After a summons has been served on a person, proof of service of the summons as provided in Section 417.10 or 417.20 shall be filed, unless the defendant has previously made a general appearance.
§ 417.30.Filing Proof
Title 5. Jurisdiction and Service of Process · Chapter 4. Service of Summons · Article 5. Proof of Service · Last amended 2006 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 417.30 requires proof of service under § 417.10 or § 417.20 to be filed with the court after a summons has been served, unless the defendant has already made a general appearance.
Full Text of § 417.30
Plain-English Summary
Serving the summons is not the last procedural step — § 417.30 requires the plaintiff to file proof that it happened. After a summons has been served on a person, proof of service as provided in § 417.10 (for service within California) or § 417.20 (for service outside the state) must be filed with the court.
The one exception is a defendant who has already made a general appearance before the proof would otherwise be filed. In that situation, filing proof of service is unnecessary, since the general appearance already establishes the court’s jurisdiction over that defendant regardless of the underlying service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to file proof of service after serving a defendant in California?
Is there any exception to filing proof of service?
Yes. Section 417.30 does not require filing proof of service if the defendant has already made a general appearance.
What is the difference between § 417.10 and § 417.20 for proof of service purposes?
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2005 ch 300 (AB 496),s 3, eff. 1/1/2006
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
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