Become a New York Process Server

State-specific requirements, licensing, and training for New York.

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There is not a statewide license requirement, but there are local process serving requirements. For example, the City of New York requires that all individuals looking to serve the five (5) boroughs area (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, and Queens) must be licensed through the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. For the areas that require licensing, a Process Server Individual License is required for a person who serves five or more processes in any one-year period. Attorneys admitted to practice in New York State and government employees that serve process as part of their job are exempt from this licensing requirement.

New York process servers are required to keep electronic records for each serve, including a GPS location time-stamp. ServeManager is DCA compliant and captures your GPS information for you. Service is not permitted on Sundays, or on Saturdays for individuals who observe Saturdays as a holy day.

Requirements to Become a Licensed New York Process Server

  • Completed basic individual license application and all necessary paperwork
  • Background check
  • Passport-sized photo
  • New York Process Server Bond
  • Licensing fee

Step-by-Step

In order to become a licensed process server in the state of New York, you must:

  1. Fill out the basic individual license application. You can do this using one of two ways. You can download the Basic Individual License Application and submit in-person or you can submit online by clicking the “apply online” button on the New York City Consumer Affairs website.
  2. Provide a background check. Remember that you must have a clean record in order to be a licensed process server.
  3. Provide a passport-sized photo. If you’re submitting in-person, you can have your photograph taken at the DCA Licensing Center for free. For online submissions, you can upload the image file with digital passport photo quality.
  4. Purchase a New York Process Server Bond. A New York Process Server Bond is a surety bond that aims to protect both the courts and clients. It’s similar to insurance for them only it’s paid for by the process server. In New York, a Process Server Bond needs to be in the amount of $10,000 for individuals or $100,000 for agencies. Your credit score largely affects the amount you pay for your bond and applicants with good credit can generally secure their bond at a rate of 1-4%. Poor credit could result in the applicant having to pay up to 15% of the total bond amount.
  5. Complete the necessary paperwork. The paperwork differs depending on whether you’re applying as an agency or individual. For agencies, complete the Roster of Process Serving Agencies. For individuals, you must pass a Process Server Individual Exam and complete the Electronic Device Certification, Record-Keeping Certification, and Child Support Certification. For more details about all the required paperwork, check out the New York City Consumer Affairs website.
  6. Pay licensing fees. See the table below for payment information.
  7. Submit your completed application. In-person applications can be filed at the DCA Licensing Center between 9 am and 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and on Wednesday from 8:30 am to 5 pm. License applications will generally be issued within two weeks.

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Fee Information

Date when you applied: Your fee:
Between 3/1 in an even year and 8/31 in an even year $340
Between 9/1 in an even year and 2/28 in an odd year $255
Between 3/1 in an odd year and 8/31 in an odd year $170
Between 9/1 in an odd year and 2/28 in an even year $85 or $425*

*If you are applying within six months of the license expiration date, you can pay the prorated fee for the remaining license term plus the full fee to renew the license for the next term. If you pay both fees, you will not need to renew the license until the end of the next license period.

A 2.49% convenience fee is added if you submit your application and paperwork online. The license term is two years and expires on 2/28 on even years.

New York Process Server Certification & Training