Ala

80

67

X

X

X

Certified

Alas

1

None

only outside the state

only outside the state

X

(subpoenas)

appointed by public safety commissioner

only outside the state

X

Registered/ Certified

Ariz

32

15

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

X

 (with clerk of the court)

Return Receipt

Ark

45

75

X

X

attorney

Return Receipt

Calif

191

58

X

X

 (with county clerk)

First Class or Air Mail

Colo

32

63

X

X

Return Receipt

Conn

678

8

X

X

indifferent person

(in limited instances)

X

not mentioned*

Del

341

3

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

for copies

D. C.

9,884

X

Registered/ Certified

Fla

240

67

X

(also special process server)

certified process server

X

not mentioned

Ga

112

159

X

X

not mentioned

Ha

173

4

X

X

X

X

for copies

Id

12

44

X

X

various

Ill

(varies with county size)

206

102

X

(also civilian employees)

X

licensed private detective and registered employees

for copies

Ind

155

92

X

only outside the state (also atty. for party)

X

Registered/ Certified

Iowa

50

99

X

Various

Kan

30

105

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

attorney admitted to practice in Kansas

Certified

Ky

93

120

X

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

Registered/ Certified

La

97

64 parishes

X

X

Registered/ Certified

Me

40

16

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

X

Return Receipt & First Class

Md

489

23

X

X

Certified

Mass

768

14

X

(also special deputy)

X

(subpoenas)

X

X

Return Receipt

Mich

164

83

X

X

(civil only)

X

X

Registered/ Certified

Minn

55

87

X

X

X

First Class

Miss

55

82

X

X

Certified & First Class

Msouri

74

114

X

X

only out of state

Certified & First Class

Mon

6

56

X

X

X

First Class

Neb

21

93

X

X

X

Certified

Nev

11

17

X

X

(no limit re party)

X

(with Private Investigator's Licensing Bd.)

not mentioned

NH

124

10

X

(also special deputy)

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

not mentioned

NJ

1,042

21

X

X

X

Registered/ Certified

NMx

13

33

X

X

X

First Class

NY

381

62

X

X

(except NYC)

First Class

New York City

X

 (with NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs)

NC

136

100

X

only outside the state

X

Registered/ Certified

ND

9

53

X

X

Return Receipt

Ohio

265

88

X

X

attorney (subpoenas)

X

Certified

Okla

46

77

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

X

(county court for civil cases)

Certified

Ore

30

36

X

X

Registered/ Certified & First Class

Pa

265

67

X

X

Return Receipt

RI

960

5

X

X

X

Return Receipt

SC

116

46

X

X

X

X

Registered/ Certified

SD

9

66

X

X

X

(must be elector)

not mentioned

Tenn

118

95

X

X

X

First Class

Tex

65

254

X

X

X

X

Registered/ Certified

Ut

21

29

X

X

X

Return Receipt

Vt

61

14

X

X

X

(subpoenas)

X

X

Return Receipt

Va

156

95

X

X

for copies

Wash

73

39

X

X

X

(for no fee)

X

X

X

(with auditor of county)

Return Receipt

WVa

75

55

X

X

Registered/ Certified

Wis

90

72

X

X

not mentioned

Wy

5

23

X

X

Registered/ Certified

¹ Rounded to nearest whole number  

not mentioned = source document contains excerpts from relevant law/rules of each state; material in source document does not specifically mention use of mail.  

* Connecticut statutes do allow the use of U.S. mail as a means of delivering certain notifications, orders, and warrants.  

Sources of Data:
Column two - Council of State Governments, The Book of the States, 1998-99 Edition, Vol. 32 (Lexington, KY),  pp. 450-451.
Other columns - National Association of Professional Process Servers, Membership Directory and Civil Rules Guide, Fall 1999 (Portland, OR),  pp. 1-244.