How much to charge for process serving
Rates reviewed July 2026
Most process serving is priced $45–$200 per serve in 2026, with about $85 typical. By the job, a routine serve usually runs $45–$100. Your rate depends mainly on urgency.
Process serving is priced per serve, with the fee climbing for speed, distance, and difficulty. The routine serve is the floor; rush jobs and hard-to-find people are where you charge real money.
You should charge
$84
per serve · typical $45–$200
Quote at the low end instead of here and you hand back $39 per serve. Every single job.
Why this number. Price by urgency and attempts, not a flat rate. Three trips to a dodging defendant cost you three times the gas and time, so build attempts into the quote and charge a clear premium for rush and skip tracing.
Got your number? The hard part is keeping it when the client pushes back.
Typical process serving prices
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Routine serve | $45 – $100 |
| Rush / same-day serve | $100 – $200 |
| Skip trace (hard to locate) | $150 – $400 |
Free · The words, not just the number
Get the process serving pricing script
A short, calm script for quoting process serving in person. The goal is not to pitch. It is to ask a few good questions, say your number once without flinching, and let them talk themselves into yes.
- ✓The questions to ask before you ever name a price
- ✓How to say your number so it lands, then stay quiet
- ✓The line for when they say "that's too much" (no discounting)
- ✓A rate-increase template for clients you already have
- ✓Plus What to Say: the free AI that answers any client pushback
Instant unlock, and a copy in your inbox. No spam. The calculator stays free either way.
What changes the price
- Urgency (routine vs. rush vs. same-day)
- Distance and number of attempts
- Whether skip tracing is needed to find them
- Jurisdiction rules and affidavit requirements
The pricing move most people miss
Price by urgency and attempts, not a flat rate. Three trips to a dodging defendant cost you three times the gas and time, so build attempts into the quote and charge a clear premium for rush and skip tracing.
What to SayAI
They pushed back on your price? Get the exact reply.
Paste what a process serving client says. A sales-psychology-trained AI writes the words that hold your price, in seconds. Free.
Get the reply →Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for process serving?+
Most process serving is priced $45–$200 per serve, with a typical rate around $85 per serve. Where you land inside that range comes down mainly to urgency (routine vs. rush vs. same-day) and distance and number of attempts. Use the range as your anchor, then adjust up for experience, strong demand, and a higher cost-of-living area.
What is the best way to price process serving?+
Most process serving is priced per serve, which is easy for clients to understand. Set a clear minimum so small jobs still cover your time and travel, and bundle add-ons into packages to lift the average ticket rather than discounting.
How much should I charge for process serving as a beginner?+
Starting out, price near the lower end of the range, roughly $45 to $85 per serve. Resist going below that to win work: a price that is too low attracts price-shoppers, signals low quality, and is hard to raise later. Once you have a few happy clients and reviews, move toward $200.
What affects how much process serving costs?+
The biggest factors are urgency (routine vs. rush vs. same-day); distance and number of attempts; whether skip tracing is needed to find them; jurisdiction rules and affidavit requirements. Two jobs that look alike can price very differently once these are accounted for, which is why a quick walkthrough or a few questions before quoting protects your rate.
How do I quote process serving so the client says yes?+
Price by urgency and attempts, not a flat rate. Three trips to a dodging defendant cost you three times the gas and time, so build attempts into the quote and charge a clear premium for rush and skip tracing. Put the quote in writing with exactly what is included, state the price once without apologizing for it, and give one clear next step. A confident, well-structured quote wins jobs at a higher price than a vague one at a lower price.