Who may serve a citation in Louisiana?

By default only the parish sheriff or a deputy. A private person may serve initial process only if a court appoints them, which the court shall do on a party's motion once the sheriff has not made service within 10 days of receiving the process or has returned it unable to serve (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1291, 1293(A)).

Is there an official Louisiana proof-of-service form?

No. Louisiana has no statewide numbered proof-of-service form. The sheriff's proof is a return endorsed directly on the citation itself, stating the date, place, and method of service (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292(A)). If a court order in your case sets a specific form, the court's order controls.

Does Louisiana allow service of a citation by ordinary mail?

Not for a defendant located in Louisiana. Mail service of citation is available only for a defendant located outside the state, by registered or certified mail or commercial courier under the long-arm statute, and proof of that service requires a filed affidavit (La. R.S. 13:3204(A), 13:3205).

How long do I have to serve a citation in Louisiana?

Louisiana does not set a fixed number of days to complete service. Instead, service must be requested, meaning the citation is issued and handed to the sheriff, within 90 days of filing the petition (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1201(C)).

What happens if I miss Louisiana's 90-day deadline to request service?

The claim against the defendant for whom service was not requested can be dismissed without prejudice, absent good cause shown (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1201(C), 1672(C)).

How do I serve a motion or other later paper in a Louisiana case after the original petition?

Later pleadings may generally be served by mail, delivery, or electronic transmission, or by delivery to the clerk only if there is no counsel of record and the adverse party's address is unknown, with a certificate of service filed in the record. A pleading that sets a court date must instead be served by registered or certified mail, the sheriff, commercial courier, or confirmed email delivery (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313).

Louisiana Proof of Service

Q: Can I serve my own citation in a Louisiana lawsuit?

No. Louisiana does not let a party serve their own citation. Service is a sheriff function by default, and a private server may act only after a court appoints someone who is not a party, is over the age of majority, and resides in Louisiana (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1293(A)).

Q: Does a Louisiana sheriff's return of service need to be notarized?

No. Under La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292(A), the sheriff's return is a signed endorsement on the citation stating the date, place, and method of service, without an oath or notarization, and is prima facie correct once filed.

Louisiana serves citation through the parish sheriff by default, not any adult non-party, and a private server may act only after a court appoints one once the sheriff has failed to serve.

Find out where you stand in Louisiana

Where are you with service?

DocDraft provides document preparation, not legal advice.

Introduction

By default, Louisiana citation is served only by the parish sheriff or deputy, not by any adult non-party. A private person may serve only if a court appoints them; once the sheriff has not served within 10 days of receiving the process or has returned it unable to serve, the court shall appoint one on a party's motion (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1293(A)). The appointee must be over the age of majority, 18 under La. Civ. Code art. 29, not a party, and residing in Louisiana. There is no statewide numbered proof-of-service form. The sheriff's proof is a return endorsed on the citation, stating the date, place, and method of service; it needs no oath and is prima facie correct once filed (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292(A)). Mail cannot serve an in-state defendant; it is available only for a defendant outside Louisiana, by registered or certified mail or commercial courier under the long-arm statute, with proof by filed affidavit (La. R.S. 13:3204(A), 13:3205). There is no fixed day count to complete service; service must be requested within 90 days of filing the petition, or the claim can be dismissed without prejudice absent good cause (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1201(C), 1672(C)). Later pleadings may generally be served by mail, delivery, or electronic transmission, or, if there is no counsel of record and the adverse party's address is unknown, delivery to the clerk, with a certificate of service filed in the record. Federal, foreign-country, and government-entity service follow separate procedures not covered here. Attorney review is available before you file.

Key Things to Know

1
Citation is served by default only by the parish sheriff or deputy; a private person may serve only by court appointment, which the court shall make on a party's motion once the sheriff has not served within 10 days or has returned it unserved, and Louisiana has no statewide numbered proof-of-service form (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1291, 1293(A), 1292).
2
Ordinary mail does not serve an in-state defendant with citation. Registered or certified mail, or commercial courier, is a valid method only for a defendant located outside Louisiana, under the long-arm statute, and proof requires a filed affidavit (La. R.S. 13:3204(A), 13:3205).
3
Louisiana does not set a fixed day count to complete service or to file the proof. Instead, service must be requested, meaning the citation is issued and handed to the sheriff, within 90 days of filing the petition, or the claim can be dismissed without prejudice absent good cause (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1201(C), 1672(C)).
4
A party cannot serve their own citation. Any private server must be appointed by the court, at least 18 years old under the Louisiana age of majority, not a party to the case, and residing in Louisiana (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1293(A); La. Civ. Code art. 29).
5
The sheriff's return needs no oath or notarization; it is a signed endorsement on the citation itself and is prima facie correct once filed. Proof of mailed service on an out-of-state defendant instead requires a sworn affidavit under La. R.S. 13:3205.
6
Personal service is tendering the citation to the person anywhere the officer may lawfully reach them. Domiciliary service, which has the same effect, is leaving the citation at the person's dwelling with a person of suitable age and discretion who lives there; no follow-up mailing is required (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1231-1234).
7
Pleadings filed after the original petition are generally served by mail, delivery, or electronic transmission (delivery to the clerk only if there is no counsel of record and the adverse party's address is unknown), with a certificate of service filed in the record; a pleading that sets a court date must instead use registered or certified mail, the sheriff, commercial courier, or confirmed email delivery (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313).

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Proof of Service in Louisiana, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Proof of Service guide walks through them.

Open the Proof of Service guide

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STATE OF LOUISIANA PARISH OF [PARISH] [NAME OF DISTRICT COURT]

[PLAINTIFF NAME] Plaintiff,

v. NO. [DOCKET NUMBER]

[DEFENDANT NAME] Defendant.

PROOF OF SERVICE OF CITATION

Louisiana has no statewide numbered proof-of-service form. The sheriff's proof is a return endorsed on the citation itself under La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292. If a court order in this case prescribes the form of this proof, the court's order controls.

OFFICER'S RETURN (PARISH SHERIFF OR DEPUTY)

I received the citation and petition on [DATE RECEIVED] and served them as follows:

Date of service: [DATE OF SERVICE] Place of service: [ADDRESS OR LOCATION OF SERVICE] Method of service: [PERSONAL SERVICE, TENDERED DIRECTLY TO THE PERSON TO BE SERVED OR DOMICILIARY SERVICE, LEFT AT THE DWELLING WITH A PERSON OF SUITABLE AGE AND DISCRETION RESIDING THEREIN], as required by La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1232-1234. Person served: [NAME OF PERSON SERVED] [IF APPLICABLE: Relationship to the defendant, for domiciliary service: [RELATIONSHIP]]

This return complies with La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292(A) and is prima facie correct once filed.

[SIGNATURE OF SHERIFF OR DEPUTY] [PRINTED NAME AND TITLE], [PARISH] Parish Sheriff's Office

[IF APPLICABLE: PROOF OF SERVICE BY COURT-APPOINTED PRIVATE SERVER

On [DATE OF COURT ORDER], the court appointed [NAME OF APPOINTED SERVER] to serve process under La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1293(A), after the sheriff did not serve within 10 days of receiving the process or returned it unable to serve.

I, [NAME OF APPOINTED SERVER], over the age of eighteen years, not a party, and residing in Louisiana, state under oath that I served the citation and petition on [NAME OF PERSON SERVED] on [DATE OF SERVICE] at [ADDRESS OR LOCATION OF SERVICE], by [PERSONAL SERVICE, TENDERED DIRECTLY TO THE PERSON TO BE SERVED OR DOMICILIARY SERVICE, LEFT AT THE DWELLING WITH A PERSON OF SUITABLE AGE AND DISCRETION RESIDING THEREIN], and that the foregoing is true and correct.

[SIGNATURE OF APPOINTED SERVER] [PRINTED NAME]

Sworn to and subscribed before me this [DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR].

[NOTARY SIGNATURE] Notary Public, State of Louisiana]

[IF APPLICABLE: PROOF OF SERVICE BY MAIL OR COMMERCIAL COURIER ON AN OUT-OF-STATE DEFENDANT

I, [NAME OF PERSON WHO MAILED OR DELIVERED THE PROCESS], state under oath that on [DATE MAILED OR DELIVERED], I [MAILED THE CITATION AND PETITION BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL TO OR DELIVERED IT BY COMMERCIAL COURIER TO] [DEFENDANT NAME] at [DEFENDANT'S ADDRESS OUTSIDE LOUISIANA], as La. R.S. 13:3204(A) permits for a defendant outside this state. [FOR MAIL SERVICE: The envelope was properly addressed with sufficient postage. The return receipt is attached, as La. R.S. 13:3205 requires.] [FOR COURIER SERVICE: The commercial courier was [NAME OF COURIER], and it delivered the process on [DATE OF DELIVERY] at [ADDRESS OF DELIVERY]. The courier's confirmation of delivery is attached, as La. R.S. 13:3205 requires.]

[SIGNATURE] [PRINTED NAME]

Sworn to and subscribed before me this [DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR].

[NOTARY SIGNATURE] Notary Public, State of Louisiana]

This proof does not cover federal, foreign-country, or government-entity service, which follow separate procedures.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF LATER PLEADINGS

I certify that on [DATE OF SERVICE], a copy of [NAME OF PLEADING] was served on [NAME OF EACH OTHER PARTY OR COUNSEL OF RECORD] by [MAIL TO COUNSEL OF RECORD, OR IF NONE THE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS OF THE ADVERSE PARTY, OR DELIVERY, OR ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION TO A DESIGNATED ADDRESS], as La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313 permits. [IF APPLICABLE: This filing sets a court date, so service was instead made by registered or certified mail, the sheriff, commercial courier, or confirmed email delivery under La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1313-1314.]

[SIGNATURE] [NAME]

Louisiana Requirements for Proof of Service

Sheriff Serves Citation by Default
Service of citation is, by default, the function of the parish sheriff or deputy; there is no general rule letting any adult non-party serve initial process (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1291).
Private Server Requires Court Appointment After Sheriff Fails
A private person may serve process only if a court appoints them, which the court shall do on a party's motion once the sheriff has not served within 10 days of receiving the process or has returned it unable to serve; the appointee must be over the age of majority, not a party, and residing in Louisiana (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1293(A)).
No Statewide Numbered Proof-of-Service Form
Louisiana has no numbered proof-of-service form; the sheriff's proof is a return endorsed directly on the citation, stating the date, place, and method of service (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292(A)).
Domiciliary Service Needs No Mailing Follow-Up
Domiciliary service, made by leaving the citation at the person's dwelling with a person of suitable age and discretion residing there, has the same effect as personal service and requires no separate mailing follow-up (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1231, 1234).
Mail Valid Only for Out-of-State Defendants
Ordinary mail does not serve an in-state defendant with citation. Registered or certified mail, or commercial courier, serves a defendant located outside Louisiana under the long-arm statute, with proof by filed affidavit (La. R.S. 13:3204(A), 13:3205).
90-Day Deadline to Request Service, Not Complete It
Louisiana measures a deadline to request service, meaning the citation is issued and handed to the sheriff, within 90 days of filing the petition, rather than a deadline to complete personal delivery; missing it can lead to dismissal without prejudice absent good cause (La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1201(C), 1672(C)).
Sheriff's Return Needs No Oath
The sheriff's return under La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1292(A) needs no oath or notarization and is prima facie correct once filed, unlike the sworn affidavit required for proof of mailed service on an out-of-state defendant under La. R.S. 13:3205.
Certificate of Service for Later Pleadings
When a pleading filed after the original petition is served by mail, delivery, or electronic means, the party or counsel making service must file a certificate in the record stating the manner of service (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313(B)).

Find out where you stand in Louisiana

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Proof of Service Template with DocDraft

Louisiana Requirements for Proof of Service

Sheriff Serves Citation by Default

Private Server Requires Court Appointment After Sheriff Fails

No Statewide Numbered Proof-of-Service Form

Domiciliary Service Needs No Mailing Follow-Up

Mail Valid Only for Out-of-State Defendants

90-Day Deadline to Request Service, Not Complete It

Sheriff's Return Needs No Oath

Certificate of Service for Later Pleadings

Frequently Asked Questions