Cost of Serving Legal Papers in Connecticut (2026 Pricing & State Marshal Fee Guide)

How Process Serving Pricing Works in Connecticut in 2026

Calculating the cost of serving legal papers in Connecticut depends on whether your documents are served by a private process server (acting as an 'Indifferent Person' under Connecticut law or FRCP Rule 4 server) or by a commissioned Connecticut State Marshal under Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) § 52-261.

While statutory marshal rates start with a base fee per recipient, state marshals add round-trip state-employee mileage, copy/endorsement fees, and statutory return charges. By contrast, Connecticut Process Service LLC provides predictable, all-inclusive flat-rate pricing across all 8 Connecticut counties and 169 towns: $79 for Standard Service (first attempt within 3–5 business days), $129 for Rush Priority Service (next-business-day dispatch), and $179 for Same-Day Emergency Dispatch.

Private Process Server / Indifferent Person Flat-Rate Tiers in Connecticut

When serving Connecticut civil or deposition subpoenas (C.G.S. § 52-143 & § 52-148e), UIDDA foreign subpoenas (C.G.S. § 52-658), federal court summonses in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut (New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport divisions), out-of-state lawsuits, or Small Claims writs (Form JD-CV-40), our flat-rate packages cover up to three diligent attempts across morning, evening, and weekend hours:

1. Standard Service ($79 Flat Rate): Built for routine subpoenas, corporate registered agent deliveries in Hartford/East Hartford/Glastonbury, out-of-state civil complaints, and small claims writs. First field attempt within 3 to 5 business days.

2. Rush Priority Service ($129 Flat Rate): Designed for time-sensitive trial or deposition subpoenas, short-calendar motions, and evasive residential targets in Fairfield, New Haven, or Hartford County. Dispatched within 24 hours.

3. Same-Day Emergency Dispatch ($179 Flat Rate): Immediate same-day field dispatch for urgent subpoenas (meeting the 18-hour statutory cutoff under C.G.S. § 52-143(a)), expiring Return Day deadlines under C.G.S. § 52-46, and same-day registered agent service at CT Corp, CSC, Northwest Registered Agent, or the Connecticut Secretary of the State.

Every tier includes GPS-logged attempt verification and a fully notarized Affidavit / Return of Service ready for filing with the Superior Court, Federal Court, or out-of-state tribunal.

Statutory Connecticut State Marshal Fees Under C.G.S. § 52-261

For proceedings where a Connecticut State Marshal is utilized, compensation is governed by Connecticut General Statutes § 52-261:

• Base Service of Process Fee: Up to $50.00 for each process served on the first person.

• Additional Recipients: $50.00 for the second and each subsequent service of process on additional defendants, or $20.00 for each subsequent service made at the exact same address.

• Statutory Mileage Calculation: In addition to the base service fee, C.G.S. § 52-261(a) entitles the officer to mileage at the standard rate set by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for state employees (tied to the federal GSA/IRS mileage rate), computed from the place where the officer received the process to the place of service, and thence in the case of civil process to the place of return.

• Endorsement, Copies & Secretary of the State Fees: Statutory surcharges apply for preparing copies, page endorsements, and paying the $50.00 statutory filing fee when serving the Connecticut Secretary of the State under C.G.S. § 33-663 or § 52-59b.

Mandatory Witness Fees & Statutory Agency Fees in Connecticut

Beyond the process server's fee, specific Connecticut filings require statutory fee advances tendered at the time of service:

• Subpoena Witness Fees (C.G.S. § 52-260): Under C.G.S. § 52-260(a) and § 52-143, a standard fact witness subpoenaed to testify in a Connecticut court or deposition is entitled to a nominal statutory attendance fee of $0.50 per day plus round-trip mileage at the state-employee mileage rate from their residence to the place of testimony. However, under § 52-260(c), police officers and firefighters summoned to testify in their official capacity in a civil action are entitled to $100.00 per day plus mileage.

• Connecticut Secretary of the State Statutory Service Fee: When serving the Secretary of the State at 165 Capitol Avenue in Hartford as statutory agent for a nonresident defendant (C.G.S. § 52-59b) or an entity without a registered agent, the Secretary of the State collects a statutory filing fee (typically $50.00).

• Connecticut Insurance Department Statutory Service Fee (C.G.S. § 38a-25): Serving the Insurance Commissioner at 153 Market Street in Hartford as statutory agent for a foreign or unauthorized insurer requires the statutory department intake fee.