Article 5: Commencement of Actions and Service of Process · Last amended 2011 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section states who is allowed to serve a summons — generally a sheriff, an authorized process server, or a court-appointed person or entity — and reserves certified mail and designated delivery service for the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney.
Full Text of § 25-506.01
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(1) Unless the plaintiff has elected certified mail service or designated delivery service, the summons shall be served by the sheriff of the county where service is made, by a person authorized by section 25-507 or otherwise authorized by law, or by a person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company not a party to the action specially appointed by the court for that purpose.
(2) Certified mail service or designated delivery service shall be made by the plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney.
Workers' compensation cases, manner and time of service, see sections 48-174, 48-175, 48-175.01, and 48-190.
Plain-English Summary
Choosing a method of service under section 25-505.01 is only half the picture; section 25-506.01 says who can carry it out. For personal or residence service, the summons has to be served by the sheriff of the county where service is made, by a person authorized under section 25-507, or by a person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company the court has specially appointed for that purpose. A plaintiff cannot hand-deliver the summons personally under those methods.
Certified mail service and designated delivery service work differently. Because those methods run through the mail or a courier rather than a live server, the section allows the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney to handle them directly — sending the summons and keeping the receipt is not something that requires a sheriff or appointed process server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I personally hand-deliver the summons to a defendant myself?
Not under personal or residence service. Those methods have to be carried out by a sheriff, a person authorized under section 25-507, or someone the court specially appoints, not by the plaintiff.
Who can send a summons by certified mail?
The plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney may make certified mail service or designated delivery service directly.
Does a sheriff have to be from the county where the defendant is being served?
Yes, for personal and residence service the sheriff involved is the sheriff of the county where service is made.
Can a private company serve a summons in Nebraska?
Yes, if it satisfies the requirements to be an authorized process server under section 25-507, or if the court specially appoints it for that purpose.
Why are certified mail and designated delivery service treated differently from personal service?
Those methods rely on documented mail or courier delivery rather than an individual physically locating and serving a person, so the statute lets the plaintiff or attorney handle the sending directly.
Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the
Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
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