What does Pennsylvania call proof of service?
Sheriff return or affidavit
Document Guides
Pennsylvania return of service
A Pennsylvania affidavit is not automatically a notary jurat. Rule 76 includes the unsworn § 4904 path. The family ten-day filing rule is separate from the general forthwith return.
iRemoteNotary Editorial Team
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Quick Answer
What proof does Pennsylvania use, and does it explicitly require a notary?
Sheriff return or affidavit. A Pennsylvania affidavit is not automatically a notary jurat. Rule 76 includes the unsworn § 4904 path. The family ten-day filing rule is separate from the general forthwith return.
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 | Sheriff return or affidavit |
| Private server | Affidavit, sworn or § 4904 |
| Officer | Sheriff return |
| Traditional notary explicit? | Only if the affidavit is the sworn form |
| Perjury alternative? | Yes |
| Recipient acceptance of remote notarization | No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed. |
Current controlling rule
Pennsylvania proof is controlled, for this guide, by Pa.R.C.P. 405 and 76. A Pennsylvania affidavit is not automatically a notary jurat. Rule 76 includes the unsworn § 4904 path. The family ten-day filing rule is separate from the general forthwith return.
No single effective date is stored beyond the source that was reviewed on October 7, 2026.
What this jurisdiction calls the proof
The opened materials call it: Sheriff return or affidavit. Classification used in the authority record: affidavit admin officer not specified.
Private process server
Any other person returns service by affidavit. Rule 76 defines affidavit as a statement sworn before an officer or unsworn and subject to 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904.
Sheriff, officer, or other listed server
The sheriff's return is not described as an affidavit.
Is an oath or notary explicitly required?
The answer depends on the form or the server. Read the signature block on the page that will be filed.
A penalty-of-perjury or unsworn-declaration alternative is part of the official path.
Fields the server has to complete
- Efforts, when a non-sheriff reports no service
Filing or service timing
Return forthwith and file with the prothonotary. Family Rule 1930.4: personal-service proof within ten days.
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 Pennsylvania
- 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?
The sheriff's return is not described as an affidavit.
Is a penalty-of-perjury declaration an alternative?
Yes, on the path described on this page.
Did the official materials expressly accept remote notarization of the proof?
No express recipient-acceptance source was identified in the official materials reviewed.
Related pages
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.
Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, chapter 400(opens in a new tab)
Pennsylvania
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.