Whenever any pleading or other paper is served under Rules 5.01 and 5.02, proof of the time and manner of such service shall be filed before action is to be taken thereon by the court or the parties. Proof may be by certificate of a member of the bar of the court or by affidavit of the person who served the papers, or by any other proof satisfactory to the court. Such certificate or affidavit shall identify by name the persons so served. Proof of electronic service must state the electronic notification address of the person served and that the document was served electronically.
Rule 5.03.Service; Proof of.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceWhenever a pleading or paper is served under Rules 5.01 and 5.02, proof of the time and manner of service must be filed before the court or the parties act on it, by certificate, affidavit, or other proof the court accepts, naming the persons served and, for electronic service, stating the electronic address used.
Full Text of Rule 5.03
Amendment History
(Amended May 14, 1979, effective July 1, 1979; amended November 3, 2010, effective January 1, 2011.)
Plain-English Summary
Serving a document is only half the job; someone also has to be able to show it happened. Rule 5.03 requires that proof of the time and manner of service be filed before the court or the parties take any action based on that service. That proof can come from a certificate signed by a member of the bar, an affidavit from the person who served the papers, or any other proof the court finds satisfactory. Whichever form it takes, it must identify by name the people who were served.
When service happened electronically, the proof carries an extra requirement: it must state the electronic notification address used and confirm that the document was served electronically. That detail lets the court and the parties confirm not just that service occurred, but that it went to the right address in the right way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you prove a document was served in a Kentucky case?
Rule 5.03 allows proof by a certificate from a member of the bar of the court, an affidavit from the person who served the papers, or any other proof the court finds satisfactory, and it must name the persons served.
What has to be filed if a document was served by email?
Proof of electronic service must state the electronic notification address of the person served and confirm that the document was served electronically.
When does proof of service need to be filed?
It must be filed before the court or the parties take action based on the service of the pleading or paper.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 5.03). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Kentucky (Ky. Const. § 116). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
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