U Do It Legal
Back to ResourcesService Guide

How to Serve Family Law Court Forms in California

Learn how the process of serving your family law court forms, such as Dissolution (Divorce) or Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) papers in California. This page covers an introduction to service, server requirements, options for service, as well as a step-by-step overview of serving your papers.

Skip to...

1. What is Service?

Service of Process

After court forms and documents are filed, California law requires that the other party in the case be given official notice through a legal process known as service of process.

Service

Service means that a person other than you—who is at least 18 years old and not involved in your case—must personally hand or mail a copy of the file-stamped (also known as "conformed" or "endorsed") court forms and documents to the other party. These include all documents the court has ordered served.

Note for Petitioners filing the Request for DVRO: The initial DVRO forms must typically be personally served (hand-delivered), not mailed, to the respondent.

2. Server Requirements & Options

Who Can Serve Court Papers?

Under California law, the person who completes service must meet all of the following:

  • Be 18 years old or older
  • NOT be involved in the case

What does this mean?

"Not involved in the case" means the person completing service cannot be a party to the case — they cannot be the petitioner or the respondent. The server must be a neutral person, such as a friend, neighbor, family member, or professional process server, who is not named in the case and has no personal stake in its outcome.

Server Options

1

Service by Sheriff's Office

Free or Small Fee

The sheriff's office in each county may offer service of process in family law matters. This is generally free or low cost. In most cases, the sheriff will notify the person requesting service once service is completed. If a case involves a move-out order, law enforcement may assist with enforcing that order.

Form SER-001 (Request for Sheriff to Serve Court Papers) is typically required to initiate service through law enforcement.

2

Service by Neutral Third Party

Free

Any adult meeting the server requirements may hand-deliver the required court forms and documents. The court may require that the server appear at the hearing if questions arise about how service was completed.

  • Divorce Cases: For instructions, see Form FL-330-INFO
  • DVRO Cases: For instructions, see Form DV-200-INFO
3

Service by Professional Process Server

Paid

You may hire a registered process server to deliver the required court forms and documents. Process servers are professionals who are familiar with the legal requirements for completing service and can provide a proof of service form for filing with the court. Hiring a process server may reduce the risk of service errors or delays. The court may still require the process server to appear at the hearing if questions arise about how service was completed.

3. Step-by-Step Overview

1

Determine Your Deadline for Service

I. Domestic Violence Restraining Order Proceedings:

Unless the court orders otherwise, service must be completed at least 5 days before the scheduled hearing. This requirement is based on California Family Code § 243(a), and the court may modify this deadline under Family Code § 243(b).

To confirm the deadline, review Form DV-109 (Notice of Court Hearing):

  • Page 1, Item 3 shows the hearing date.
  • Page 2, Item 6 indicates how many days before the hearing the forms must be served and which forms must be included.
  • If no number is listed in Item 6, the law defaults to 5 days before the hearing.

Respondents must also follow service requirements if they file a written response to the court before the hearing. This deadline also applies in: Request to Change or End a DVRO (Forms DV-300 / DV-310) · Renew a DVRO (Forms DV-700 / DV-710) · Request a DVRO (Forms DV-100 / DV-109)

II. Divorce (Dissolution of Marriage) Proceedings:

Standard Filing: Unless the court orders otherwise, the petitioner must typically serve their spouse with the divorce Petition and Summons within 60 days of filing to avoid potential dismissal. However, technically, the law allows up to 3 years to serve. Note: The divorce cannot be finalized until at least six months from the date the respondent spouse is served with the Petition and Summons (forms FL-100, FL-110, and attachments).

Joint Filing: Joint divorce petitioners generally do not need to serve the Joint Petition papers onto one another. In a joint Petition filing (forms FL-700, FL-710, and attachments), both spouses file for divorce together as co-petitioners. This means that they are already aware of the action and have agreed to the process, effectively eliminating the need for formal service of process.

2

Serve Your Papers on the Other Party

Petitioners: Personal Service Typically Required

The court forms and any blank response forms ordered to be served must be personally handed to the other party by someone meeting the legal server requirements. Service by mail does not meet this requirement. If the other party refuses to accept the documents, the server may leave them in the party's presence (e.g., on the ground or another surface nearby) and note the refusal on the Proof of Service.

Blank Response Forms: While petitioners are not required to file blank response forms with the court, they must typically be served alongside the filed documents on to the respondent party.

Respondents: Personal Service or Service by Mail Allowed

Respondents may typically serve the other party either by first-class mail* or personal delivery (via a third party, process server, or sheriff).

*If choosing service by mail:

  • The server must mail the documents early enough for the other party to receive them before the deadline for service.
  • Certified mail is not required and may not meet legal requirements under Code of Civil Procedure § 1013(a).
  • The documents must be mailed to the correct address of the party or their attorney, if represented.
  • The server who mails the documents must complete and sign the Proof of Service by Mail (typically form DV-250 in a DVRO proceeding or form FL-330 in a divorce proceeding).
3

Proof of Service

After service is completed, the server must fill out the appropriate Proof of Service form.

Which Proof of Service form do I need?

DVRO Proceedings

  • DV-200Proof of Personal Service — Personal Service
  • DV-250Proof of Service by Mail — Service by Mail

Divorce Proceedings

  • FL-115Proof of Service of Summons — Service of Petition and Summons
  • FL-330Proof of Service by Mail — Service of forms filed after Petition and Summons
  • FL-117Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt — Alternative for service of Petition and Summons
  • FL-350Substituted Service — For service of Response, if applicable

Sheriff or Process Servers

  • SER-001Request for Sheriff to Serve Court Papers — Optional form to request service by Sheriff; server may use own equivalent form

Proof of Service forms must include:

  • A list of the documents served
  • The date and time of service
  • Where service occurred
  • The server's signature

Once completed:

The original proof of service must be filed with the court. A file-stamped copy should be kept by the filing party and brought to the hearing.

Additional, Court-Approved DVRO Resources About Service:

Last Updated: March 2026

Print Page Summary

Want to print a summary of the information on this page? U Do It Legal provides some printable documents, free of charge. To download the restraining order service information covered on this page, click the button below.

Download: Information for Serving DVRO Forms in California

Representing yourself in a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) case?

See UDIL's in person and online DVRO services below!

See DVRO Services