Rule 17.Officer to Execute Process
Last verified June 28, 2026
In one sentenceRule 17 bars an officer from demanding the service fee up front; the fee is taxed and collected as part of the case costs instead.
Full Text of Rule 17
Except where otherwise expressly provided by law or these rules, the officer receiving any process to be executed shall not be entitled in any case to demand his fee for executing the same in advance of such execution, but his fee shall be taxed and collected as other costs in the case.
End
Plain-English Summary
Rule 17 settles when an officer is paid for serving process. Unless a law or rule provides otherwise, the officer who receives process to execute may not demand the fee in advance. The fee is taxed and collected as other costs in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Texas officer demand a service fee before serving process?
No. Under Rule 17 the fee cannot be demanded in advance; it is taxed and collected as part of the case costs.
Does Rule 17 ever let an officer collect a fee before serving process?
Yes, but only when another law or procedural rule expressly says so. Absent such a provision, Rule 17 makes the officer wait until service is complete.
How does an officer collect the fee for serving process under Rule 17?
The fee is taxed and collected the same way as other costs in the case, rather than paid up front by the party who requested service.
Source & verification. Rule text and the official Notes and Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (Tex. R. Civ. P. 17), published by the Texas Judicial Branch (txcourts.gov).
Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Texas. The plain-English summary is original and draws on official sources. Last verified June 28, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: officer to execute processservice feefee in advancecosts of serviceTRCP 17