A Dallas County case in Dallas, TX often starts with a question about timing, so here it is up front: this process server can place a citation, petition, subpoena or notice for an attempt within 5 business days, 48 hours or 24 hours, and the customer receives a signed Return of Service by email once the papers are delivered. Dallas is the seat of Dallas County, and the city also reaches into Rockwall and Collin counties, which is worth checking before anything gets filed.
What Dallas Process Service Costs: Three Flat Tiers and County Fees
The three tiers are the whole menu. Standard Service is $69 and covers an attempt within 5 business days. Rush Service is $119 and covers an attempt within 48 hours. 24-Hour Service is $169 and covers an attempt within 24 hours. The pricing page lays them out, and the order form is where a job begins.
County constables and sheriffs charge fees fixed by the commissioners court under Local Government Code 118.131, and those fees can differ from county to county. Using a private server is another way to go.
Who May Serve Papers in Dallas: Certified Servers, Constables and Court Orders
Start with who cannot: a party to the case, or any person interested in how it ends. Everyone else must fit into Rule 103, which allows a sheriff or constable, an adult 18 or older with legal or court-order authority, or a person certified by the Judicial Branch Certification Commission. A Dallas court clerk will send the citation by certified or registered mail if asked.
Certified process servers are defined in Government Code 156.001 and must renew by the last day of the month of the second anniversary under section 156.053. The JBCC certification guide goes deeper.
Where Dallas Cases Are Filed: Justice Court, County Court and District Court
For Dallas County matters, the George L Allen Sr Courts Building at 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202 is the courthouse listed, about 2.6 miles from the city's reference point. The county seat is Dallas itself.
Justice court is the venue for civil claims up to $20,000 (not counting interest) and for eviction cases. Divorce, slander and defamation, title to land, and lien-on-land suits are outside its reach. County court can hear claims from over $200 to $20,000 alongside the justice court, and a statutory county court shares civil jurisdiction with the district court from over $500 up to $325,000. No reliable list ties a given Dallas address to a specific justice court precinct, so confirm with the county's justice court clerk, because the precinct follows the address in dispute. The Dallas County hub has more.
Eviction Notices in Dallas: Notice to Vacate and the Justice Court Case
Under Senate Bill 38, suits filed from January 1, 2026 onward need written notice to vacate first, with a minimum of three days unless a written lease or agreement says otherwise. Mail, delivery inside the premises in a conspicuous place, and hand delivery to a tenant 16 or older are the listed methods, and an electronic route works if the parties agreed to it in writing. If the tenant actually receives the notice, the listed methods are not strictly required.
The suit itself is different. A sheriff or constable serves the eviction citation. If five business days go by after filing without service, the landlord may ask for an alias citation. A private server cannot be the one to hand the citation over, though one may carry the pre-suit notice.
Divorce Papers, Citations and Substituted Service for Dallas Defendants
Rule 106(a) covers the basics: personal delivery of the citation and petition, or registered or certified mail with return receipt requested. A defendant who dodges both can be reached under Rule 106(b), where the court may approve leaving the papers with a person over 16 at a likely location or serving by email or social media. The motion has to include a sworn statement listing the locations and the attempts made. A taped door or a relative's hands do not count without that order. The Rule 106(b) guide explains the steps.
For companies, the registered agent comes first. Where the agent cannot be found, the Secretary of State steps in, with duplicate copies and the required fee delivered and a return date of at least 30 days. A default judgment must wait until the return has been on file ten days (Rule 107(h)). District and county court citations also give the defendant until 10:00 a.m. on the Monday after 20 days to answer.
Subpoena Service, Witness Fees and Records Near Dallas
A Texas subpoena can be delivered by a sheriff, constable or non-party adult anywhere in the state. The server hands over a copy and tenders any fee the law requires: $10 per day for a witness, paid by the party who summons them, and $1 for a records custodian. Witnesses within 150 miles of the county where the suit is pending are reachable. Here is the intake guide.
Hospitals in the data close to Dallas are Baylor University Medical Center at 3500 Gaston Ave (0.9 miles), Baylor Scott & White Heart & Vascular Hospital - Dallas at 621 North Hall Street (0.9 miles) and Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Uptown at 2727 East Lemmon Avenue Building I (1.8 miles). Police records sit with the Dallas Police Department.
ZIP Codes and Neighboring Cities Around Dallas
On file for Dallas are 48 ZIP codes, such as 75201, 75202, 75203, 75204 and 75206, up through the 752xx range. Neighbors include Rowlett, Irving, Grand Prairie, Garland, Mesquite and Farmers Branch.
Dallas Process Server FAQ
Can papers be taped to a door?
Not without a Rule 106(b) order from the court. A citation cannot simply be posted.
What if the person avoids service?
Gather the places they can probably be found and note each failed try, then move for substituted service.
How is a company served?
Through its registered agent, with the Secretary of State as backup when the agent cannot be located.