How do you get your process serving license?

GET LICENSE

For some states, you are required to take a licensure/certification examination. You will also need to provide other valuable information:

Be fingerprinted by a local police department to ensure you don’t have any warrants, summons, or any other bad marks on you including any criminal records.

Have a certified copy of your (as the applicant) birth certificate.

Have all the licenses and bonding requirements in place before you open the doors of your new business.

Once all elements are in place, you will be protected from considerable liabilities that could disqualify you from your work becoming successful.

Have general liability insurance to cover your assets, just in case you need it for future issues.

In some states, such as Georgia, you are required to maintain a minimum of $25,000 to protect the public damages incurred from misconduct or other problems.

It is important to understand that even though some states do not require certification, licensing or registration – some cities or counties might deem the documentation as an essential part of your employment with the company.

For example, for process serves in California, you must be registered and have a license if you serve more than ten papers annually. You may also be required to post a cash deposit or bond. According to the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, New York City requires you to pass the exam, and have a surety bond.

Do You Really Need Insurance?

Many new business owners laugh when the question of insurance comes into play. You need to consider that you never know what process serving can bring to you from one day to the next. Here are some ways you could be held responsible/liable concerning insurance issues:

1. It is hard to think about it, but accidents do happen. One of the worst scenarios involves the family pet. You forget to properly latch the gate and Princess runs into the street and incurs a lifetime of medical bills.

1. While on-the-job, you slam on the brakes to avoid a collision, and all your papers hit the floor. In your desperate attempt to stay on schedule, you accidentally mix up the files. You can incur financial damages when the client did not receive his/her paperwork because you had accidentally shoved it into another file which was given to another client.

1. You are pushing a 5:00 pm deadline for a document that has to be filed in the court system. Since you failed to get the work filed on time, you could be charged for the attorney’s fees since the client will need to begin the process again. He/she will also have to appear in person at court time to explain the situation. You will foot the bill.

You see where this is going because each of these cases could have cost you only a stated deductible, instead of judgment and defense costs.