(a) Service. As an alternative to the methods of personal service authorized by section 307, 308, 310, 311 or 312 of this article, a summons and complaint, or summons and notice, or notice of petition and petition may be served by the plaintiff or any other person by mailing to the person or entity to be served, by first class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the summons and complaint, or summons and notice or notice of petition and petition, together with two copies of a statement of service by mail and acknowledgement of receipt in the form set forth in subdivision (d) of this section, with a return envelope, postage prepaid, addressed to the sender.
§ 312-a.Personal service by mail.
Article 3. Jurisdiction and Service, Appearance and Choice of Court · Last amended 2009 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceCPLR 312-a offers plaintiffs an optional way to serve a summons and complaint by first-class mail with an acknowledgment-of-receipt form, but service isn't complete unless the defendant signs and returns that acknowledgment within thirty days.
Full Text of CPLR 312-a
(b) Completion of service and time to answer.
1. The defendant, an authorized employee of the defendant, defendant’s attorney or an employee of the attorney must complete the acknowledgement of receipt and mail or deliver one copy of it within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt. Service is complete on the date the signed acknowledgement of receipt is mailed or delivered to the sender. The signed acknowledgement of receipt shall constitute proof of service.
2. Where a complaint or petition is served with the summons or notice of petition, the defendant shall serve an answer within twenty (20) days after the date the signed acknowledgement of receipt is mailed or delivered to the sender.
(c) Affirmation. The acknowledgement of receipt of service shall be subscribed and affirmed as true under penalties of perjury and shall have the same force and effect as an affidavit.
(d) Form. The statement of service by mail and the acknowledgement of receipt of such service shall be in substantially the following form:
Statement of Service by Mail and Acknowledgement of Receipt by Mail of Summons and Complaint or Summons and Notice or Notice of Petition and Petition A. STATEMENT OF SERVICE BY MAIL To: (Insert the name and address of the person or entity to be served.) The enclosed summons and complaint, or summons and notice, or notice of petition and petition (strike out inapplicable terms) are served pursuant to section 312-a of the Civil Practice Law and Rules. To avoid being charged with the expense of service upon you, you must sign, date and complete the acknowledgement part of this form and mail or deliver one copy of the completed form to the sender within thirty (30) days from the date you receive it. You should keep a copy for your records or your attorney. If you wish to consult an attorney, you should do so as soon as possible before the thirty (30) days expire. If you do not complete and return the form to the sender within thirty (30) days, you (or the party on whose behalf you are being served) will be required to pay expenses incurred in serving the summons and complaint, or summons and notice, or notice of petition and petition in any other manner permitted by law, and the cost of such service as permitted by law will be entered as a judgment against you. If you have received a complaint or petition with this statement, the return of this statement and acknowledgement does not relieve you of the necessity to answer the complaint or petition. The time to answer expires twenty (20) days after the day you mail or deliver this form to the sender. If you wish to consult with an attorney, you should do so as soon as possible before the twenty (20) days expire. If you are served on behalf of a corporation, unincorporated association, partnership or other entity, you must indicate under your signature your relationship to the entity. If you are served on behalf of another person and you are authorized to receive process, you must indicate under your signature your authority. It is a crime to forge a signature or to make a false entry on this statement or on the acknowledgement.
B. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT OR SUMMONS AND NOTICE OR NOTICE OF PETITION AND PETITION I received a summons and complaint, or summons and notice, or notice of petition and petition (strike out inapplicable terms) in the above-captioned matter at (insert address). PLEASE CHECK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING; IF 2 IS CHECKED, COMPLETE AS INDICATED: 1. I am not in military service. 2. I am in military service, and my rank and branch of service are as follows: Rank: ______________________ Branch of Service: ______________________ TO BE COMPLETED REGARDLESS OF MILITARY STATUS: Date:______________________ I affirm the above as true under penalty of perjury. ______________________ Signature ______________________ Print name ______________________ Name of Defendant for which acting ______________________ Position with Defendant for which acting (i.e., officer, attorney, etc.)
PLEASE COMPLETE ALL BLANKS INCLUDING DATES
(e) Subsequent service. Where a duly executed acknowledgement is not returned, upon the subsequent service of process in another manner permitted by law, the summons or notice of petition or paper served with the summons or notice of petition shall indicate that an attempt previously was made to effect service pursuant to this section.
(f) Disbursements. Where the signed acknowledgement of receipt is not returned within thirty (30) days after receipt of the documents mailed pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, the reasonable expense of serving process by an alternative method shall be taxed by the court on notice pursuant to section 8402 of this chapter as a disbursement to the party serving process, and the court shall direct immediate judgment in that amount.
Plain-English Summary
CPLR 312-a gives plaintiffs a cheaper alternative to personal delivery: mailing the summons and complaint (or notice of petition and petition) by first-class mail, along with two copies of a statement of service and an acknowledgment-of-receipt form, plus a prepaid return envelope. It stands alongside, not in place of, the personal-service methods in sections 307, 308, 310, 311, and 312.
Mail service under this section only works if the defendant cooperates. The defendant, an authorized employee, or the defendant's attorney must sign the acknowledgment and mail or deliver it back within thirty days of receiving it. Service is complete on the date that signed acknowledgment goes back to the sender -- not on the date the plaintiff mailed the papers. The acknowledgment, sworn under penalty of perjury, carries the same weight as an affidavit of service and stands as proof of service.
When a complaint or petition rides along with the summons, the defendant's clock to answer runs twenty days from the date the signed acknowledgment is mailed or delivered back, not twenty days from mailing. If the acknowledgment never comes back within thirty days, the plaintiff has to fall back on another method of service, such as personal delivery or substitute service. The court can then tax the added cost of that second attempt against the defendant as a disbursement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is service by mail under CPLR 312-a complete as soon as I mail the papers?
No. Service is complete only when the defendant signs the acknowledgment of receipt and mails or delivers it back to the sender, not on the date the plaintiff put the papers in the mail.
What happens if the defendant never returns the signed acknowledgment?
The plaintiff must serve the defendant by another method the law allows, such as personal delivery. The court can then charge the defendant, as a disbursement, for the added expense of that second service.
How long does a defendant have to answer after being served by mail?
Twenty days from the date the signed acknowledgment of receipt is mailed or delivered back to the sender, when a complaint or petition was served along with the summons.
Can a corporation be served under CPLR 312-a?
Yes. An authorized employee of the entity, or its attorney or the attorney's employee, may sign the acknowledgment on the entity's behalf.
Is service by mail mandatory, or can a plaintiff choose personal delivery instead?
It's an alternative. CPLR 312-a lets a plaintiff choose mail service instead of the personal-service methods in sections 307, 308, 310, 311, or 312.
Why does the acknowledgment form ask about military service?
The person signing must state whether they're in military service, information relevant to protections under servicemember relief laws before a default judgment can be entered.
Amendment History
Add, L 1989, ch 274, § 2; amd, L 1992, ch 216 § 8; L 1993, ch 459, § 1, eff Jan 1, 1994; L 1996, ch 368, § 1, eff July 30, 1996; L 2009, ch 222, § 1, eff July 14, 2009.
Source & verification. Provision text, History, and Advisory
Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Last verified July 21, 2026.
· Official source
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