What service of process actually costs
Some court systems make you prepay a mailing deposit and the clerk sends every document for you. US courts do not work that way. After you file, serving the summons and complaint is the plaintiff's job, so the cost depends on who you hire and how many people have to be served.
Legal basis: Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(c) puts service on the plaintiff and allows any non-party adult to serve; Rule 4(d) lets you request a waiver by mail, which is the cheapest route. When the US Marshals Service serves process, 28 C.F.R. §0.114 sets an hourly rate of $65 per process server plus travel and out-of-pocket costs. Private process servers commonly charge $50 to $150 per party and sheriffs $30 to $75, and those figures are representative as of September 2026 - rates vary by county, so use the override field with your own quote.
Service costs are usually recoverable as taxable costs if you prevail, and a defendant who refuses a Rule 4(d) waiver without good cause can be ordered to pay them. This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under Rule 4(d) you may mail a request to waive service, and many defendants sign it. If nobody waives, formal service by a non-party adult, a sheriff or a process server is required.
The Marshals Service bills $65 per hour per process server plus travel under 28 C.F.R. §0.114 rather than a flat per-party fee, so the estimate assumes two hours.
Usually yes. Process servers often quote a price that covers a set number of attempts and then bill per additional attempt, so enter the number your quote actually includes.