Service of process in Oregon
In Oregon, service of a summons and complaint is governed by ORCP 7, which permits personal, substituted, office, mail, and (by court order) publication service by a method reasonably calculated to give notice. Service may be made by the county sheriff or any competent non-party adult 18 or older; Oregon does not license or register process servers. ORCP 7 sets no fixed deadline, though serving within 60 days of filing relates the case back to the filing date under ORS 12.020.
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 Oregon?
Oregon does not license, register, certify, or bond process servers. Under ORCP 7 E any competent non-party adult 18+ may serve.
Who may serve process in Oregon?
- County sheriff
- Any non-party adult (18+)
- Certified / registered mail
- Publication (by court order)
Service deadline (Oregon)
ORCP 7 sets no hard service deadline; the summons must be 'promptly returned.' The often-cited 60 days is a relation-back rule (ORS 12.020(2)), not a service deadline; a case may be noticed for dismissal for want of prosecution if proof of service is not filed (UTCR 7.020).
UIDDA: Oregon 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
ORCP 7 (Summons)
UIDDA: ORCP 38 C (foreign depositions and subpoenas; UIDDA-style mechanism)
Verification notes for Oregon: the following could not be fully primary-source-confirmed in our last pass and should be verified against the cited source before you rely on them:
- uiddaCitation effective-date detail (ORCP 38 C content primary-verified; effective date from secondary source)
Interstate service from Oregon
Oregon 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 Oregon
Other states with no license requirement
Check a different state
Verified against Oregon primary sources on June 16, 2026. Read how we verify on our methodology page, or browse every citation in the source manifest.
Editorial review status: Reviewer attribution pending — we are recruiting a credentialed reviewer (ex-process-server with a NAPPS credential, or a NALA/NFPA-certified civil-procedure paralegal) before this site applies for advertising. We will not display a fabricated reviewer.
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.