(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided, service of summons upon an individual defendant shall be made (1) by leaving a copy of the summons with the defendant personally, (2) by leaving a copy at the defendant's usual place of abode, with some person of the family or a person residing there, of the age of 13 years or upwards, and informing that person of the contents of the summons, provided the officer or other person making service shall also send a copy of the summons in a sealed envelope with postage fully prepaid, addressed to the defendant at his or her usual place of abode, or (3) as provided in Section 1-2-9.2 of the Illinois Municipal Code with respect to violation of an ordinance governing parking or standing of vehicles in cities with a population over 500,000. The certificate of the officer or affidavit of the person that he or she has sent the copy in pursuance of this Section is evidence that he or she has done so. No employee of a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act shall obstruct an officer or other person making service in compliance with this Section. An employee of a gated residential community shall grant entry into the community, including its common areas and common elements, to a process server authorized under Section 2-202 of this Code who is attempting to serve process on a defendant or witness who resides within or is known to be within the community. As used in this Section, "gated residential community" includes a condominium association, housing cooperative, or private community.
2-203.Service on individuals.
Article II. Civil Practice · Part 2. Process · Last amended 2015 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSets the standard methods for serving an individual defendant, personal delivery, substitute service on a household member at least 13 years old with a follow-up mailed copy, or a special method for certain parking-ordinance cases, and requires the server to record who was served and when, with civil-contempt liability for false statements in the return.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/2-203
(b) The officer, in his or her certificate or in a record filed and maintained in the Sheriff's office, or other person making service, in his or her affidavit or in a record filed and maintained in his or her employer's office, shall (1) identify as to sex, race, and approximate age the defendant or other person with whom the summons was left and (2) state the place where (whenever possible in terms of an exact street address) and the date and time of the day when the summons was left with the defendant or other person.
(c) Any person who knowingly sets forth in the certificate or affidavit any false statement, shall be liable in civil contempt. When the court holds a person in civil contempt under this Section, it shall award such damages as it determines to be just and, when the contempt is prosecuted by a private attorney, may award reasonable attorney's fees.
Plain-English Summary
Subsection (a) lists the ways to serve an individual defendant: personal delivery of a copy of the summons to the defendant, leaving a copy at the defendant's usual place of abode with a family member or resident age 13 or older while informing that person of its contents, followed by a mailed copy to the defendant at that address, or the method set out in Section 1-2-9.2 of the Illinois Municipal Code for certain parking-ordinance cases in cities over 500,000. The subsection also protects process servers' access to certain facilities and gated residential communities.
Subsection (b) requires the officer's certificate, or the other server's affidavit, to identify the sex, race, and approximate age of the person served and to state the place, date, and time of service.
Subsection (c) attaches a consequence to abusing that certification: a person who knowingly sets forth a false statement in the certificate or affidavit is liable for civil contempt, with damages the court finds just, and possible attorney's fees if a private attorney prosecutes the contempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ways to serve an individual defendant under subsection (a)?
Personal delivery to the defendant, leaving a copy at the defendant's usual abode with a family or resident member age 13 or older followed by a mailed copy, or the method in Section 1-2-9.2 of the Illinois Municipal Code for certain parking-violation cases in large cities.
What must the server do after leaving a copy with a household member?
Also send a copy of the summons in a sealed, postage-prepaid envelope addressed to the defendant at that usual place of abode.
What must the officer's certificate or affidavit record?
The sex, race, and approximate age of the person served, and the place, date, and time of service, under subsection (b).
Are gated residential communities required to let process servers in?
Yes. Subsection (a) requires an employee of a gated residential community to grant entry to a process server attempting to serve a defendant or witness who lives in or is known to be in the community.
What happens if someone falsely certifies service under this section?
Subsection (c) makes a knowing false statement in the certificate or affidavit punishable as civil contempt, with damages the court finds just and possible attorney's fees if a private attorney prosecutes the contempt.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-966, eff. 1-1-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: substitute service of process Illinoispersonal service on an individual defendantleaving a summons at usual place of abodegated community process server accessfalse statement in proof of service Illinois