Louisiana Rules of Civil Procedure

Louisiana's rules for serving a citation and petition are in the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, mainly Articles 1201 to 1293. Service on nonresidents under the long-arm statute is in the Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 13:3201 to 13:3207.

Louisiana doesn't license process servers. The sheriff serves process by default, and a private person can serve only after the court appoints them under Article 1293.

Disclaimer: Laws change, and this page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Check the current law on the Louisiana State Legislature site or ask an attorney before relying on it.

Louisiana process servers

• Become a process server in Louisiana
• Hire a process server in Louisiana

Quick facts: process serving in Louisiana

• Who can serve: The sheriff of the parish where service is made or where the case is pending (La. C.C.P. art. 1291). A private person over the age of majority who lives in Louisiana and isn't a party can serve if the court appoints them (art. 1293).
• Licensing: No state license. A Louisiana-licensed private investigator is presumed qualified for appointment (art. 1293).
• Deadline to serve: Service must be requested on every named defendant within 90 days after the action is commenced (La. C.C.P. art. 1201(C)). Starting August 1, 2026, the clerk's service fees must also be paid on time (Act 36 of 2026).
• Substituted service: Domiciliary service is allowed: leave the citation at the person's home with a resident of suitable age and discretion (La. C.C.P. art. 1234).
• Proof of service: The sheriff's return is presumed correct (art. 1292). Service by an appointed private server is "proved like any other fact in the case," usually by affidavit (art. 1293).
• Time to respond: 21 days after service of citation, or 30 days if discovery was served with the petition (art. 1001).

Process-serving software: ServeManager

ServeManager is process-serving software used by agencies across Louisiana. It tracks every attempt with date, time, GPS and photos, and generates affidavits of service from the job.

Register for ServeManager

Do you need a license to serve process in Louisiana?

No. Louisiana has no statewide license or registration for process servers. But a private person can't serve a citation without a court appointment.

Under La. C.C.P. art. 1293(A), the court must appoint a qualified private server, on a party's motion, when either of these happens first:

• The sheriff hasn't served the process within 10 days after receiving it, or
• The sheriff has filed a return saying service couldn't be made.

The person appointed must be over the age of majority, not a party, and live in Louisiana. A Louisiana-licensed private investigator is presumed qualified. The court can also appoint a company, which then picks an employee or agent who meets the same requirements (art. 1293(C)).

In summary proceedings, the court can appoint a private server without first sending the papers to the sheriff. The motion must explain, by affidavit, why sheriff service should be skipped, such as an urgent hearing (art. 1293(B)).

When a private server serves a protective order, temporary restraining order or injunction covered by R.S. 46:2136.2, the server must send proof of service to the Louisiana Protective Order Registry by the end of the next business day (art. 1293(D)).

For a step-by-step guide, see Become a Process Server in Louisiana.

How to serve a citation in Louisiana

Service can be personal or domiciliary, and each has the same effect unless a law says otherwise. Service can be made at any time of day or night, including Sundays and holidays (La. C.C.P. art. 1231).

Personal service: art. 1232 and 1233

The officer tenders the citation to the person being served. Personal service can be made anywhere the officer can lawfully go to reach the person.

Domiciliary service: art. 1234

The officer leaves the citation at the person's dwelling house or usual place of abode with a person of suitable age and discretion who lives there.

Service on a representative or incarcerated person: art. 1235 and 1235.1

A person represented by someone else through a court appointment, by law or by mandate is served through personal or domiciliary service on that representative. A person in jail is served through the warden or the warden's designee for that shift, who then serves the inmate.

Nonresidents and the long-arm statute: R.S. 13:3204

When a Louisiana court has long-arm jurisdiction over a nonresident, the plaintiff's attorney can send a certified copy of the citation and petition by registered or certified mail. It can also be delivered by someone the court designates or by anyone authorized to serve process where service is made.

Absent or unknown defendants

Louisiana doesn't generally use service by publication in ordinary civil cases. When a defendant can't be served, the court can appoint an attorney (a curator ad hoc) to represent them under La. C.C.P. art. 5091.

Timely request for service: art. 1201(C) and Act 36 of 2026

Service of citation must be requested on all named defendants within 90 days after the action is commenced. For a defendant added by an amended petition, the 90 days run from that filing. A defendant can lose the right to object to late service by not raising it in time (art. 1672(C)).

Act 36 of 2026 (SB 475), effective August 1, 2026, adds a fee condition. A service request is timely only if the clerk's service fees are paid on time too. The clerk confirms the request and states the initial fees, which are due within the 90 days. If more fees are owed, they're due by the later of the 90-day deadline or 30 days after the clerk's statement. This doesn't apply to people allowed to proceed without paying costs.

Serving businesses and other entities

• Corporations (art. 1261): Serve any of its agents for service of process. If there's no agent, or the server certifies that the agent can't be served after due diligence, serve an officer or director (or a person named as one in the latest report to the Secretary of State), or any employee of suitable age and discretion where the corporation regularly does business.
• LLCs (art. 1266): Serve an agent for service of process. If that fails, serve a manager (or a member if it isn't manager-managed), or an employee of suitable age and discretion at its place of business.
• Secretary of State (art. 1262): If the officer certifies they can't serve a corporation under art. 1261 after diligent effort, the Secretary of State can be served. See the Secretary of State's service of process page.
• Partnerships (art. 1263): Serve a partner. If that fails after diligent effort, serve an employee of suitable age and discretion at its place of business.
• Unincorporated associations (art. 1264): Serve the appointed agent, or a managing official, or if no official is present, any member.
• Government (art. 1265): For a political subdivision, public board or commission, serve the chief executive officer at its office, or any employee of suitable age and discretion if the officer is absent.

Look up registered agents with the Louisiana Secretary of State business filings search.

Serving a subpoena in Louisiana

A subpoena is served, and a return made, the same way as a citation (La. C.C.P. art. 1355). When a party is subpoenaed as a witness, the subpoena can be served on that party's attorney of record. In summary proceedings, the court can appoint a private server for related subpoenas without sheriff service first (art. 1293(B)).

Proof of service

The sheriff endorses the date, place and method of service on a copy of the citation and returns it to the clerk. The return is presumed correct, and the court can allow it to be amended (art. 1292).

Service by an appointed private server "shall be proved like any other fact in the case" (art. 1293(A)). In practice, the server files an affidavit of service stating who was served and the date, place and method. For long-arm service, the plaintiff files an affidavit showing the mailing or delivery, with the return receipt for mail.

Hire a Louisiana process server

Find process servers across the state in the Louisiana process server directory.

More Louisiana resources

• Become a Process Server in Louisiana
• Courts in Louisiana
• La. C.C.P. art. 1293, service by private person (Louisiana State Legislature)
• SB 475 / Act 36 of 2026 (Louisiana State Legislature)
• Louisiana Secretary of State service of process

This page is a general overview of Louisiana law, not legal advice. Laws change. Check the current code or talk to an attorney about your case.