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Information for Process Server Industry

DCA’s Process Server Portal

Twice each year, licensed Process Servers must use DCA’s Process Server Portal to submit their Certification Concerning Service in Housing Court.

Also, licensed process servers and process serving agencies are encouraged to use DCA’s Process Server Portal to submit:
  • Traverse Reports
  • Roster Update Forms
  • Disciplinary Actions and Non-compliance Reports (for process serving agencies only.)

Quick Links


Action Taken Against Process Servers

DCA posts the suspension, revocation, denial of renewal of license, and the issuance of penalties against licensed process servers, and the reason. The information is not updated daily so please check back for updates accordingly. Download Action Taken Against Process Servers.



Complaint Form for Legal Advocates

Complaint Form
This form lets legal advocates file a complaint against a process server and/or process serving agency. Download fillable PDF form (updated July 2016)

Sewer Service Victim List
DCA created this spreadsheet to help organizations track the number of visitors or clients who claim they were not properly served court papers (“sewer service”). Download spreadsheet (in Excel).


Denial Letters

Below is a list of applicants who were denied a DCA Process Server Individual or Process Serving Agency license based on violations of process serving laws and rules (dating to January 1, 2014).

Disciplinary Actions and Noncompliance Report

A tool for process serving agencies to maintain records of disciplinary actions and to report noncompliance with process server rules and laws to DCA.
Download report (in Excel).

NEW! Use DCA’s Process Server Portal to submit your Disciplinary Actions and Non-compliance Reports.

Educational Materials for Process Servers

DCA prepared Educational Materials for Process Servers that include relevant City and State laws and rules you need to know to serve process properly. Materials are not a “study guide” exclusively for the exam.

An additional resource is the New York City Marshals HandBook of Regulations, in particular Chapter IV, Section 2-2 and Section 5.

Under New York City law, individuals must pass an exam to get or to renew a Process Server Individual license. Review Frequently Asked Questions: Process Server Individual Exam.

DCA Held a Process Server Open House on August 21, 2013. View the presentation slides

Electronic Records

Process server individuals and process serving agencies must maintain service records in an electronic format that is resistant to tampering. Licensees must maintain records by:
  • Entering the required information in a format provided by DCA as an Excel spreadsheet. Download the spreadsheet (in Excel) OR
  • Using a third party document management system provided that records contain the fields outlined in Section 2-233a(3)(i)-(xiv) of Title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York. OR
  • Scanning the required written log book into a PDF (Process Server Individuals ONLY).
Download recordkeeping certification forms for:
Process Server Individual
Process Serving Agency

Note: Process servers must also maintain GPS records. Refer to the section Global Positioning System (GPS) Devices and Records for more information.

Global Positioning System (GPS) Devices/Services and Records

Process servers must carry and operate an electronic device that records GPS location, time, and date while serving process.
Download Sample GPS Records Template (in Excel).
Download a List of Companies That Provide Software and Services*
*Note: The list must not be considered a recommendation of any company, or a complete listing. All process servers are advised to investigate and compare listed companies with other companies.

Process Server Individual: Download Electronic Device Certification Form (All individuals must submit the form to DCA.)
Process Serving Agency: Download GPS Services Affirmation (Agencies must submit this form only if they have entered into a contract with an independent third party to provide to process server individuals the services required by Section 2-233b of Title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York.)

Global Positioning System (GPS) Investigation Report

A tool that assists process serving agencies in using GPS data to determine whether services were actually made.
Download report (in Excel).

Legal Interpretations












License Application Checklists


Monthly Compliance Reports

Section 2-234a(b)(2)(i)-(ii) of Title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York requires licensed process serving agencies each month to review for completeness and accuracy the records of each individual process server to whom it assigns or distributes process. Every process serving agency must prepare a monthly written report of its review of the records maintained by each individual process server to whom it assigns or distributes process during that month. Download DCA’s Monthly Compliance Report template (in Excel).

Important:
Some licensed process serving agencies agreed to a Department consent order and must use DCA’s Monthly Compliance Report to comply with the review and report requirements. Each month, DCA will post a randomly generated audit date that these process serving agencies should use to answer Questions 30, 31, and 32 for every process server who served process on behalf of the agency during the previous month.

The randomly generated audit date for September is September 14.

If any process server to whom the agency assigned process during the month did not serve process on this date, please use September 30.

If any process server did not serve process on either of these two dates, please use the last day of the month that the process server did serve process.

The report must be made available to DCA upon request.

View archive of randomly generated audit dates.

Process Server Screening Protocol

A tool for process serving agencies to use in determining whether to hire a new process server.
Download protocol
Check if an individual is a licensed process server

Roster Update Forms

Process serving agencies must submit a list of all process server individuals who will serve process on behalf of the agency.
Download Roster of Servers

Process server individuals must submit a list of all process serving agencies for whom they have served process within the past two years and all process serving agencies for whom they currently serve process.
Download Roster of Agencies

NEW! Use DCA’s Process Server Portal to submit updates to your rosters.

Service Investigation Report

A tool to assist process serving agencies in investigating the process underlying traverse hearings and other potentially suspicious services.
Download report (in Excel).

Surety Bond Template

Process serving agencies must post a $100,000 surety bond. Process server individuals can post a $10,000 surety bond, enroll in the DCA trust fund, or claim exemption.
Download surety bond model template
Download a list of bonding companies

Training Acknowledgement Form

A form that assists process serving agencies in maintaining records of the trainings they have conducted and which process servers attended them.
Download form

Traverse Report Forms

As part of its enforcement, DCA examines traverse hearings (hearings contesting service). Forms are available for judges, legal advocates, and process servers/agencies to complete and submit to DCA. Process servers/agencies must notify DCA about hearings and results of hearings following established deadlines. The form lists these deadlines.
Download Judicial Traverse Report Form
Download Traverse Report Form for Legal Advocates
Download Traverse Report Form for Process Servers/Agencies (in Excel)
Download Traverse Report Form for Process Servers/Agencies Who Signed a Consent Order (in Excel)
Process Servers: Download Template for Record of Scheduled Traverse Hearings (in Excel).

NEW! Use DCA’s Process Server Portal to submit your traverse reports.

New York City businesses must comply with all relevant federal, state, and City laws and rules. Visit our Laws page