Service of process in Louisiana
Louisiana is a civil-law state where service of citation is normally performed by the sheriff. A private person may serve only after the court appoints them, generally available where the sheriff has not served within 10 days of receiving the citation or has certified an inability to serve. Service of citation must be requested on each named defendant within 90 days of commencing the action.
ProcessServerState provides procedural-information-only summaries of state process-server rules. This is not legal advice. Service of process is a critical step in litigation — if you fail to serve correctly, your case can be dismissed. For complex or contested matters, consult a licensed attorney or a court self-help center. Not affiliated with any court or sheriff's office.
Is a license required in Louisiana?
Civil-law state: the sheriff is the primary process server. Private service is restricted — allowed only by court appointment after the sheriff fails to serve within 10 days or certifies inability; a Louisiana-licensed private investigator is presumed qualified (La. C.C.P. art. 1293).
Who may serve process in Louisiana?
- County sheriff
- Plaintiff (limited circumstances)
Service deadline (Louisiana)
La. C.C.P. art. 1201(C): service of citation shall be requested on all named defendants within 90 days of commencement of the action.
UIDDA: Louisiana has adopted the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act for interstate service.
Sheriff / Marshal civil-process route
Civil-process fees are set by each county and listed on the local sheriff's civil-process page. Not all counties publish a fee schedule — confirm with the county where service will be made.
Statute / Rule citation
La. C.C.P. art. 1201 et seq.
UIDDA: La. R.S. 13:3825 (Louisiana UIDDA, enacted 2014; within R.S. 13:3821 et seq.)
Interstate service from Louisiana
Louisiana has adopted the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (UIDDA), which provides a streamlined process for issuing an out-of-state subpoena based on one issued in the trial state. Service of an initial summons across state lines follows the receiving state's rules.
Sources for Louisiana
Other states with no license requirement
Check a different state
Verified against Louisiana primary sources on June 16, 2026. Read how we verify on our methodology page, or browse every citation in the source manifest.
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ProcessServerState provides procedural-information-only summaries of state process-server rules. This is not legal advice. Service of process is a critical step in litigation — if you fail to serve correctly, your case can be dismissed. For complex or contested matters, consult a licensed attorney or a court self-help center. Not affiliated with any court or sheriff's office.