{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-6.3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-6.3.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1998/3132",
  "legislation_title": "The Civil Procedure Rules 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998",
  "path": "rule/6.3",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "6.3",
  "heading": "Methods of service",
  "text": "(1) A claim form may ... be served by any of the following methods—\n(a) personal service in accordance with rule 6.5;\n(b) first class post, document exchange or other service which provides for delivery on the next business day, in accordance with Practice Direction 6A;\n(c) leaving it at a place specified in rule 6.7, 6.8, 6.9 or 6.10;\n(d) fax or other means of electronic communication in accordance with Practice Direction 6A; or\n(e) any method authorised by the court under rule 6.15.\n(2) A company may be served—\n(a) by any method permitted under this Part; or\n(b) by any of the methods of service permitted under the Companies Act 2006.\n(3) A limited liability partnership may be served—\n(a) by any method permitted under this Part; or\n(b) by any of the methods of service permitted under the Companies Act 2006 as applied with modification by regulations made under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 6 substituted (1.10.2008) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2008 (S.I. 2008/2178), rule 1(2), Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.3(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/521), regs. 1(1), 4(5) (with reg. 18) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1493, regs. 1(1), 9(2)(b)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.3(1)(b) substituted (6.4.2010) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment No.2) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/3390), rules 1(2), 5(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.3(1)(d) substituted (6.4.2010) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment No.2) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/3390), rules 1(2), 5(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.3(2)(b) substituted (1.10.2009) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/2092), rules 1(2), 3(a)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.3(3)(b) substituted (1.10.2009) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/2092), rules 1(2), 3(a)(ii)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/3132/rule/6.3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:12:59.276840+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}