Prepare the documents
Make copies
Make the necessary number of copies of the documents you want to have served. You'll need at least one copy (or set of copies) for the other person and one for the process server to attach to the Certificate of Service or Affidavit of Personal Service. Keep your own copy in a safe place.
To find out if you need any more copies, see the relevant step of the step-by-step guide you're using on this site, call the court registry, or contact family duty counsel.
Give the documents to the process server
Once you've found someone to serve your documents, you need to give the process server:
- two copies of all documents to be served;
- the other person's home or work address, or directions about where to find them;
- the other person's phone number and email address, if possible (so the process server can call to arrange a time for service);
- a recent and accurate photo of the other person (or a written description of the person), if the process server doesn't know the person being served;
- a copy of "How to personally serve documents for a British Columbia family law process" for either Supreme or Provincial Court; and
- for a Provincial Court document, a copy of the Certificate of Service (Form 7), or for a Provincial Court protection order, a copy of the Affidavit of Personal Service of Protection Order (Form 49).
Provincial Court
Download a PDF of "How to personally serve documents for a Provincial Court of British Columbia (Canada) family law process."
Download the form:
- Certificate of Service (Form 7), or
- Affidavit of Personal Service of Protection Order (Form 49) if they're serving a protection order. (Note: An Application About a Protection Order just requires a Certificate of Service.)
Supreme Court
Download a PDF of "How to personally serve documents for a Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada) family law process":
Supreme Court: If the process server has to use a photo
For Supreme Court documents, if the process server has to use a photo to identify the other person, you must fill out an Affidavit (Form F30).
In the affidavit, confirm that the photo is a true likeness of the person being served. Attach a copy of the photo to this affidavit and have it sworn or affirmed by a commissioner for taking affidavits. See Who can swear an affidavit? Let your process server know that you'll file this affidavit.
If you don't have a photo and the process server doesn't know the person being served, they'll need to ask for photo identification (ID) and record the ID number at the time of service.