---
title: "How to Serve Small Claims Papers in Arizona | MCC Solutions"
description: "How a Arizona small claims case is served, from the court's own guide: Every defendant must be served with the summons, complaint and notice..."
url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-in-arizona"
---

Process serving · Arizona

# How to serve small claims papers in Arizona

Arizona's Small claims division of the justice court lists this method: Every defendant must be served with the summons, complaint and notice by certified or registered mail with "return receipt requested," by personal service by a constable, sheriff or process server, or, in some courts, by the clerk by certified restricted mail. Proof of service must be filed "within 45 days of the complaint filing date" or the case is dismissed. If that method lets you use a private process server or another adult, we can arrange a vetted local server in Arizona, quoted per job and confirmed before any work starts.

Get a Arizona serve quoted

✓ New Jersey commissioned notary, no. 50244803, insured for errors and omissions. [See the credentials](/about/credentials)

🌙 We're off the clock. Your case isn't.

Send the details tonight and we'll quote it first thing when we open in the morning. Upload the papers with the request so nothing waits on us.

 [Send the request](/notary/process-serving#request)

**Price**Quoted per job in Arizona (New Jersey serves are from $150 per address)

**Where we cover**Arizona, through vetted local process servers and vendors

Arizona's court guides spell out who delivers a small claims case to the defendant; this page repeats it and says when we can help.

| Court | Small claims division of the justice court |
| --- | --- |
| Service | Every defendant must be served with the summons, complaint and notice by certified or registered mail with "return receipt requested," by personal service by a constable, sheriff or process server, or, in some courts, by the clerk by certified restricted mail. Proof of service must be filed "within 45 days of the complaint filing date" or the case is dismissed. |
| Where the case is filed | The justice court precinct where the defendant resides (A.R.S. 22-202), with exceptions when the defendant lives out of state or the residence is unknown. |
| Small claims limit | $3,500. Not more than $3,500, not counting interest and costs. Counterclaims are capped at $3,500 too. |
| Filing fees | small claims filing: $30; small claims answer: $18 |
| Who can file | "The plaintiff must be a real party to the original transaction that forms the basis of the lawsuit." The complaint is filed in the correct justice court precinct. |

## When we can help in Arizona

We book a vetted server near the address, share the papers and the date the court needs, and return the completed proof of service to you.

The full Arizona small claims page, with limits and fees, is [here](/tools/small-claims-arizona).

[Alabama](/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-in-alabama) · [all states](/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-by-state) · [serving someone in another state](/notary/process-serving/serve-someone-in-another-state)

If you represent yourself, you are responsible for your documents: what they say, that they are complete and signed, which court they go to and that they are filed on time. We are not lawyers, we do not give legal advice or draft pleadings, and we cannot guarantee any legal outcome. We file, serve or pull exactly what you send.

## Sources

- [Arizona Judicial Branch Legal Info Hub: About Small Claims](https://www.azcourts.gov/legalinfohub/Legal-Info-Sheets/Small-Claims/About-Small-Claims)
- [Arizona Judicial Branch: Justice Court Filing Fees](https://www.azcourts.gov/courtfilingfees/Justice-Court-Filing-Fees)
- [Arizona Judicial Branch: eFileAZ Limited Jurisdiction eFiling, New Case, Self-Represented Plaintiff, Small Claims](https://www.azcourts.gov/Portals/0/96/Documents/Training/EFAZ/LJ/NewCase-SRL-SmallClaims-V1.0.pdf)
- [Arizona Judicial Branch Legal Info Hub: Small Claims, Plaintiff's Initial Steps](https://www.azcourts.gov/legalinfohub/Legal-Info-Sheets/Small-Claims/Plaintiffs-Initial-Steps)

### Before you send

- Send the papers to serve as a PDF, with every page in order.
- Give the best address, a description or photo of the person, and the times they're usually home.
- Up to three attempts at different times of day are included.
- You get a notarized affidavit of service once service is made.
- Rules on who may serve papers vary by state. The desk confirms them for your state before assigning a server.

### Prefer to talk?

Call the desk and we'll take the request by phone.

## Questions

**Who serves small claims papers in Arizona?**

The court's guide says: Every defendant must be served with the summons, complaint and notice by certified or registered mail with "return receipt requested," by personal service by a constable, sheriff or process server, or, in some courts, by the clerk by certified restricted mail. Proof of service must be filed "within 45 days of the complaint filing date" or the case is dismissed.

**What does a Arizona serve cost?**

Outside New Jersey every serve is quoted per job, because local server rates and travel differ. We confirm the price before any work starts.

**Can you tell me if service was done correctly?**

No. The Arizona court decides whether service was proper. We send you the server's proof of service so you can file it.

## Want us to handle it?

Get a Arizona serve quoted[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)