(1) The chief judge of each judicial circuit may establish an approved list of natural persons designated as certified process servers. The chief judge may periodically add to such list the names of those natural persons who have met the requirements for certification provided for in s. 48.29. Each person whose name has been added to the approved list is subject to annual recertification and reappointment by the chief judge of a judicial circuit. The chief judge shall prescribe appropriate forms for application for inclusion on the list of certified process servers. A reasonable fee for the processing of any such application must be charged.
(2)(a) The addition of a person’s name to the list authorizes him or her to serve initial nonenforceable civil process on a person found within the circuit where the process server is certified when a civil action has been filed against such person in the circuit court or in a county court in the state. Upon filing an action in circuit or county court, a person may select from the list for the circuit where the process is to be served one or more certified process servers to serve initial nonenforceable civil process.
(b) The addition of a person’s name to the list authorizes him or her to serve criminal witness subpoenas and criminal summonses on a person found within the circuit where the process server is certified. The state in any proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or any party in a criminal action, prosecution, or proceeding may select from the list for the circuit where the process is to be served one or more certified process servers to serve the subpoena or summons.
(3) Nothing herein shall be interpreted to exclude a sheriff or deputy or other person appointed by the sheriff pursuant to s. 48.021 from serving process or to exclude a person from appointment by individual motion and order to serve process in any civil action in accordance with Rule 1.070(b) of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
History.—s. 3, ch. 88-135; s. 5, ch. 97-96; s. 3, ch. 98-410; s. 3, ch. 2009-215.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title VI - Civil Practice and Procedure
Chapter 48 - Process and Service of Process
48.011 - Process; How Directed.
48.021 - Process; by Whom Served.
48.031 - Service of Process Generally; Service of Witness Subpoenas.
48.042 - Service on Incompetent.
48.051 - Service on State Prisoners.
48.061 - Service on Partnerships and Limited Partnerships.
48.062 - Service on a Limited Liability Company.
48.071 - Service on Agents of Nonresidents Doing Business in the State.
48.081 - Service on Corporation.
48.091 - Corporations; Designation of Registered Agent and Registered Office.
48.092 - Service on Financial Institutions.
48.101 - Service on Dissolved Corporations.
48.102 - Service by Other Means.
48.111 - Service on Public Agencies and Officers.
48.121 - Service on the State.
48.131 - Service on Alien Property Custodian.
48.141 - Service on Labor Unions.
48.151 - Service on Statutory Agents for Certain Persons.
48.161 - Method of Substituted Service on Nonresident.
48.171 - Service on Nonresident Motor Vehicle Owners, Etc.
48.181 - Service on Nonresident Engaging in Business in State.
48.183 - Service of Process in Action for Possession of Premises.
48.184 - Service of Process for Removal of Unknown Parties in Possession.
48.19 - Service on Nonresidents Operating Aircraft or Watercraft in the State.
48.193 - Acts Subjecting Person to Jurisdiction of Courts of State.
48.194 - Personal Service Outside State.
48.195 - Service of Foreign Process.
48.197 - Service in a Foreign Country.
48.20 - Service of Process on Sunday.
48.21 - Return of Execution of Process.
48.22 - Cumulative to Other Laws.
48.27 - Certified Process Servers.
48.29 - Certification of Process Servers.
48.31 - Removal of Certified Process Servers; False Return of Service.