---
title: "How to Serve Small Claims Papers in North Carolina | MCC"
description: "How a North Carolina small claims case is served, from the court's own guide: Personal delivery or leaving at dwelling with suitable resident;..."
url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/notary/process-serving/how-to-serve-papers-in-north-carolina"
---

Process serving · North Carolina

# How to serve small claims papers in North Carolina

North Carolina's Small Claims Court (District Court, Magistrate) lists this method: Personal delivery or leaving at dwelling with suitable resident; registered or certified mail, signature confirmation, or designated delivery service; acceptance of service; summary ejectment per G.S. 42-29 (G.S. 7A-217). If that method lets you use a private process server or another adult, we can arrange a vetted local server in North Carolina, quoted per job and confirmed before any work starts.

Get a North Carolina 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 North Carolina (New Jersey serves are from $150 per address)

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

Here is how North Carolina's small claims court says the papers reach the other side, and where a process server fits.

| Court | Small Claims Court (District Court, Magistrate) |
| --- | --- |
| Service | Personal delivery or leaving at dwelling with suitable resident; registered or certified mail, signature confirmation, or designated delivery service; acceptance of service; summary ejectment per G.S. 42-29 (G.S. 7A-217). |
| Where the case is filed | Clerk of superior court in the county where the defendant (or one defendant) resides (G.S. 7A-211, 7A-213). |
| Small claims limit | $10,000. G.S. 7A-210: small claim action where amount in controversy does not exceed $10,000 and principal relief is money, recovery of specific personal property, summary ejectment, or a combination. Assigned to a magistrate by the chief district judge. |
| Filing fees | General Court of Justice fee (magistrate case): $80; facilities fee (magistrate case): $12; Court Information Technology fee: $4 |
| Who can file | Complaint signed by the party or the party's attorney (G.S. 7A-216); in summary ejectment, an agent with actual knowledge may sign. |

## When we can help in North Carolina

Where North Carolina leaves delivery to the plaintiff, we line up a local server, pass along your deadline and send back the signed proof of service when it's done.

The full North Carolina small claims page, with limits and fees, is [here](/tools/small-claims-north-carolina).

[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

- [N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 7A Article 19 (Small Claim Actions)](https://ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_7A/Article_19.html)
- [N.C. Gen. Stat. 7A-305 Costs in civil actions](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_7A/GS_7A-305.html)
- [NC Judicial Branch: Small Claims](https://www.nccourts.gov/help-topics/lawsuits-and-small-claims/small-claims)
- [NC Judicial Branch: eCourts Guide & File Reaches 100,000 Filings (June 2, 2025)](https://www.nccourts.gov/news/tag/press-release/ecourts-guide-file-reaches-100000-filings)

### 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 North Carolina?**

The court's guide says: Personal delivery or leaving at dwelling with suitable resident; registered or certified mail, signature confirmation, or designated delivery service; acceptance of service; summary ejectment per G.S. 42-29 (G.S. 7A-217).

**What does a North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina serve quoted[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)