General Counsel Manual

What does a Service of Process Agent do?

The Service of Process Agent accepts service of process of legal documents (summons and complaints; notices and demands, etc.) on behalf of a business entity which is or has been registered in the business records of the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State.

What rules apply to service of process in North Carolina?

The North Carolina rules for how service of process should be performed are found in Chapters 1 and 1A of the North Carolina General Statutes.

What role does the NC Secretary of State play in service of process?

Every entity registered with the Secretary of State requires a registered agent to accept service of process on its behalf. The name and address of the registered agent is maintained within the records of the Business Registration Division at the Secretary of State’s office. In specific circumstances, the Secretary of State is appointed as agent for service of process. The Service of Process Agent also accepts real property bonds required to be filed with the Department. Office personnel may not provide legal advice or counsel to the public.

Note: The NC Attorney General’s office only maintains service of process agents for North Carolina state departments, agencies and boards and commissions on its Process Agent Directory. Whereas, the NC Secretary of State maintains a list of corporations and business service of process agents.

For detailed answers to your Service of Process questions, visit Frequently Asked Questions about Service of Process.

Frequently Asked Questions (Service of Process)

The FAQ page for Service of Process lists 13 questions and answers about Service of Process in North Carolina.

What is Service of Process?

It is a legal term. It means delivery of legal documents to people or entities authorized to receive them.

What does your Service of Process Agent do?

The Agent accepts service of process for certain entities in our records. Examples of entities in our records are corporations and LLCs. After accepting service, the Agent forwards the documents to the last known address of the entity’s Principal Office.

Can your Service of Process Agent serve an individual?

No, we can only serve business entities.

What do I have to do to serve you as Agent?