Nebraska Process Server Service of Process in All 93 Counties, Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-505.01

Who may serve a summons

The sheriff of the county where service is made; a person authorized by § 25-507 or otherwise authorized by law; or a person or company that is not a party and that the court specially appoints for that purpose. Certified mail and designated delivery service are made by the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney. When the sheriff is a party to the case or has an interest in it, process goes to the coroner instead.

§§ 25-⁠506.01, 25-⁠2202

Private servers under § 25-507

In a county with no constable contracted under § 25-2229, a person 21 or older, or a corporation, partnership or LLC, has the same power as a sheriff to serve process if it is not a party, is not related to a party, has no interest in the action, is not a county official whose duties include service of process where service is made, and furnishes a corporate surety bond. Evidence of the bond goes to the clerk of each court where it serves, and one bond covers every Nebraska state court. The Judicial Branch’s county court service guide (CC 4:20.G1) tells parties that independent process servers must comply with § 25-507 and that the server’s contact information goes to the clerk’s office.

§ 25-⁠507(1)–⁠(3); CC 4:20.G1

Contracted constables and special appointment

In a county of 100,000 or more inhabitants, each county court judge may contract with one constable to serve, execute and return writs and other legal process. Apart from that, the court or judge may, for good cause, appoint a person or company to serve a particular process or order, with the sheriff’s power to execute it. The appointment may be made on the motion of the party obtaining the process, may take the form of a general order covering that party’s process, and the return must be verified by affidavit.

§§ 25-⁠2229(1), 25-⁠2203

Deadline to serve

The action is commenced the day the complaint is filed, and each defendant must be properly served within 180 days. If the action is stayed or enjoined during those 180 days, a defendant not yet served must be served within 90 days after the stay or injunction ends or is modified to let the case proceed. A defendant not served in time is dismissed by operation of law, without prejudice, effective the day after the time expires. Because the period is set by statute, Pleading Rule § 6-1106(b)(2) lets a court extend it only to the extent and on the conditions the statute states.

§ 25-⁠217; Neb. Ct. R. Pldg. § 6-⁠1106(b)⁠(2)

How a challenge to service is raised

Insufficiency of process or of service of process is raised only under the Supreme Court’s pleading rules: by motion or in the responsive pleading under § 6-1112(b)(4)–(5). A party who leaves the defense out of a first motion or the responsive pleading waives it.

§ 25-⁠516.01(2); Neb. Ct. R. Pldg. § 6-⁠1112(b)⁠(4)–⁠(5), (h)⁠(1)

Methods the plaintiff elects

Unless a statute or the court limits it, the plaintiff elects the method: personal service (the summons left with the individual), residence service (left at the usual place of residence with a person of suitable age and discretion who lives there), certified mail, or designated delivery service. The praecipe for summons names each party’s address and the manner of service for each, and a copy of the complaint is served with the summons except in service by publication. Serving by a method other than the one the plaintiff elected does not, by itself, affect the validity of the service (§ 25-505.01(2)).

§§ 25-⁠502.01, 25-⁠504.01, 25-⁠505.01

Certified mail and designated delivery

Within ten days after the summons issues it is sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, showing to whom and where it was delivered and the date, or by a delivery service designated under 26 U.S.C. 7502(f) with a signed delivery receipt; proof of service is then filed with the receipt attached. The summons tells the defendant a written response is due within 30 days after service.

§§ 25-⁠505.01(1)⁠(c)–⁠(d), 25-⁠503.01

Individuals, children and incapacitated persons

An individual 14 or older may be served by personal, residence, certified mail or designated delivery service. A child under 14 is served through the adult the child lives with who is the parent, guardian or person having care of the child, and in person only if none of them can be found. When the person served has a conservator or guardian, or is confined in an institution, notice goes to the conservator, guardian or superintendent; leaving it out does not undo the service. Any party may also be served through an agent authorized by appointment or by law.

§§ 25-⁠508.01, 25-⁠514.01

Corporations

Service on any officer, director, managing agent or registered agent; by leaving the process with an employee at the registered office; or by certified mail or designated delivery to the registered office. With no registered agent, or one who cannot be served with reasonable diligence, mail goes registered or certified, return receipt requested, to the corporation’s secretary at its principal office, and service is perfected on the earliest of receipt, the signed receipt date, or five days after a correctly addressed, postpaid mailing. A dissolved corporation is served through its receiver, or else a former officer, director, managing agent or registered agent, or an officer or director named in its last annual report.

§§ 25-⁠509.01, 25-⁠511.02, 21-⁠236

Limited liability companies

The LLC’s agent for service of process receives process for the company. If no agent is kept in Nebraska, or the agent cannot be found at its street address with reasonable diligence, process may go by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the company’s designated office; it takes effect on the earliest of receipt, the signed receipt date, or five days after a correctly addressed, postpaid mailing. Other lawful methods remain available.

§ 21-⁠116

Partnerships and associations

A partnership or limited partnership is served on any partner other than a limited partner, by certified mail or designated delivery at its usual place of business, or by leaving the process there with an employee. An unincorporated association is served on an officer or managing agent, by certified mail or designated delivery to its usual place of business, or by leaving the process there with an employee. An out-of-state company, firm or association with no Nebraska place of business, clerk or general agent must appoint an agent here.

§§ 25-⁠512.01, 25-⁠513.01, 25-⁠530.08

Foreign corporations

The registered agent of a foreign corporation authorized to do business in Nebraska receives process for it, and that agent also takes service of a validly issued court order or subpoena for the corporation’s records. With no registered agent, or one who cannot be served with reasonable diligence, or once it has withdrawn or had its certificate of authority revoked, mail goes registered or certified, return receipt requested, to the secretary or designated custodian of records at the principal office in its filings; service is perfected on the earliest of receipt, the signed receipt date, or five days after a correctly addressed, postpaid mailing.

§ 21-⁠2,212(a)–⁠(c)

The State and local governments

The State, a state agency, or a state employee sued in an official capacity: leave the summons at the Attorney General’s office with the Attorney General, a deputy, or a written designee, or send it there by certified mail or designated delivery. A county, city or village: the chief executive officer or clerk. Other political subdivisions: the chief executive officer, clerk, secretary, records official or any board member, or by certified mail or designated delivery to the principal office.

§ 25-⁠510.02

Proof of service

Within 20 days after the summons issues, the person who served it makes proof to the court stating the time, the place (with the address if applicable), the name of the person with whom the summons was left, and the method; an unserved summons goes back with the reason, and on the plaintiff’s written request the clerk issues another summons. After certified mail or designated delivery, the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney files proof within ten days after the signed receipt arrives or is available electronically. Late or missing proof does not affect the validity of the service.

§§ 25-⁠507.01, 25-⁠502.01

Sworn affidavit and the CC 3:21 form

A § 25-507 server’s proof is an affidavit, and a specially appointed server’s return is verified by affidavit. An affidavit is a written declaration under oath, and it may be used to prove service of a summons; an affirmation counts the same as an oath, and a notary public may administer either. The county court Service Return, form CC 3:21, has a non-officer server swear or affirm under § 25-507(3), acknowledged before a judge, the clerk or a notary public.

§§ 25-⁠507(3), 25-⁠2203, 25-⁠1241, 25-⁠1244, 25-⁠2220, 64-⁠107; Form CC 3:21

Court-permitted service

On a motion and an affidavit that no other statutory method can be made with reasonable diligence, the court may permit leaving the process at the defendant’s usual residence plus first-class mail to the last-known address, publication, or any manner reasonably calculated to give actual notice and an opportunity to be heard. A voluntary appearance is equivalent to service.

§§ 25-⁠517.02, 25-⁠516.01(1)

Publication

Allowed where a statute provides for it or the court orders it: once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper printed in the county where the complaint is filed (or, if none, a Nebraska newspaper of general circulation there), summarizing the claim, naming the court and stating when to answer. It is proved by the affidavit of the printer, the printer’s foreman or principal clerk, or another person who knows the facts. Within five days after the first publication, the party mails a copy of the notice to each party with a direct legal interest whose address is known, and files, within ten days after mailing, an affidavit of that mailing stating that a diligent inquiry found no other interested party’s address; no mailing is needed to anyone who waived notice in writing, appeared, or was personally served.

§§ 25-⁠518.01, 25-⁠519, 25-⁠520, 25-⁠520.01

Service outside Nebraska

Where the long-arm statute reaches a defendant, including any contact consistent with the U.S. Constitution, service may be made outside the state: as within Nebraska, as the law of the place provides, as a foreign authority directs on a letter rogatory, or as the court directs, when reasonably calculated to give actual notice. Proof may be the server’s affidavit, or follow Nebraska law, the order, or the law of the place of service.

§§ 25-⁠536(2), 25-⁠537, 25-⁠540

Weekends and holidays

Nebraska courts may close on Saturdays, Sundays, days the Chief Justice closes a court, and the holidays § 25-2221 lists, including Arbor Day (the last Friday in April) and the day after Thanksgiving; these are nonjudicial days. A holiday on a Sunday is observed Monday and one on a Saturday the Friday before, and the federal schedule controls a differing date except for Veterans Day. A period ending on a closed day runs to the next day the office is open.

§ 25-⁠2221

Subpoenas

A sheriff or constable, or a non-party 21 or older, may serve a subpoena, by personal delivery or certified mail. A trial subpoena is served at least two days before the appearance (a court may shorten that for good cause), with one day’s witness fee unless an exception applies. The return states the person served, the date and method, and whether the fee was served, and it is by affidavit unless a sheriff or constable served it; after certified mail, the signed receipt is attached to the return; form CC 6:2.1 carries a § 25-1228(2) sworn return.

§§ 25-⁠1223(9), 25-⁠1226, 25-⁠1228; Form CC 6:2.1

Subpoenas from other states

Section 25-1237 and Discovery Rule § 6-330(A) let the clerk of the district court for the county where discovery will happen issue a Nebraska subpoena for a civil proceeding in another state. The party submits the Appendix Request form naming the person to be served and the method of service, with the foreign subpoena and a list of all counsel and self-represented parties, and pays the clerk’s issuance fee for each subpoena; the clerk must promptly issue the subpoena, an administrative act. A deposition subpoena is served under § 25-1226(1); a documents-only subpoena to a nonparty is served at least 14 days before the production or entry, with a copy to the other parties by then. Motions to enforce, quash or modify are filed as a civil action in that county’s district court, and only a Nebraska-admitted attorney or a self-represented individual may file or oppose one (§ 6-330(A)(f)).

§ 25-⁠1237; Neb. Ct. R. Disc. §§ 6-⁠330(A), 6-⁠334(A)⁠(d)⁠(5)–⁠(6)

Rules verified October 2026 against Chapters 21, 25 and 64 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes as published by the Nebraska Legislature, Neb. Ct. R. Pldg. §§ 6-1106 and 6-1112, Neb. Ct. R. Disc. §§ 6-330(A) and 6-334(A), and forms CC 3:21, CC 4:20.G1 and CC 6:2.1 and the § 6-330(A) Appendix Request form from the Nebraska Judicial Branch. General information, not legal advice. The statute or rule controls.