Local Process Serving Company

Run a full-time serving business with steady law firm clients, and add servers as work grows.

A man in a suit handing a legal envelope to a person on a street.
Startup cost$1k to $5k
Monthly revenue$2k to $10k
Time needed30+ h/week
First incomeWeeks

Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.

What it is

A registered business that takes serving jobs from law firms, handles rush and skip-trace work, and files proof of service. You start by serving papers yourself and can later subcontract to other servers.

Your first three steps

  1. Confirm your state and county requirements for servers and for businesses doing this work, including any registration, bond or background check
  2. Form an LLC, get an EIN, business insurance and a job tracking system with GPS or photo notes
  3. Visit law offices, courthouses and legal staffing contacts to win regular accounts and agree on rates
Who pays

Law firms, corporate legal departments, collection agencies, property managers and legal service companies.

How it makes money

Per-serve fees with add-ons for rush, same-day, extra attempts, skip tracing and mileage, plus recurring work from regular firm accounts.

Skills that help
  • Sales and relationship building with firms
  • Organising many jobs at once
  • Careful paperwork
  • Managing and trusting subcontractors
Watch out for
  • Licensing, registration and bonding rules differ by state and sometimes by county, check before taking jobs
  • General liability and errors and omissions insurance, ask a broker
  • If you use subcontractors, check how your state treats independent contractors versus employees and whether workers' compensation applies
  • You are responsible for the accuracy of affidavits, mistakes can harm your clients' cases
  • Income can be uneven until you have regular accounts

πŸ”’ Full research report for US

Real cost breakdown with current prices, licences and registration checklist, local competition, pricing, break-even and a 30-day launch plan, with sources.

Coming soon

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start a process serving company?

Startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your state's licensing, registration, bonding and insurance requirements. Ask a broker about general liability and errors and omissions cover.

How much can a process serving company make?

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many regular accounts you win and whether you use subcontractors. Income can be uneven until you have regular accounts.

What licensing rules apply to a process serving business?

Licensing, registration and bonding rules differ by state and sometimes by county, so check before taking jobs. If you use subcontractors, check how your state treats independent contractors versus employees and whether workers' compensation applies.

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