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Manhattan specialists · New York County

Process serving in
New York, NY.

Premium process serving across Manhattan for law firms, attorneys, and agencies, from Battery Park to Inwood. Quality over quantity: one focused agency, fully tracked from intake to affidavit.

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Client inboxWaiting for affidavit

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Local knowledge

We know Manhattan.
Block by block.

Manhattan is home to the city's busiest courts and its densest buildings. Doorman high-rises, co-ops, and commercial towers with security desks all take local experience to serve correctly and on time.

Financial District

Commercial towers with lobby security. Business-hours service and close coordination with building staff.

Tribeca & SoHo

Lofts, boutique buildings, and storefronts. Timing matters for residents who keep irregular hours.

Midtown

Office towers, law firms, and corporate headquarters, including many registered agents.

Upper East Side

Doorman buildings and co-ops. Patience, professionalism, and complete attempt records.

Upper West Side

A mix of doorman buildings and walk-ups. Evening and Saturday attempts are often key.

Harlem, Washington Heights & Inwood

Dense residential blocks and walk-ups. Local familiarity means fewer missed attempts.

Greenwich Village & Chelsea

Townhouses, walk-ups, and mixed-use buildings with varied access.

Lower East Side

Older walk-ups and new developments side by side, often with buzzer-only entry.

Serving all of these neighborhoods

Manhattan by the numbers

A high-volume legal market.
Every case starts with service.

10,973

Federal civil lawsuits in a year

New civil cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, headquartered in Manhattan, in the 12 months ending June 30, 2024. That's roughly 210 new federal civil cases every week.

93,904

Businesses with employees

Manhattan has 93,904 employer businesses, from law firms to corporate headquarters. When a company is sued, the summons has to reach the right person or its registered agent.

120days

Days to serve after filing

In New York, the summons and complaint generally must be served within 120 days after a case is started (CPLR 306-b), or the case can be dismissed.

1.5

Our average attempts per job

Focused servers and careful timing mean fewer wasted trips and faster affidavits for our clients.

Sources: U.S. Courts, Federal Court Management Statistics (June 30, 2024); U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts (County Business Patterns, 2023), New York County; N.Y. CPLR 306-b. Weekly figure is an average calculated from the annual total. Attempts per job reflects Sapphire Legal's current average.

Courts

Papers from any court,
served in Manhattan.

We serve papers issued by local, state, and federal courts, along with cases filed in other states.

New York County Supreme Court

Civil cases, including commercial and matrimonial matters.

NYC Civil Court, New York County

Civil lawsuits up to $50,000, including contract and commercial claims.

New York County Family Court

Custody, support, and other family matters.

New York County Surrogate's Court

Estates and guardianship.

U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y.

Federal cases in the Southern District of New York.

How service works in New York

Served correctly
under New York rules.

Service on an individual in Manhattan follows New York's rules (CPLR 308). Common methods include:

Personal delivery

Handing the papers directly to the person being served.

Suitable age and discretion

Leaving the papers with a responsible adult at the person's home or business, then mailing a copy.

Affix and mail

If the first two can't be done with due diligence, attaching the papers to the door, then mailing a copy.

Pay-per-job orders include up to 3 attempts on different days, including one before 9 AM, one after 5 PM, and one on a Saturday, and end after the 3rd attempt. On a monthly subscription, each included job is attempted throughout the billing cycle, unless service can't proceed, such as a bad address, a party who has moved, or no access. Every attempt is GPS and time-stamped, and you receive an affidavit of service, or of non-service if service isn't possible, when the job is complete. Why proper service matters →

General information, not legal advice. Service rules depend on the court, the case, and the person or business being served.

How it plays out

Typical Manhattan
scenarios.

Scenario

Doorman building · Upper East Side

The doorman won't allow the server upstairs and the party doesn't answer the intercom. The server returns before 9 AM on a different day, the party comes down to the lobby, and personal service is made. Every attempt, including the doorman's statements, is in the narrative with a GPS photo.

Scenario

Company defendant · Midtown

The client sends a summons for a corporation. The server delivers it to the registered agent's intake desk, records the intake specialist's name, title, and description, and the affidavit is prepared from that record.

Scenario

Party moved · Harlem

On the first attempt, the current resident says the party moved. The client had authorized an address search, which finds a new Manhattan address. The original job closes as a non-service, and the new address is served as a new job.

Illustrative scenarios based on how jobs typically run in Manhattan. They are not specific client cases.

Manhattan FAQ

Process serving
in Manhattan, answered.

Quick answers for law firms and attorneys serving papers in New York County.

How much does a process server cost in Manhattan?

At Sapphire Legal, routine service in Manhattan is $125 per job, rush service is $175, and delivery to a registered agent is $90 per job. Prices are fixed. Routine service gets a first attempt within 3 to 7 business days, and rush within 1 to 3. Every pay-per-job order includes up to three attempts, GPS-verified records, and an affidavit of service or non-service, with clear payment terms: first jobs are paid upfront, then Net 15 for repeat law firms.

Are your prices fixed?

Yes. Routine service is $125 per job, rush is $175 per job, and registered agent delivery is $90 per job. What you see is what you pay: no estimates and no negotiation. Pages 1 to 50 and black and white printing are included; standard add-ons such as a notarized affidavit (+$10) are listed up front.

How many attempts are included?

On pay-per-job billing, each job includes up to 3 attempts on different days, including one before 9 AM, one after 5 PM, and one on a Saturday. We never attempt on Sundays. The job ends after the 3rd attempt; further attempts, even at the same address, are a new job at the full job rate. Firms with recurring work can subscribe at 20% off, and each included job is attempted throughout the billing cycle, unless service can't proceed, such as a bad address, a party who has moved, or no access.

What happens if the person can't be served?

You receive an affidavit of non-service, billed at the full job rate. A job can be returned as non-service after 3 attempts, or sooner when service isn't possible, such as a bad or nonexistent address, a party who has moved, or a location that can't be accessed.

How long do I have to serve papers in New York?

In New York, the summons and complaint generally must be served within 120 days after the case is started (CPLR 306-b). The court can dismiss the case against a defendant who isn't served in time, unless it grants an extension.

Do process servers in Manhattan need a license?

Yes. Anyone who serves five or more processes a year in New York City needs a license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, and process serving agencies are licensed as well. Sapphire Legal LLC holds Agency License #2138214-DCWP.

Can you serve someone in a doorman building?

Yes. Doorman buildings and co-ops often require coordination with building staff. Our servers handle these buildings regularly and document every attempt with GPS and time stamps.

Which Manhattan courts do you serve papers for?

We serve papers from New York County Supreme Court, NYC Civil Court, Family Court, Surrogate's Court, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and courts in other states.

Need papers served in Manhattan?

Get started Email us

We know Manhattan.Block by block.

Financial District

Tribeca & SoHo

Midtown

Upper East Side

Upper West Side

Harlem, Washington Heights & Inwood

Greenwich Village & Chelsea

Lower East Side

A high-volume legal market.Every case starts with service.

Federal civil lawsuits in a year

Businesses with employees

Days to serve after filing

Our average attempts per job

Papers from any court,served in Manhattan.

New York County Supreme Court

NYC Civil Court, New York County

New York County Family Court

New York County Surrogate's Court

U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y.

Served correctlyunder New York rules.

Personal delivery

Suitable age and discretion

Affix and mail

Typical Manhattanscenarios.

Doorman building · Upper East Side

Company defendant · Midtown

Party moved · Harlem

Process servingin Manhattan, answered.

Need papers served in Manhattan?

We know Manhattan.
Block by block.

A high-volume legal market.
Every case starts with service.

Papers from any court,
served in Manhattan.

Served correctly
under New York rules.

Typical Manhattan
scenarios.

Process serving
in Manhattan, answered.