Certificate of Service

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

State of Minnesota — District Court, [________________________________] County

[________________________________] Judicial District

COURT INFORMATION

Court: State of Minnesota, District Court
County: [________________________________] County
Judicial District: [____] Judicial District
Court File Number: [____________________________]
Case Type: [________________________________]

CASE CAPTION

[________________________________]
Plaintiff(s),

v.

[________________________________]
Defendant(s).

PART I: CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, [________________________________], hereby certify that on [__/__/____], I caused to be served a true and correct copy of the following document(s) upon all parties or their counsel of record in this matter:

Document(s) Served

☐ Summons and Complaint
☐ Answer
☐ Motion and Supporting Memorandum
☐ Motion for Summary Judgment
☐ Response/Memorandum in Opposition
☐ Reply Memorandum
☐ Amended Complaint
☐ Counterclaim / Cross-Claim / Third-Party Complaint
☐ Interrogatories (Minn. R. Civ. P. 33)
☐ Requests for Production of Documents (Minn. R. Civ. P. 34)
☐ Requests for Admission (Minn. R. Civ. P. 36)
☐ Discovery Responses / Answers
☐ Notice of Deposition
☐ Subpoena
☐ Proposed Order
☐ Affidavit / Declaration
☐ Notice of Hearing
☐ Exhibit(s): [________________________________]
☐ Other: [________________________________]

PART II: PARTIES SERVED

Party / Attorney 1

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Minnesota Attorney Reg. Number: [____]

Party / Attorney 2

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Minnesota Attorney Reg. Number: [____]

Party / Attorney 3

Name: [________________________________]
Role: ☐ Attorney for Plaintiff ☐ Attorney for Defendant ☐ Self-Represented Party ☐ Other: [____________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Minnesota Attorney Reg. Number: [____]

(Attach additional page for more parties.)

PART III: METHOD OF SERVICE

Check ALL methods used. Complete the applicable declaration(s) in Parts V and VI.

A. Personal Delivery (Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(a)(1))

☐ Hand Delivery / Personal Service — I personally delivered the document(s) to:

Name of Person Served: [________________________________]
Relationship to Party: ☐ The party's attorney ☐ The party directly ☐ Office clerk/receptionist
Location of Delivery: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
Time: [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM

Note: Service is complete upon personal delivery. No additional days added to response periods.

B. Service by United States Mail (Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(a)(2))

☐ U.S. First-Class Mail — I served the document(s) by depositing a true and correct copy in a sealed envelope, postage prepaid, in the United States Mail at:

Mailing Address Used: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]
Date Deposited in Mail: [__/__/____]
Post Office Location (city, state): [________________________________]

Minnesota Mail Extension — Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.05: When service is made by U.S. Mail and a party must respond within a prescribed period after service, 3 additional days are added to the period. Example: A 20-day response period becomes 23 days.

C. Service by Facsimile (Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(a)(3))

☐ Facsimile Transmission — I served the document(s) by transmitting a copy by fax as follows:

Recipient Fax Number: [________________________________]
Date of Transmission: [__/__/____]
Time of Transmission: [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM
Pages Transmitted (including cover page): [____]
Transmission Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

Minnesota Fax Service Timing (Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.05): Fax service transmitted after 5:00 p.m. Minnesota time is treated as served on the following day. One additional day is added to the response period if transmission is after 5:00 p.m. The 3-day mail extension does NOT apply to fax service.

D. Service by Electronic Mail / Electronic Means (Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02(a)(4))

☐ Electronic Service (Email or Court E-Filing System) — I served the document(s) by electronic means (email or through the court's electronic filing system) as authorized by Minnesota Supreme Court order or by court rule.

Recipient Email Address(es): [________________________________]
Date of Transmission: [__/__/____]
Time of Transmission: [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM

Basis for Electronic Service:
☐ Service through Minnesota E-Filing System (automatic service on registered users)
☐ Recipient has consented to electronic service by email in writing
☐ Court order authorizing electronic service (dated [__/__/____])

Electronic Service Timing (Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.05): Electronic service is effective when transmission is complete. If served after 5:00 p.m. Minnesota time, one additional day is added to the response period. Service must be initiated before 5:00 p.m. to avoid the extra day.

E. Service through Minnesota E-Filing System

☐ Minnesota E-Filing System — The above document(s) were filed and served through the Minnesota courts' electronic filing and service system. The system automatically served all registered users of record.

Name(s) Served Electronically: [________________________________]
Date/Time of Electronic Filing: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM (Minnesota time)
Court Electronic Filing Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

Minnesota E-Filing Note: Minnesota courts use an electronic filing and service system for mandatory e-filing in district courts. Upon filing, the system generates electronic service to attorneys and parties registered in the system. Self-represented parties who are not registered must be served by conventional means.

Non-Registered Parties Served Separately:
☐ None — all parties are registered electronic filers
☐ The following parties were served separately by: [________________________________]
Party Name: [________________________________]
Date of Separate Service: [__/__/____]

F. Service by Overnight Courier

☐ Overnight Courier / Express Delivery — I caused the document(s) to be deposited with an overnight delivery service addressed to:

Courier Service: [________________________________]
Tracking Number: [________________________________]
Date Deposited: [__/__/____]
Delivery Address: [________________________________]

PART IV: SERVICE ON SELF-REPRESENTED (PRO SE) PARTIES

Self-Represented Party Name: [________________________________]
Address on File with Court: [________________________________]
City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Method of Service Used:
☐ U.S. First-Class Mail (+3 days added to response periods — Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.05)
☐ Personal delivery
☐ E-Filing system (only if pro se party is registered)
☐ Email (only with written consent or court order)
☐ Other authorized method: [________________________________]

Minnesota Practice Note: Under Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02, service on a party appearing without an attorney must be made upon the party at their last known address. Attorneys should verify the current address for pro se parties from the court file before service. If a pro se party is a registered e-filer, e-service satisfies the service requirement.

PART V: DECLARATION OF SERVICE BY MAIL

(Complete if any service was by U.S. Mail.)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Minnesota that the following is true and correct:

I am over 18 years of age and not a party to the above-captioned action. My address is:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

On [__/__/____], I served the document(s) identified in Part I of this Certificate of Service by depositing a true and correct copy of the same in a sealed envelope, with first-class postage fully prepaid, addressed to the person(s) listed in Part II, and placed the same in the United States Mail at [________________________________] (city and state).

Declarant Printed Name: [________________________________]
Declarant Signature: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

PART VI: DECLARATION OF ELECTRONIC SERVICE

(Complete if service was by email or e-filing system.)

I, [________________________________], declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Minnesota that the following is true and correct:

On [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ AM ☐ PM (Minnesota time), I served the document(s) identified in Part I above by the following electronic means:

☐ E-Filing System: I filed the document(s) through the Minnesota courts' electronic filing system. The system automatically served all registered users identified in Part III.E above. The electronic filing was confirmed with confirmation number [________________________________].

☐ Email Transmission: I transmitted the document(s) by email to the address(es) in Part III.D above. Service was authorized by: ☐ Recipient's written consent ☐ Court order dated [__/__/____].

I received no notice that the electronic transmission was unsuccessful. If I receive such notice, I will promptly serve by an alternative authorized method.

Declarant Printed Name: [________________________________]
Declarant Signature: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

PART VII: MINNESOTA PROCEDURAL NOTES AND RULES REFERENCE

7.1 Rule 5 — Who Must Be Served and When

Under Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.01, every pleading subsequent to the original complaint, every written motion (except ex parte applications), every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, and similar paper must be served upon each of the parties. Service upon a party represented by an attorney is made upon the attorney.

7.2 Rule 5.04 — Filing with the Court

All papers required to be served shall be filed with the court within a reasonable time after service. The certificate of service may be included within the document or filed separately.

7.3 Rule 6.01 — Computation of Time

Minnesota follows a standard computation method:

• Day zero: The day of the event triggering the period is excluded from the count.
• All days counted: In periods of 7 or more days, all calendar days (including weekends and holidays) are counted.
• Short periods (under 7 days): Intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded from the count.
• Last day rule: If the last day of a period falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, the period runs to the end of the next business day.

7.4 Rule 6.05 — Additional Time After Service Other Than Personal Delivery

Minnesota's Rule 6.05 adds time to response periods based on the method of service:

• U.S. Mail: +3 days added to response period
• Facsimile (after 5:00 p.m. MN time): +1 additional day
• Electronic/email service (after 5:00 p.m. MN time): +1 additional day
• Facsimile or electronic service before 5:00 p.m. MN time: No extension
• Personal delivery: No extension

This "5:00 p.m. Minnesota time" standard applies wherever in the world service is transmitted — protecting recipients who may be in different time zones.

7.5 Minnesota E-Filing System

Minnesota courts utilize a statewide electronic filing system (managed under the Minnesota Judicial Branch's eCourts initiative). Key points:

• Mandatory e-filing applies in most district court case types statewide.
• Attorneys of record must register and use the e-filing system in courts where it is mandatory.
• The system provides automatic electronic service upon filing to all registered parties.
• Documents filed after business hours are generally date-stamped the next business day unless the system is available 24/7.
• Self-represented parties who are not registered must be served by conventional means.
• Check the Minnesota Judicial Branch website (mncourts.gov) for current mandatory e-filing requirements.

7.6 Fax Service — 5:00 p.m. Cutoff Rule

Minnesota's Rule 6.05 specifically addresses the 5:00 p.m. cutoff for fax and electronic service. Fax service transmitted before 5:00 p.m. Minnesota local time is treated as accomplished that day, with no extra day added. Fax service transmitted after 5:00 p.m. is treated as served the following day, adding one day to the response period. This is particularly important when computing deadlines for time-sensitive motions.

7.7 Service of Process vs. Service of Papers

This Certificate of Service applies to service of papers after initial service of process. The original summons and complaint must be served pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. P. 4, which has separate requirements for personal service on defendants.

7.8 Certificate of Service Format

The certificate of service must state the date of service, the manner of service, and the person served. It must be signed by the attorney making service or the person making service. It may be incorporated into the document being filed or attached as a separate certification.

PART VIII: SIGNATURE BLOCK

I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Minnesota that the foregoing Certificate of Service is true and correct, and that I served the documents described herein in the manner indicated.

Executed on: [__/__/____]

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Minnesota Attorney Reg. Number: [____]

Firm Name: [________________________________]

Mailing Address: [________________________________]

City, State, ZIP: [________________________________]

Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[________]

Facsimile: ([____]) [____]-[________]

Email Address: [________________________________]

Capacity:
☐ Attorney for Plaintiff [________________________________]
☐ Attorney for Defendant [________________________________]
☐ Attorney for Third-Party [________________________________]
☐ Self-Represented Party

APPENDIX: MINNESOTA SERVICE — TIME EXTENSION QUICK REFERENCE (Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.05)

Sources: Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure (revisor.mn.gov); Minnesota General Rules of Practice; mncourts.gov. Template last updated: 2026-03-06. This template does not constitute legal advice.