Ontario
Service of process in Ontario
Ontario generates more civil filings than any other province, and its rules are specific about who may be handed a document and what has to be sworn afterwards. We serve across the province, from downtown Toronto towers to rural routes in the north.
What's different here
Serving documents in Ontario
Personal service, and the alternatives
Rule 16 of the Rules of Civil Procedure sets out personal service and the alternatives to it. Where an alternative is used, the affidavit has to say why and exactly what was done — which is why our servers record the occupant's name, relationship, and description at the door.
Six months to serve a claim
A statement of claim generally has to be served within six months of issue. If your deadline is close, choose Rush and tell us in the order notes; we plan the first attempt around the date, not the queue.
Small Claims Court is its own world
Small Claims has separate rules and forms. Tell us the court and file number in the case's support section and we file the affidavit with the right registry.
Condo and office access
Much of the GTA is concierge buildings and secured offices. Our servers work with front desks and property managers, and we ask for the buzzer or suite when you order so an attempt isn't wasted at a locked lobby.
The rules
Rules of Civil Procedure (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 194)
- Service of documents is dealt with in Rule 16, which covers personal service and alternatives to personal service.
- A statement of claim generally has to be served within six months after it is issued (Rule 14.08).
- Small Claims Court has its own rules, which set out how a plaintiff's claim may be served.
Official source: Ontario e-Laws. This is general information, not legal advice — check the current rules, or ask your lawyer. All provinces
Coverage
Where we serve in Ontario
- Process server in Toronto
- Process server in Ottawa
- Process server in Mississauga
- Process server in Brampton
- Process server in Hamilton
- Process server in London
- Process server in Windsor
- Process server in Kitchener–Waterloo
We also attend Markham, Vaughan, Oshawa, Barrie, Kingston, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Niagara Falls, and smaller communities on planned routes — with the date confirmed before you order.
Also available
Other work we do in Ontario
Hague & international service
Service into Canada under the Hague Service Convention, handled end to end.
Serve and file
Service plus filing the proof with the court, in one order.
Address investigation
Find a current address before a server is sent out.
Tracking & proof of service
Every order, attempt, document, and invoice in one dashboard.
Questions
Serving documents in Ontario
How fast can a claim be served in Ontario?
Rush means a first attempt within 48 hours anywhere we cover, including the GTA, Ottawa, and the southwest. Outside the main corridors, allow the first business day for travel.
Can you file the affidavit of service for us?
Yes. Order serve and file, or ask through the case's support section, and we file the proof with the court named on the case and record the filing on your file.
Put a Ontario serve on track
Open an account for your firm. Once it's approved, your team can order service, follow every attempt, and download proof from one dashboard.