the papers over personally, which is exactly where many people running their own divorce get stuck.
Parenting, property and response documents follow the Family Law Rules 2021 as well, and the method matters as much as the date. See how we approach serving divorce papers, or read the wider page on serving family law documents for initiating applications and responses.
UCPR Part 33How are subpoenas served?
A subpoena is served on the person or organisation named in it, by the last date for service, with conduct money tendered so the recipient can comply. We serve individuals, companies, banks, telcos and government agencies.
Rules, timing and proof
Organisations usually run a legal process or subpoena unit, so the serve goes there rather than to whoever answers the front desk. A person called to give evidence is served personally and handed the conduct money on the spot. If you issued the subpoena, ask for the affidavit as soon as it is sworn, because the registry and the other side will both want it. Our page on serving subpoenas covers conduct money and corporate record holders.
UCPR 2005 (NSW)How do we serve statements of claim and civil documents?
A statement of claim is served on an individual personally, or on a company at its registered office, within six months of filing; the defendant then has 28 days to defend. A provable service date keeps default judgment open.
Rules, timing and proof
Legal Aid NSW notes that a claim can be left with someone at the defendant's home who appears to be over 16 and lives there. That flexibility helps, but it invites later arguments about who really received the papers, so our affidavits name and describe the person and record the address. See serving statements of claim for Local, District and Supreme Court claims.
Criminal Procedure Act 1986What about court attendance notices and summonses?
Court attendance notices and summonses require the named person to appear, so they are served personally and in time for the first listed date. We serve CANs for private prosecutors and practitioners, and summonses from NSW courts and tribunals.
Rules, timing and proof
A summons is often mistaken for a subpoena: the summons tells a person to attend or answer, while a subpoena calls for documents or evidence. If you are not sure which you hold, send it to us before you book. Details are on our pages for serving court attendance notices and serving summonses.
NSW Civil and Administrative TribunalDo you serve NCAT applications and notices?
Yes. Where the Tribunal directs the applicant to arrange service, we serve NCAT applications, notices, replies and evidence for landlords, agents, owners corporations and individual applicants. The written proof holds up if receipt is disputed.
Rules, timing and proof
Tenancy and strata matters move quickly, and a hearing can be adjourned when the respondent says the paperwork never arrived. A third-party serve with a sworn record of the date, time and person gives the Tribunal something concrete. Agents managing several properties can batch instructions in one email. Read serving NCAT documents for tenancy, strata and consumer matters.
Whatever the document, four things decide whether a serve succeeds: speed, the right recipient, finding the person, and proof the court accepts.
Can you serve documents urgently, on the same day?
Yes. Instructions received before the daily cut-off of [cut-off time] are attempted the same day in Sydney metro, including weekends and public holidays. You get written confirmation that evening of whether the serve was completed.
When urgent service makes sense
Urgent work is usually a short-service order, an injunction, a hearing listed for tomorrow or a limitation date about to pass. Tell us the deadline first, then the address. If the deadline cannot realistically be met, we say so straight away so you can seek directions rather than find out at the hearing. Cut-offs and the urgent rate are listed on our urgent and same-day process serving page.
How do you serve a company or business?
A company is served at its registered office or on a director under section 109X of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), after we check a current ASIC extract. Sole traders and partnerships are served at their place of business or in person.
Registered offices and directors
The registered office is often an accountant's suite rather than the trading premises, which catches many claimants out. We check the extract before attending so the serve goes to the right address, note who accepted the documents, and attach the extract to the affidavit where it helps. Read service on companies and businesses for more.
What if the person cannot be found?
If a recipient has moved or is avoiding service, we record every attempt, check workplaces and any other addresses you hold, and report what we find. You either complete the serve or hold the evidence to seek substituted service.
Avoidance, refusals and court orders
Refusing the papers, shutting the door or throwing them away does not undo a properly identified serve; the documents can be left in the person's presence and the affidavit says so. Where personal service is genuinely impossible, Legal Aid NSW explains that the court can allow another method, such as email or service through a relative. [confirm whether skip tracing is offered; if yes, describe it here and link the skip tracing page]
Does every job include an affidavit of service?
Yes. Each serve we complete is closed with an affidavit of service in the issuing court's form, sworn or affirmed by the server, with attempts, identification and photographs recorded. You can file it without rewriting a word.
Why the affidavit decides cases
The affidavit is often the only evidence a registrar sees. That is why a serve by email or post with no acknowledgment so often stalls: nothing proves the person received it. Ours describe each attempt, how the person was identified and what was said, and we fix any formal point the registry raises at no cost. Read about the affidavit of service included with every job.
How do I get a fixed quote?
Send the document, the recipient's name, every address you hold and your deadline for service, and we return a fixed written quote within [n] business hours. The quoted figure is the invoiced figure unless the instruction changes.
Price depends on the zone, the deadline, the likely number of attempts and any extras such as conduct money or a company search. Standard Sydney metro serves start from [$ figure] including GST, and the full schedule by document type and region is on our process server cost and pricing page.
Instructing a law firm matter or a batch of serves? One email with all the documents attached is enough; we reply with a single quote and a schedule for each recipient.
Questions about our process serving services
Short answers to what people ask before they book a serve. Anything else is covered on the full FAQ page, or a person will answer through the contact page.
Can you serve any document?
Do you draft documents?
What if I do not know which document I have?
Do all serves include an affidavit?
The information on this page covers process serving and NSW court procedure in general terms and is not legal advice. For help with your own matter, speak to a solicitor, Legal Aid NSW or LawAccess NSW. Rules, deadlines and amounts referenced here are reviewed every six months; last reviewed October 2026.