Arizona

The following information is intended to serve as a general guideline. The information presented has been retrieved from the provisions of Arizona Code of Judicial Administrations Private Process Server – § 7-204, Rule 4(e) and Arizona Revised Statute § 11-445.

Process Server Registration Requirements

• Must be at least 21 years or older

• High school diploma or GED is required

• Required to pass an examination

• All certificates are valid for 3 years from date of issuance

• All certified private process servers must complete at least 10 hours of approved continuing education every twelve months. For a detailed list of approved education please refer to Pre-Approved Continuing Education Course List

Requirements to become a process server change from time to time. You should contact your local county clerk to verify steps and guidelines. You can also refer to the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration Part 7: Administrative Office of the Courts Chapter 2: Certification and Licensing programs Section 7-204: private process Server

Marital Community 

Arizona is a community property state, which means that all property acquired by either spouse during the marriage is considered to be jointly owned. Whenever you are serving a Marital Community order, make sure to:

• Deliver 2 copies of the service documents. (Be sure to print 2 copies when you initially are emailed the service documents.)
• Confirm the subject's residency.
• Confirm the name of the subject's spouse.
• Include both names that appear on the coversheet in your attempt notes.

If the individual you speak with refuses to provide the name of the subject's spouse, include notes detailing this information. For example: “Stated that subject is married, but refused to provide spouse's name."

Arizona Alternative Service Rules

Due Diligence is required on every order that you receive where you are not able to serve the documents. There are circumstances when the court will authorize alternative means of service. That issue is covered by Rule 4.1(k) and Rule 4.2.  Alternative service is not valid without the authorization of the court.

Our office will review the order and send it to the customer who will either approve and send it to the court or request further attempts from us. Once approval from the court is granted, the job will be sent back to you with an order to post and all necessary mailers.

• Always be sure to review the service requirements of the order as some of the following rules may vary

• When the court permits it, an alternate or substitute form of service will be allowed

• At least 5 attempts must be made on different days and at different times of the day (AM, PM, Weekend attempt)

• Information such as License Plate verification and residency confirmation must be entered on the order's notes in ABC Mobile

• Reasonable efforts shall be undertaken by the party making service to assure that actual notice of the commencement of the action is provided to the person to be served

• The summons and the pleading to be served, as well as any order of the court authorizing an alternative method of service, shall be mailed to the last known business or residence address of the person to be served.

• Service by publication may be employed only under the circumstances, and in accordance with the procedures, specified in Rules 4.1(n), 4.1(o), 4.2(f) and 4.2(g) of these Rules.

Proof Return

All mailers that we provide you need to be mailed after posting occurs ASAP.

While you will always need to date the time your mailers are sent, when we send mailers to you, the check boxes that indicate the mailing-type will already be marked on the proof. 

But there is one exception...

Orders from our customer Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) still require you to mark the mailing-type on the proof before submission.