What does Florida call proof of service?
Affidavit and signed return
Document Guides
Florida proof of service
This page does not choose one official sentence and drop the other. Circuit good-conduct certificates are a different document, covered on the Florida certificate of good conduct guide.
iRemoteNotary Editorial Team
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Quick Answer
What proof does Florida use, and does it explicitly require a notary?
Affidavit and signed return. This page does not choose one official sentence and drop the other. Circuit good-conduct certificates are a different document, covered on the Florida certificate of good conduct guide.
Do not assume a notary is required from the document title. Send the unsigned page if the signature block is unclear.
Proof at a glance
| Question | This jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Proof name | Affidavit and signed return |
| Private server | Affidavit under Rule 1.070 and signed return under § 48.21 |
| Officer | Signed return; notary not named in § 48.21 |
| Traditional notary explicit? | Not resolved between the two texts |
| Perjury alternative? | No |
| Recipient acceptance of remote notarization | No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed. |
Current controlling rule
Florida proof is controlled, for this guide, by Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.070(b) and Fla. Stat. § 48.21. This page does not choose one official sentence and drop the other. Circuit good-conduct certificates are a different document, covered on the Florida certificate of good conduct guide.
The date stored for the current text is 2025-04-01. A later amendment is not described as current.
What this jurisdiction calls the proof
The opened materials call it: Affidavit and signed return. Classification used in the authority record: conflicting authority.
Private process server
Rule 1.070(b), effective April 1, 2025, requires the person serving process to make proof by affidavit. The words limiting that sentence to a person the court appointed were deleted.
Sheriff, officer, or other listed server
Section 48.21 requires every person who effects service to sign a return. It does not require a notary.
Is an oath or notary explicitly required?
The opened sources do not settle whether a traditional notarial act is required.
No penalty-of-perjury alternative was identified for this proof path.
Official sources do not use one signing method
Current official sources use different proof language depending on the rule, form, or server type. Review the exact proof document required in your case rather than assuming every return uses the same signing method. Rule 1.070(b) says affidavit. Section 48.21 says a signed return and does not require a notary.
Fields the server has to complete
- Signed return under § 48.21
- Affidavit facts under Rule 1.070(b)
When a different kind of process uses different proof
substituted service: Section 48.161's affidavit of compliance is the party's or attorney's affidavit after substituted service on the Secretary of State. It is not the server's return.
Remote online notarization and court acceptance
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Remote online notarization is performed under the law of the online notary's commissioning state. When the commission is a Florida commission, Florida's remote online notarization statute governs the notarial act. The court or other recipient still decides whether to accept the return.
If the page is only a declaration, certificate, or signed return, do not add a notary certificate.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
What to send iRemoteNotary
- The unsigned proof, return, or affidavit
- The court, and that the case is connected to Florida
- The form number and revision if one is printed
- Whether the signature block is a jurat or a perjury declaration
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Process-serving companies and law firms
A coordinator can submit the request. The signer is the person named on the certificate. There is no organization account, dashboard, volume price, or court-filing service.
One signer and one notarization is $25 domestically. Each additional notarization is $15. An additional signer is $10. A witness is $15. An international session coordination fee of $25 applies when a signer is outside the United States. An international session commonly starts at $50 for one signer and one notarization.
Send the unsigned proof
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sheriff or officer use the same signature block?
Section 48.21 requires every person who effects service to sign a return. It does not require a notary.
Is a penalty-of-perjury declaration an alternative?
No alternative of that kind was identified for this proof path.
Did the official materials expressly accept remote notarization of the proof?
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Sources and Official References
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
Florida Statutes § 48.21 (2025)(opens in a new tab)
Florida
Accessed October 7, 2026
Send the unsigned page
Not sure whether your exact proof or return requires a notarial act? Send the unsigned document for review before scheduling.