Routine
$170
First attempt within 3 business days.
Each additional defendant at the same address: $110.
Process Serving · North Carolina
North Carolina Process Server for Law Firms
Have summonses, complaints and other court papers served anywhere in North Carolina, ordered and tracked from one account. Below: who can serve papers in North Carolina, how service is made, the deadlines, the proof of service form and our prices.
Process serving through Legal Hub Group is for law firms, attorneys and their staff. Representing yourself? Our sister company Famous Legal Services handles serves for individuals.
How it is done
How papers are served in North Carolina
- Personal or abode service
Delivering the summons and complaint to the person, or leaving copies at the person's dwelling house or usual place of abode with someone of suitable age and discretion who lives there. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(j)(1)(a) ↗
- Registered or certified mail
Mailing the summons and complaint by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed and delivered to the party. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(j)(1)(c) ↗
- Designated delivery service
Depositing the summons and complaint with a designated delivery service, delivered to the addressee with a delivery receipt. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(j)(1)(d) ↗
Who
Who can serve papers in North Carolina
In North Carolina the summons and complaint are delivered for service to the sheriff of the county where service is made, or to some other person duly authorized by law to serve summons. Outside the state, anyone at least 21 who is not a party, or anyone authorized by local law, may serve. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(a) ↗
Timelines
How fast, and the court's deadline
Our first-attempt promises:
- Routine: First attempt within 3 business days.
- Rush: First attempt within 24 hours.
- Same-day: for papers that cannot wait.
Every attempt shows in your account as soon as the server logs it.
The court's deadline for service: Personal or substituted personal service must be made within 60 days after the summons is issued. Missing that time does not invalidate the summons, but an unserved summons must be returned to the clerk when the 60 days run out. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(c) ↗
Proof
The proof of service in North Carolina
Return of the summons. Once served on every party named, the summons is returned to the clerk with a notation of its service. Before a default judgment on mail or delivery-service service, the serving party files an affidavit of service. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(c), (j2) ↗
Your server's proof is built from the field record of the serve.
Price
What a North Carolina serve costs
Per person served, shown before you submit. Subscription plans take up to 20% off every serve.
Rush
$220
First attempt within 24 hours.
Same-day
$270
For papers that cannot wait.
Questions
Serving papers in North Carolina: questions
Who serves a summons in North Carolina?
The sheriff of the county where service is made, or another person authorized by law to serve summons (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 4(a)).
How long is a North Carolina summons good for?
Personal service must be made within 60 days after it is issued; an unserved summons is returned to the clerk at the end of that period (Rule 4(c)).
Can you serve by certified mail in North Carolina?
Yes: registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, delivered to the addressee (Rule 4(j)(1)(c)).
Keep reading
Guides to serving papers
- Who Can Accept Served Papers?
- How to Serve Someone Court Papers Without an Address
- Can You Serve Someone Yourself?
- What Happens If You Are Not Properly Served?
- Can Court Papers Be Served by Mail?
- What Does a Process Server Do?
- How Much Does a Process Server Cost?
- What Is a Return of Service?
- What Is a Declaration of Non-Service?
- What Is Insufficient Service of Process?
Serving in another state? See process serving in every state.
General information, not legal advice. The rules above are the ones in force when we checked them (October 2026); the court and the cited rules control.
Serve papers in North Carolina today.
Create your free firm account, upload the papers and choose routine, rush or same-day.