"Registered process server" means a person registered as a process server pursuant to Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 22350) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code.
§ 680.330.Registered Process Server
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 1 · Chapter 1. Short Title and Definitions · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 680.330 defines a registered process server as a person registered under the Business and Professions Code's process server registration chapter, identifying a distinct category of authorized server used in some Enforcement of Judgments Law procedures alongside, but not interchangeable with, the sheriff or marshal.
Full Text of § 680.330
Plain-English Summary
Not every document in an enforcement proceeding needs to go through the sheriff or marshal. Some service tasks can be handled by a registered process server -- someone who has registered under Chapter 16 of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, the statutory scheme that regulates private process servers in California.
This definition matters because several EJL provisions expressly authorize a registered process server as an alternative to the levying officer for certain functions, including personal service tasks under § 684.140 and, in some circumstances, recovering the cost of service under § 685.095. Knowing who qualifies as a registered process server -- as opposed to just anyone claiming to serve papers professionally -- determines whether service performed that way satisfies the statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes someone a "registered process server" under California's Enforcement of Judgments Law?
Registration under Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 22350) of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, the statute governing process server registration generally.
Is a registered process server the same as the levying officer?
No. Section 680.260 separately defines the levying officer as the sheriff or marshal; a registered process server is a distinct category authorized for certain service tasks under other EJL provisions.
Can costs of service by a registered process server be recovered from the judgment debtor?
Section 685.095 addresses recovering costs of service by a levying officer or a registered process server, so the category defined here has direct cost consequences.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.
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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