A summons may be served on a person not otherwise specified in this article by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to such person or to a person authorized by him to receive service of process.
§ 416.90.Service On Person Not Otherwise Specified In Article
Title 5. Jurisdiction and Service of Process · Chapter 4. Service of Summons · Article 4. Persons Upon Whom Summons May Be Served · Enacted 1610 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 416.90 is the catch-all provision for serving a summons on a person not otherwise specified elsewhere in this article, allowing delivery to that person or to someone the person has authorized to receive service.
Full Text of § 416.90
Plain-English Summary
Section 416.90 fills in the gap left by the other, more specific provisions in this article. A summons may be served on a person not otherwise specified in this article by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to that person, or to a person authorized by them to receive service of process.
In practice, this section is the one that governs service on an ordinary individual defendant — someone who is not a minor, does not have a guardian or conservator appointed, and is not covered by the Elections Code provision in § 416.80. It works together with § 415.10 for personal delivery and § 415.20(b) for substituted service when personal delivery cannot with reasonable diligence be achieved.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is an ordinary adult individual defendant served with a summons in California?
Section 416.90 covers a person not otherwise specified in this article, allowing delivery of the summons and complaint to that person or to someone they have authorized to receive service.
Does § 416.90 apply to minors or people with a conservator?
Can someone else accept service on my behalf under this section?
Yes. Section 416.90 allows delivery either to the person themselves or to a person that individual has authorized to receive service of process.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1969, Ch. 1610.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: serving an individual defendant california summonscatch all service of process provision californiaauthorized person to accept service california