N.Y. Civil Practice Law & Rules § 312-a: Personal service by mail

§ 312-a. Personal service by mail. (a) Service. As an alternative to

the methods of personal service authorized by section 307, 308, 310, 311

or 312 of this article, a summons and complaint, or summons and notice,

or notice of petition and petition may be served by the plaintiff or any

other person by mailing to the person or entity to be served, by first

class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the summons and complaint, or

summons and notice or notice of petition and petition, together with two

copies of a statement of service by mail and acknowledgement of receipt

in the form set forth in subdivision (d) of this section, with a return

envelope, postage prepaid, addressed to the sender.

(b) Completion of service and time to answer. 1. The defendant, an

authorized employee of the defendant, defendant's attorney or an

employee of the attorney must complete the acknowledgement of receipt

and mail or deliver one copy of it within thirty (30) days from the date

of receipt. Service is complete on the date the signed acknowledgement

of receipt is mailed or delivered to the sender. The signed

acknowledgement of receipt shall constitute proof of service.

2. Where a complaint or petition is served with the summons or notice

of petition, the defendant shall serve an answer within twenty (20) days

after the date the signed acknowledgement of receipt is mailed or

delivered to the sender.

(c) Affirmation. The acknowledgement of receipt of service shall be

subscribed and affirmed as true under penalties of perjury and shall

have the same force and effect as an affidavit.

(d) Form. The statement of service by mail and the acknowledgement of

receipt of such service shall be in substantially the following form:

Statement of Service by Mail and

Acknowledgement of Receipt by Mail of

Summons and Complaint or Summons and Notice

or Notice of Petition and Petition

A. STATEMENT OF SERVICE

BY MAIL

To: (Insert the name and address of the person or entity to be served.)

The enclosed summons and complaint, or summons and notice, or notice of

petition and petition (strike out inapplicable terms) are served

pursuant to section 312-a of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.

To avoid being charged with the expense of service upon you, you must

sign, date and complete the acknowledgement part of this form and mail

or deliver one copy of the completed form to the sender within thirty

(30) days from the date you receive it. You should keep a copy for your

records or your attorney. If you wish to consult an attorney, you should

do so as soon as possible before the thirty (30) days expire.

If you do not complete and return the form to the sender within thirty

(30) days, you (or the party on whose behalf you are being served) will

be required to pay expenses incurred in serving the summons and

complaint, or summons and notice, or notice of petition and petition in

any other manner permitted by law, and the cost of such service as

permitted by law will be entered as a judgment against you.

If you have received a complaint or petition with this statement, the

return of this statement and acknowledgement does not relieve you of the

necessity to answer the complaint or petition. The time to answer

expires twenty (20) days after the day you mail or deliver this form to

the sender. If you wish to consult with an attorney, you should do so as

soon as possible before the twenty (20) days expire.

If you are served on behalf of a corporation, unincorporated

association, partnership or other entity, you must indicate under your

signature your relationship to the entity. If you are served on behalf

of another person and you are authorized to receive process, you must

indicate under your signature your authority.

It is a crime to forge a signature or to make a false entry on this

statement or on the acknowledgement.

B. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT

OR SUMMONS AND NOTICE OR NOTICE OF PETITION AND PETITION

I received a summons and complaint, or summons and notice, or notice

of petition and petition (strike out inapplicable terms) in the

above-captioned matter at (insert address).

PLEASE CHECK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING;

IF 2 IS CHECKED, COMPLETE AS INDICATED:

1. / / I am not in military service.

2. / / I am in military service, and my rank and branch of service

are as follows:

Rank:___________________________________

Branch of Service:______________________

TO BE COMPLETED REGARDLESS OF MILITARY STATUS:

Date:_____________________________________________

(Date this Acknowledgement is executed)

I affirm the above as true under penalty of perjury.

__________________________________

Signature

__________________________________

Print name

__________________________________

Name of Defendant for which acting

__________________________________

Position with Defendant for which

acting (i.e., officer, attorney,

etc.)

PLEASE COMPLETE ALL BLANKS INCLUDING DATES

(e) Subsequent service. Where a duly executed acknowledgement is not

returned, upon the subsequent service of process in another manner

permitted by law, the summons or notice of petition or paper served with

the summons or notice of petition shall indicate that an attempt

previously was made to effect service pursuant to this section.

(f) Disbursements. Where the signed acknowledgement of receipt is not

returned within thirty (30) days after receipt of the documents mailed

pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, the reasonable expense of

serving process by an alternative method shall be taxed by the court on

notice pursuant to section 8402 of this chapter as a disbursement to the

party serving process, and the court shall direct immediate judgment in

that amount.