{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-6.40",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-6.40.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1998/3132",
  "legislation_title": "The Civil Procedure Rules 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998",
  "path": "rule/6.40",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "6.40",
  "heading": "Methods of service - general provisions",
  "text": "(1) This rule contains general provisions about the method of service of a claim form or other document on a party out of the jurisdiction.\nWhere service is to be effected on a party in Scotland or Northern Ireland\n(2) Where a party serves a claim form or other document on a party in Scotland or Northern Ireland, it must be served by a method permitted by Section II (and references to “jurisdiction” in that Section are modified accordingly) or Section III of this Part and rule 6.23(4) applies.\nWhere service is to be effected on a party out of the United Kingdom\n(3) Where a party wishes to serve a claim form or ... other document on a party out of the United Kingdom, it may be served—\n(a) by any method provided for by—\n(i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(ii) rule 6.42 (service through foreign governments, judicial authorities and British Consular authorities); or\n(iii) rule 6.44 (service of claim form or other document on a State);\n(b) by any method permitted by a Civil Procedure Convention or Treaty; or\n(c) by any other method permitted by the law of the country in which it is to be served.\n(4) Nothing in paragraph (3) or in any court order authorises or requires any person to do anything which is contrary to the law of the country where the claim form or other document is to be served.\n(The texts of the Civil Procedure Treaties which the United Kingdom has entered into may be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/treaties/lists-treaties/bilateral-civil-procedure.)",
  "extent": null,
  "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 6.40(2) substituted (6.4.2011) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/88), rules 1, 4(q)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in rule 6.40(3) substituted (6.4.2011) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/88), rules 1, 4(q)(ii)(aa)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.40(3) substituted (6.4.2011) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/88), rules 1, 4(q)(ii)(bb)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in rule 6.40(3) omitted (6.4.2011) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/88), rules 1, 4(q)(ii)(cc)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Rule 6.40(3)(a)(i) 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(18) (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": "F7",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.40(3) inserted (6.4.2011) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/88), rules 1, 4(q)(ii)(dd)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in rule 6.40 substituted (6.4.2011) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/88), rules 1, 4(q)(iii)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/3132/rule/6.40",
    "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."
}