Georgia process server—service of process in all 159 counties

Georgia's primary method is personal delivery—handing a copy of the summons and complaint to the defendant personally, wherever that person is found in the state. Under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(7), no witnesses or signed acknowledgment are required. The server delivers the papers to the named defendant and then files a return of service documenting how, when, and where delivery occurred.

O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(7): service shall be made "to the defendant personally, or by leaving copies thereof at the defendant's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein." — O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(7)

With ABC Legal: a vetted server makes the first attempt on your tier's timeline—as fast as 48 hours—and EvidenceChain™ records the GPS location and timestamp of the exact delivery moment.

When the defendant cannot be handed the papers directly, Georgia permits substituted service under the same provision—O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(7). The server leaves copies at the defendant's dwelling house or usual place of abode with a person of suitable age and discretion who resides there. Georgia requires no court order, no prior attempts, and no follow-up mailing before using this method.

O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(7): service by "leaving copies thereof at the defendant's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein." — O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(7)

With ABC Legal: courts only accept substituted service after documented diligence. Our app geotags and timestamps every attempt automatically, so your diligence record is built before you need it.

Publication is a last resort in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(f), the plaintiff must show by affidavit that the defendant resides outside the state, has departed, cannot be found after due diligence, or conceals himself to avoid service. A judge or clerk then orders the summons published in the county's legal-advertisement newspaper four times within 60 days, at least seven days apart.

O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(f)(1)(A): "When the person on whom service is to be made resides outside the state, or has departed from the state, or cannot, after due diligence, be found within the state, or conceals himself or herself to avoid the service of the summons...the judge or clerk may grant an order that the service be made by the publication of summons." (f)(1)(C): "the clerk shall cause the publication to be made in the paper in which sheriff's advertisements are printed, four times within the ensuing 60 days, publications to be at least seven days apart." — O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(f)

With ABC Legal: our skip tracing team locates most "unfindable" defendants before you ever pay for publication—and if it truly comes to that, your ABC attempt history is the diligence evidence the motion needs.

Georgia domestic and foreign corporations are served under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(1) by delivering the papers to the president or other officer, a managing agent, or a registered agent. Limited liability companies are served through their registered agent under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209—and if no agent can be found with reasonable diligence, the Secretary of State becomes the company's agent for service.

O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(1): service "to the president or other officer of such corporation or foreign corporation, a managing agent thereof, or a registered agent thereof." O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209(f): where an LLC fails to maintain a registered agent or it cannot be found with reasonable diligence, "the Secretary of State shall be an agent of such limited liability company upon whom any process, notice, or demand may be served." — O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(1); O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209

With ABC Legal: we verify the current registered agent against state records before dispatch, so the serve lands on the right desk the first time.

Serving a Georgia local-government body follows O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(5). Against a county, municipality, city, or town, the summons and complaint go to the chairman of the board of commissioners, the president of the council of trustees, or the mayor or city manager. Delivering to the correct named official matters—service on the wrong officer can leave the judgment open to challenge.

O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(5): "If against a county, municipality, city, or town, to the chairman of the board of commissioners, president of the council of trustees, mayor or city manager of the city." — O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4(e)(5)

With ABC Legal: our servers handle city, county, and state entity serves routinely—and know exactly which office actually accepts them.