What a Process Server Costs in Ontario

Updated October 31, 2026

Process servers in Ontario set their own fees, so there is no single price. Some charge a flat rate and some charge by the attempt. The official benchmark is the sheriff's fee: $100 per person to be served, for up to three attempts, whether or not the attempts succeed. Private rates vary with where the person is, what kind of service is needed and how many attempts it takes.

The official benchmark: the sheriff's fee

Ontario's regulation on sheriffs' fees (O. Reg. 294/92) sets what a sheriff may charge when the sheriff serves a document. It reads: "For up to three attempts, whether or not successful, to serve a document, $100 for each person to be served."

The same regulation also adds a travel charge. We have not listed the exact rate here, so check the regulation itself if you are comparing totals.

What changes the price

Legal information sites describe the same cost drivers again and again. Location matters, because a server who has to drive farther spends more time and fuel. The type of service matters, because a rush job costs more than a routine one. The number of attempts matters, because a person who is hard to catch takes more visits.

Beyond the base fee, affidavits, photocopying, postage and mileage may be charged on top, depending on the server.

That last point is the one people miss. A low headline price can grow once extras are added.

Questions to ask before you hire

Because pricing differs from one server to the next, compare the same things every time:

• Is the price flat, or per attempt?
• How many attempts does it include?
• Will you get an update after each attempt?
• Is the affidavit of service included, or extra?
• Is mileage included?
• What does a rush or same-day job add?

The affidavit matters because it is the usual way to prove service to the court. Under the Rules of Civil Procedure, service of a document "may be proved by an affidavit of the person who served it (Form 16B)." If you need that proof, a quote that leaves it out is not the full price. For more on this, see our article on who can serve court documents and what an affidavit of service is.

What Rose City Process Servers charges

We are based in Windsor and serve Windsor and Essex County. Our rates are flat:

• Standard service is $140 in Windsor, $160 in most of Essex County, $180 in the Kingsville area and $210 in the Leamington area.
• That price covers up to 3 attempts, an email after each attempt with the time, GPS location and a photo, printing of 2 copies, the mailed copy, a sworn Affidavit of Service and mileage.
• A rush adds $50.
• Same-day service is $210 in Windsor, $235 in most of Essex County, $255 in the Kingsville area and $285 in the Leamington area. Please order by 2:00 pm.
• Court filing is $79 and retrieval is $50, with court fees at cost.

Prices are before HST; tax is shown at checkout.

We do not draft documents, complete forms or give legal advice. If you are not sure what needs to be served, a lawyer or paralegal can tell you. Our job starts once you have the documents ready.

You can read more on our FAQ, see how local service works on our Windsor process server page, or read about court filing and retrieval.

Who pays the cost?

We have not covered whether a winning party can recover process server fees from the other side. That depends on the court and the case, so ask a lawyer or paralegal, or check the court's rules on costs.

Getting a quote

If you have documents to serve in Windsor or Essex County, call (226) 773-4813 or use the order page at rosecityprocessservers.ca/order/. Tell us who is being served and where, and we will confirm the price before we start.

Sources

• Ontario Regulation 294/92, Sheriffs, Fees: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/920294
• Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 16.09: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/900194

See everything our flat price covers on what's included.