Process Server Fees: What to Charge Per Serve in 2026
5 min read·Updated June 2026
The short answer
A routine serve runs about $45 to $100. Rush or same-day serves run $100 to $200, and a job that needs skip tracing to find the person can reach $150 to $400.
Typical prices
- Routine serve: $45 to $100
- Rush / same-day serve: $100 to $200
- Skip trace (hard to locate): $150 to $400
What changes the price
- Urgency (routine, rush, or same-day).
- Distance and number of attempts.
- Whether skip tracing is needed.
- Jurisdiction rules and affidavit requirements.
Price the attempts, not just the serve
Three trips to a defendant who keeps dodging cost you three times the gas and time, so build attempts into the quote rather than absorbing them. Charge a clear premium for rush jobs and skip tracing, since those are where your speed and skill actually save the client. Use the free calculator to set your per-serve rate.
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