Serve complaint and file proof of service

60 days after date the complaint was filed, under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.110(b).

Rule text

The complaint must be served on all named defendants and proofs of service on those defendants must be filed with the court within 60 days after the filing of the complaint. When the complaint is amended to add a defendant, the added defendant must be served and proof of service must be filed within 30 days after the filing of the amended complaint.

Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.110(b), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Tuesday, January 5, 2027
  1. Trigger (Date the complaint was filed): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 60 calendar days: Tuesday, January 5, 2027.
Rules applied
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.110(b)
The complaint must be served on all named defendants and proofs of service on those defendants must be filed with the court within 60 days after the filing of the complaint. When the complaint is amended to add a defendant, the added defendant must be served and proof of service must be filed within 30 days after the filing of the amended complaint.
Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135."
Official source
  • Does not apply to collections cases under CRC 3.740(a), unlawful detainer, or Family Code proceedings (3.110(a)). Court may extend (3.110(e)). Statutory outer limit: serve within 3 years of filing (CCP 583.210(a)); proof of service filed within 60 days after that deadline (583.210(b)). Request for entry of default must be filed within 10 days after the response time elapses (3.110(g)); default judgment within 45 days after default entered (3.110(h)).
  • If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.

This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.

Worked example

Date the complaint was filed on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Friday, May 14, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Date the complaint was filed): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 60 calendar days: Friday, May 14, 2027.

Notes

Does not apply to collections cases under CRC 3.740(a), unlawful detainer, or Family Code proceedings (3.110(a)). Court may extend (3.110(e)). Statutory outer limit: serve within 3 years of filing (CCP 583.210(a)); proof of service filed within 60 days after that deadline (583.210(b)). Request for entry of default must be filed within 10 days after the response time elapses (3.110(g)); default judgment within 45 days after default entered (3.110(h)).

Related deadlines

All California civil deadlines

Local rules by county

County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.

Rules current as of 2026-10-25. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.