POS-030 is the Judicial Council of California form on which a person declares, under penalty of perjury, that legal papers in a civil case were served by first-class mail. It is completed by the person who did the mailing, not by a party to the case, and it cannot be used to prove service of a summons and complaint. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF and its information sheet are published by the Judicial Council at courts.ca.gov.
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What is POS-030?
Form POS-030, Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil, is the Judicial Council of California form that tells the court you had legal papers in a civil case, other than a summons, delivered to another party by mail. It lists the papers served, who received them, where and when they were mailed, and who mailed them.
The form is a declaration made under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California. It cites Code of Civil Procedure, §§ 1013 and 1013a, and is marked "Form Approved for Optional Use." The same PDF also contains the Information Sheet for Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil, which explains how to complete each box and item. That sheet is not part of the proof of service and does not need to be copied, served or filed.
Two attachments extend the form when one page is not enough: the Attachment to Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil (Documents Served), form POS-030(D), and the Attachment to Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil (Persons Served), form POS-030(P).
POS-030 is not the form for every kind of service. The form says not to use it to show service of a Summons and Complaint; the information sheet points to Proof of Service of Summons (form POS-010) for that purpose. When documents were delivered in person, the information sheet points to Proof of Personal Service–Civil (form POS-020).
Who needs to file POS-030?
The person who served the documents by mail completes POS-030. That person must be over 18 years of age, must not be a party to the action, and must live or work in the county where the mailing took place. The information sheet states that you cannot serve documents if you are a party to the action.
The first box on the form is for the name, address and telephone number of the person for whom you served the documents, so the server and the person on whose behalf service was made are not necessarily the same.
Do not use POS-030 in these situations:
- To prove service of a summons and complaint. Use Proof of Service of Summons (form POS-010).
- When the documents were personally served. Use Proof of Personal Service–Civil (form POS-020).
The information sheet notes that certain documents must be personally served, and that you must determine whether personal service is required for a document before choosing mail.
When to file POS-030
Complete POS-030 once the documents have been mailed, because the form records the date and place of that mailing in item 3 and the server's declaration that it took place. The information sheet says the person who served the documents by mail must complete a proof of service for the documents served. The form prints no separate deadline for it. At the bottom you enter the date on which you sign, which can differ from the mailing date, so sign only after the mailing is done and every entry is accurate. If you mailed to more than one person or listed more documents than fit on the form, prepare the POS-030(P) or POS-030(D) attachment at the same time.
Documents you need
- Attachment to Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil (Documents Served), form POS-030(D): attach it only if you need more space to list the documents mailed, and check the box in item 3.
- Attachment to Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil (Persons Served), form POS-030(P): attach it only if you mailed the documents to more than one person, and check the box in item 5.
How to fill out POS-030
Enter the person you served for
In the first box on the left, print the name, address and telephone number of the person for whom you served the documents. Add the State Bar number if an attorney is listed; fax and e-mail are optional.
Enter the court name and address
In the second box on the left, print the county in which the legal action is filed and the court's address. Use the same address as on the documents you served.
Enter party names and case number
In the third box on the left, print the Petitioner/Plaintiff and Respondent/Defendant names exactly as on the documents served. Enter the case number in the right-side box and leave the FOR COURT USE ONLY box blank.
Confirm your age and residence in item 1
Item 1 states that you are over 18, not a party to the action, and a resident of or employed in the county where the mailing took place.
Enter your address in item 2
Print your residence or business address.
List the mailing date, place and documents
In item 3, enter the date you mailed and the city and state you mailed from, then specify each document. If you need more room, check the box and complete form POS-030(D).
Check one method in item 4
Check box a if you personally deposited the sealed, prepaid envelope with the United States Postal Service. Check box b if you placed it for collection and mailing at your place of business under its ordinary practice.
Enter who was served in item 5
In items 5a and 5b, enter the name and address of the person to whom you mailed the documents. If you mailed to more than one person, check the box and complete form POS-030(P).
Date, print your name and sign
At the bottom, enter the date you sign, print your name and sign. By signing you state under penalty of perjury that everything on POS-030 is true and correct.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that names, court address and case number match the served documents and that any attachments are ready. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then attach POS-030(D) or POS-030(P) if used.
How to submit POS-030
POS-030 prints no filing address, portal or appointment rule of its own, so it travels with the case it belongs to under the court's rules for that case.
- Court details on the form: the second box on the left takes the county of the court where the legal action is filed and the court's address, which must match the documents you served.
- Attachments: if you checked the box in item 3 or item 5, attach the completed POS-030(D) or POS-030(P) to POS-030.
- Print or type: the information sheet says the proof of service should be printed or typed. The PDF notes that you should press the Clear This Form button after printing, for your protection and privacy.
- Information sheet: it does not need to be copied, served or filed.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels that apply to your court case.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using POS-030 to prove service of a Summons and Complaint; the form says not to, and the information sheet points to Proof of Service of Summons (form POS-010).
- Having a party to the action do the mailing and sign; the server must be over 18 and not a party.
- Using POS-030 when the documents were personally delivered instead of Proof of Personal Service–Civil (form POS-020).
- Entering a court address, party names or case number that differ from the documents you served; the instructions say to match them.
- Listing several recipients or many documents on the form without checking the box in item 5 or item 3 and attaching POS-030(P) or POS-030(D).
- Checking item 4 box a when you did not personally put the mail in the U.S. mail, or box b when you did not use your place of business; choose only one.
- Leaving the signature, printed name or date blank; the declaration under penalty of perjury takes effect only once you sign.
- Handwriting the form illegibly; the information sheet says the proof of service should be printed or typed.
Frequently asked questions
What is POS-030 used for?
POS-030 is the Judicial Council of California form that tells the court you had legal papers in a civil case, other than a summons, served on another party by first-class mail. It lists the papers, who received them, where and when they were mailed, and who mailed them.
Can I use the POS-030 form to serve a summons and complaint?
No. The form states that it must not be used to show service of a Summons and Complaint. The information sheet says to use Proof of Service of Summons (form POS-010) for that purpose instead.
Who can complete and sign POS-030?
The person who mailed the documents, if that person is over 18, is not a party to the action, and lives or works in the county where the mailing took place. A party to the action cannot serve the documents.
Which box do I check in item 4, a or b?
Check box a if you personally put the documents in the regular U.S. mail. Check box b if you put them in the mail at your place of business under its ordinary business practice for collecting and mailing correspondence.
What if I mailed documents to more than one person?
Check the box in item 5, complete the Attachment to Proof of Service by First-Class Mail—Civil (Persons Served), form POS-030(P), and attach it to POS-030. Use form POS-030(D) the same way if the list of documents does not fit in item 3.
Do I have to file the information sheet with POS-030?
No. The information sheet is part of the same PDF but is not part of the proof of service, and the form says it does not need to be copied, served or filed. It only explains how to complete the form.
What form do I use if I delivered the documents in person?
Use Proof of Personal Service–Civil (form POS-020). The information sheet explains that documents can be served by personal delivery or by mail, and that certain documents must be personally served.
Can I fill out POS-030 online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the fillable PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file or serve anything; submission follows the rules for your court case.
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