Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Service of the claim form in England and Wales: CPR 6.4 routes, claimant vs court service, methods, deemed service, errors, and Rolls Building practice

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Practice notes

This Practice Note explains who must serve the claim form on the defendant—the court or the claimant.

Who is to serve the claim form?

As a default, the court serves the claim form unless one of the three situations in CPR 6.4(1) applies:

the claimant is required to serve it under the CPR or a practice direction
the claimant has told the court it intends to serve it
the court makes an order or direction to the contrary

In certain specialist courts, service is by the claimant rather than the court. These are jurisdictions within the Rolls Building. The position may arise from CPR provisions, guidance in the relevant court guide, or established practice:

Admiralty Court—see CPR 61.1(3) and CPR PD 58, para 9
Commercial Court—see CPR PD 58, para 9 and Court specific guidance below. Note, this does not apply in the Circuit Commercial Court
Chancery Division in London—the practice is that all claim forms are served by the claimant and not the court, see: Court specific guidance below
King’s Bench Division—see: Court specific guidance below
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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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