HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS AT CT CORPORATION

CT Corporation Receives Service for More Than 750,000 Entities. Here Is How to Deliver Papers Correctly.

CT Corporation System — a subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer, in operation since 1892 — is the largest commercial registered agent service in the United States. It holds registered agent designations for more Fortune 500 companies than any other service, and it receives service of process for hundreds of thousands of corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships across all fifty states every year. When an entity names CT Corporation as its registered agent, you do not serve the entity directly — you go to CT Corporation’s office in the state where the entity is registered, hand over the papers, and get a receipt. That sounds straightforward. In practice, the wrong office, the wrong legal name on the documents, a delivery attempt outside business hours, or a failure to distinguish CT Corporation from its competitor CSC can each independently void the service. This page gives attorneys and process servers what they actually need: the correct CT Corporation address for each major state, the intake protocols that vary by location, the verification step that prevents the most common failure, and Undisputed Legal’s process for GPS-verified delivery with written receipt capture. Consult a licensed attorney to confirm applicable service rules for your jurisdiction. Call (800) 774-6922 to order CT Corporation service or confirm which office applies to your matter.

What CT Corporation Is — And What It Is Not

CT Corporation does not own the companies it represents, does not operate their businesses, and has no control over their legal obligations. It is a professional registered agent service — a statutory stand-in that receives legal documents on behalf of its client entities and forwards them to the entity’s internal legal or compliance team. When you serve CT Corporation, you are completing service on the underlying entity, not on CT Corporation itself. CT Corporation is never the defendant. The entity whose name appears on your summons and complaint is the defendant. CT Corporation’s role ends when it logs receipt and routes the papers.

Two names, one company. CT Corporation System operates under two different names depending on the state, and both appear on state registered-agent filings. In most states, the registered agent is listed as “CT Corporation System.” In Delaware — the state where the entity was originally chartered as Corporation Trust Company before its acquisition by Wolters Kluwer — many Delaware-incorporated entities still list their registered agent as “Corporation Trust Company” at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington DE 19801. The two are the same underlying entity (both are Wolters Kluwer subsidiaries), but they are legally distinct filings, and Delaware’s corporate records distinguish between them. Google LLC lists CT Corporation System as its registered agent in California; Alphabet Inc. (a Delaware domestic corporation) lists Corporation Trust Company in Delaware. When preparing documents for service, use the exact name shown in the state’s entity records — “CT Corporation System” or “Corporation Trust Company” — not a generic reference to “CT Corp.”

How to address the summons and complaint. The document heading should identify the entity being served, followed by its registered agent: ABC Corporation, c/o CT Corporation System, [full street address]. The entity’s exact legal name — as registered with the relevant Secretary of State — must appear on the documents. Using a trade name, a DBA, an abbreviation, or a misspelling creates a service defect that can be raised by the defendant on a motion to dismiss for insufficient service of process.

CT Corporation vs. CSC: Verify Before Every Delivery

CT Corporation is not the only commercial registered agent service, and not every company uses it. CSC (Corporation Service Company, headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware) is the other dominant commercial registered agent, with a comparable market position among large and mid-market entities. National Registered Agents, Inc. (NRAI), Incorporating Services Ltd., and dozens of smaller regional providers also serve as registered agents for significant numbers of entities. Serving at CT Corporation’s office when the entity’s registered agent is actually CSC, NRAI, or any other provider results in non-service — period. CT Corporation cannot accept service on behalf of a company it does not represent. The delivery may appear successful; the process server may even receive a date-stamp. But service is not complete unless it is made on the entity’s actual, current registered agent.

How to verify. Every state maintains a publicly searchable business entity database. Before serving at any CT Corporation office, query the relevant state’s entity search to confirm: (1) the entity’s exact legal name; (2) the current registered agent name — CT Corporation System, Corporation Trust Company, CSC, NRAI, or other; (3) the registered agent’s street address. Registered agents can change at any time upon filing of a simple form with the state. A company that used CT Corporation last year may have switched to CSC this year. Undisputed Legal runs a fresh entity search before every registered agent delivery — not as a courtesy, but as a prerequisite to dispatch.

High-volume verification states. For Delaware, California, New York, Texas, and Illinois — the five highest-volume states for CT Corporation service — always verify through the official state entity search immediately before serving. For Delaware (corp.delaware.gov), the distinction between Corporation Trust Company and CT Corporation System matters because different entities at the same 1209 Orange Street address use different entity names; presenting for one and recording service for the other creates a defective affidavit.

CT Corporation’s Intake Protocol: What to Expect

CT Corporation operates dedicated service-of-process intake functions at each of its registered offices. The intake function is standardized across locations but varies in physical setup depending on the building and office size. Understanding the intake process before dispatch prevents failed deliveries and wasted trips.

Walk-in delivery. All CT Corporation offices accept walk-in service of process delivery during normal business hours — typically 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal and state holidays. The server must present the documents to the designated intake representative — not to a receptionist, mailroom clerk, or building security. CT Corporation maintains a specific SOP intake process, and delivery to an unauthorized building employee does not constitute service on CT Corporation as registered agent.

Building access at high-rise locations. Several of CT Corporation’s highest-volume offices are located in major commercial high-rises with lobby security: 28 Liberty Street in New York (the former One Chase Manhattan Plaza, a 60-story building), 818 W. 7th Street in Los Angeles, and 208 S. LaSalle Street in Chicago, among others. These buildings require the process server to sign in at lobby security, identify the purpose of the visit as service of legal process, and wait for elevator access to the appropriate floor. Factor in fifteen to thirty minutes for building security clearance when scheduling same-day service at these locations.

Receipt and acknowledgment. CT Corporation logs every incoming service of process with a timestamp and generates a written receipt. Always request and retain the written receipt — it is the contemporaneous documentary evidence of the date and time of service. CT Corporation does not issue receipts retroactively; if your server leaves without one, the record is limited to the server’s own affidavit. Undisputed Legal obtains and retains CT Corporation receipts as a standard step in every delivery.

What CT Corporation does not accept. CT Corporation does not accept service of process by fax or email in any jurisdiction. Service by certified mail is accepted in some contexts (where the court rule or statute permits mail service on a registered agent) but the specific requirements vary by state and must be confirmed before use. When in doubt, personal in-office delivery is the only method that eliminates ambiguity.

State-by-State CT Corporation Office Directory

Always verify the current registered agent address through the state’s entity search before serving. CT Corporation periodically relocates offices. The addresses below reflect current known locations; confirm before dispatch. Attorney consultation recommended to confirm the applicable service statute for each state.

New York. CT Corporation System, 28 Liberty Street, New York NY 10005. Located in the Financial District in lower Manhattan; building has lobby security requiring sign-in before floor access. Service accepted Monday–Friday during business hours at the designated process intake desk. For New York City service, our servers hold active New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) process server licenses and maintain GPS-verified records in compliance with NYC Administrative Code § 20-403. N.Y. Bus. Corp. Law § 306; N.Y. LLC Law § 303.

California. CT Corporation System, 818 W. 7th Street, Suite 930, Los Angeles CA 90017. This is CT Corporation’s primary California registered office for Los Angeles-based and Southern California service. A Glendale office also operates at 330 N. Brand Blvd, Suite 700, Glendale CA 91203 — some California entities list the Glendale address as their registered agent address; always serve at the address shown in the California Secretary of State entity record, not the office nearest the courthouse. California service of process on a corporation via its registered agent is governed by Cal. Corp. Code § 1505 (domestic corporations) and § 2111 (foreign corporations). Cal. Corp. Code §§ 1505, 2111.

Delaware. Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington DE 19801. In Delaware, the Wolters Kluwer registered agent entity is named Corporation Trust Company — not CT Corporation System. The building at 1209 Orange Street houses multiple registered agent providers including both Corporation Trust Company and CT Corporation System for different entity categories; delivery must be directed to Corporation Trust Company by name for Delaware domestic corporation clients. For Delaware LLC clients, some filings may show CT Corporation System as the LLC registered agent — confirm the exact name from the Delaware Division of Corporations entity search before addressing the documents. 8 Del. C. § 321; 6 Del. C. § 18-104.

Texas. CT Corporation System, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 900, Dallas TX 75201. Located in the Bryan Tower in Uptown Dallas. Standard walk-in service accepted during business hours. Texas franchise and commercial litigation regularly routes through CT Corporation due to the volume of Fortune 500 subsidiaries incorporated in Texas with CT Corp as registered agent. Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 5.201.

Illinois. CT Corporation System, 208 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 814, Chicago IL 60604. Located in the LaSalle Street financial corridor in downtown Chicago. Building has lobby security; process servers should allow additional time for building access clearance. 805 ILCS 5/5.10.

Florida. CT Corporation System, 1200 S. Pine Island Road, Plantation FL 33324. Located in suburban Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale — not a downtown high-rise location. Parking available; walk-in process service accepted during business hours. Florida has a high volume of registered agent service given the state’s large number of active corporations. Fla. Stat. § 48.091.

New Jersey. CT Corporation System, 820 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 303, West Trenton NJ 08628. CT Corporation’s New Jersey registered office is located in West Trenton, not downtown Trenton or Newark. This is a common source of confusion — process servers who go to Trenton’s downtown for NJ registered agent service at CT Corp are at the wrong address. Verify the current address through the NJ Business Entity Search before serving. N.J.S.A. 14A:4-2.

Virginia. CT Corporation System, 4701 Cox Road, Suite 285, Glen Allen VA 23060. Located in the Richmond northern suburbs. Much of Virginia’s commercial registered agent service for large corporations routes through this suburban Richmond office, including service on entities involved in DOJ antitrust and federal procurement litigation in the Eastern District of Virginia. Va. Code Ann. § 13.1-634.

Washington State. CT Corporation System, 711 Capitol Way South, Suite 204, Olympia WA 98501. Located in Olympia (the state capital), not Seattle. Washington State registered agent service at CT Corp routes to this Olympia office for state-chartered entities; confirm through the Washington Secretary of State entity search before any delivery. RCW 23.95.415.

District of Columbia. CT Corporation System, 1015 15th Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington DC 20005. Service accepted during business hours at the Suite 1000 intake office. DC-registered entities and entities authorized to do business in DC with CT Corp as their DC registered agent are served here. Note that a Maryland-incorporated entity doing business in DC is served at CT Corp’s Maryland or DC office depending on where it designated its registered agent — verify through DC DCRA entity records. D.C. Code § 29-104.04.

Massachusetts. CT Corporation System, 155 Federal Street, Suite 700, Boston MA 02110. Located in Boston’s Financial District. Walk-in service accepted during business hours. Massachusetts has a significant volume of biotech, financial services, and higher-education-adjacent entities registered with CT Corp. Verify current address through the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth entity search before serving. M.G.L. c. 156D § 5.01.

Georgia. CT Corporation System, 289 S. Culver Street, Lawrenceville GA 30046. Located in Lawrenceville (Gwinnett County), northeast of Atlanta. Georgia entities designating CT Corp list this Lawrenceville address as the registered office — not an Atlanta address. Verify through the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division entity search before serving. O.C.G.A. § 14-2-501.

Pennsylvania. CT Corporation System, 116 Pine Street, Suite 320, Harrisburg PA 17101. Pennsylvania’s CT Corporation registered office is in Harrisburg (the state capital), not Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. PA commercial litigation often involves parties incorporated in Delaware with their Pennsylvania registered agent at this Harrisburg address. Verify through the Pennsylvania Department of State entity search before serving. 15 Pa. C.S. § 1507.

Colorado. CT Corporation System, 7700 E. Arapahoe Road, Suite 220, Centennial CO 80112. Located in the Centennial suburb south of Denver. Colorado technology and energy sector entities regularly name CT Corp as their registered agent. Verify current address through the Colorado Secretary of State entity search before serving. C.R.S. § 7-90-701.

Arizona. CT Corporation System, 3800 N. Central Avenue, Suite 460, Phoenix AZ 85012. Located in midtown Phoenix. Arizona commercial and real estate entities with CT Corp as registered agent are served at this Central Avenue office. Verify through the Arizona Corporation Commission entity search before serving. A.R.S. § 10-501.

Our Process: How Undisputed Legal Handles CT Corporation Service

Step 1 — Entity Verification. Before any delivery is scheduled, we query the relevant state’s entity search to confirm: the entity’s exact legal name as registered; the current registered agent (CT Corporation System, Corporation Trust Company, or other); and the registered agent’s current street address. We do not assume CT Corp is the registered agent based on the attorney’s recollection or on a prior engagement — the registered agent of record is confirmed fresh for every matter. This step alone prevents the most common failure mode in registered agent service.

Step 2 — Correct Office Identification. We identify the CT Corporation office in the state where the entity designated CT Corp as its registered agent — which is often not the state where the litigation was filed. A California corporation sued in New York federal court is served at CT Corporation’s California office (818 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles), not at 28 Liberty Street in New York. The service goes to the state of registration, not the state of litigation, unless the entity separately designated CT Corp as its registered agent in the litigation state as well. We confirm the correct state and correct office before dispatch.

Step 3 — Document Preparation Review. We verify that the summons and complaint correctly identify the entity’s exact legal name as registered with the state, use the correct CT Corp entity name (“CT Corporation System” or “Corporation Trust Company”), and show the correct registered office address. A summons addressed to “XYZ Corp c/o CT Corporation, 28 Liberty Street” when the entity is registered as “XYZ Corporation, Inc. c/o CT Corporation System” may create a service defect — we flag discrepancies to the attorney of record before delivery.

Step 4 — Physical Delivery and Building Access. Our server delivers to the CT Corporation intake office during business hours. For high-rise locations with lobby security (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles), we account for building clearance time. We present to the designated SOP intake representative — not to a receptionist or building mailroom — and identify the delivery as service of legal process.

Step 5 — Receipt Capture. We request and retain the written receipt issued by CT Corporation at the time of delivery. The receipt documents the date, time, entity name, and CT Corporation’s acknowledgment of service. We provide the receipt to the attorney of record along with the affidavit of service. For matters where service validity is likely to be contested, this contemporaneous CT Corporation receipt provides corroborating evidence independent of the server’s own affidavit.

Step 6 — GPS-Verified Affidavit of Service. Upon completion of delivery, we generate a GPS-verified affidavit documenting the exact time, date, and location of delivery; the CT Corporation office and representative who accepted the papers; the documents served and their description; and the entity on whose behalf service was accepted. GPS-verified records are timestamped and have been accepted in state and federal court proceedings as evidence of service completion. For New York City CT Corporation service at 28 Liberty Street, our servers hold active New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) process server licenses and maintain GPS-verified records in compliance with NYC Administrative Code § 20-403.

Seven Common Mistakes When Serving CT Corporation — And How We Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Serving the wrong CT Corporation office. CT Corporation maintains separate registered offices in each state. Service must be made at the CT Corp office in the state where the entity designated CT Corp as its registered agent — not the closest CT Corp office to the courthouse, not the New York office because the case is in New York, not the California office because counsel is based in California. A Delaware corporation being sued in New York is served at CT Corp’s New York office only if it separately registered CT Corp as its New York registered agent; otherwise, it is served in Delaware. Verify the registration state and designated registered agent address before dispatching.

Mistake 2: Using the wrong legal name on the documents. Every entity has an exact legal name on file with the state — “ABC Corporation” and “A.B.C. Corporation” are different legal entities. Trade names, DBAs, abbreviations, and informal short-forms are not the same as the registered legal name. The summons and complaint should use the exact legal name as it appears in the state entity search results. Undisputed Legal flags name discrepancies between the attorney’s provided entity name and the state-record name before delivery.

Mistake 3: Serving CT Corp for an entity that uses CSC, NRAI, or another agent. Not every company uses CT Corporation. The failure mode here is invisible at the time of delivery: CT Corp may accept the papers, date-stamp them, and decline to forward them to an entity it does not represent. Service is not complete. A default judgment entered on this basis is vulnerable to vacatur. Verify through the state entity search every time.

Mistake 4: Attempting after-hours delivery. CT Corporation’s intake offices maintain standard business hours. Delivery after 5:00 p.m., on weekends, or on holidays will find no authorized intake representative. Leaving papers with building security or in a drop box does not constitute effective service on CT Corporation. Same-day service at CT Corp must be initiated early enough that delivery can be completed before the intake office closes.

Mistake 5: Leaving without a receipt. CT Corporation issues written receipts for service of process. A server who leaves without a receipt has only their own attestation as evidence of delivery. If CT Corporation’s internal logs show no record of the specific service (which can happen when high-volume offices process hundreds of daily deliveries), the absence of a receipt creates a gap that a defendant’s counsel will exploit. Always obtain and retain the written receipt.

Mistake 6: Serving at a stale CT Corporation address. CT Corporation periodically relocates its registered offices when building leases expire or office configurations change. An address that was correct two years ago — or that appears on an old summons template or a prior affidavit — may not be current. The safest practice is to query the state entity search on the day of service to confirm the address shown in the entity’s current registered agent designation.

Mistake 7: Naming CT Corporation as the defendant. CT Corporation is never the defendant. It is the registered agent for the defendant. A complaint that names “CT Corporation System” or “Corporation Trust Company” as a defendant — rather than the entity CT Corp represents — is a misnomer that cannot be corrected without an amended pleading and a fresh service attempt. Confirm the correct defendant entity name before filing.

Legal Framework: Why CT Corporation Service Is Legally Effective

The foundational principle of registered agent service is simple and uniform across every U.S. jurisdiction: service on the registered agent is service on the entity. The entity’s actual receipt of the forwarded documents is not a prerequisite for service to be effective. Once process is delivered to CT Corporation as the entity’s designated registered agent, service is complete as a matter of law — regardless of whether CT Corporation’s forwarding reaches the entity’s legal team before the answer deadline, regardless of whether the entity claims it never saw the papers.

This principle is codified in the applicable statutes in each state. Delaware: 8 Del. C. § 321 provides that service on a corporation’s registered agent constitutes service on the corporation. 8 Del. C. § 321. New York: BCL § 306(b) provides that service on a foreign corporation’s registered agent in New York is service on the corporation; the same principle applies to domestic corporations. N.Y. Bus. Corp. Law § 306. New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 14A:4-2 establishes the registered agent as the designated recipient for service of process; N.J. Ct. R. 4:4-4(a)(6) provides the procedural mechanism. N.J.S.A. 14A:4-2; N.J. Ct. R. 4:4-4(a)(6). California: Cal. Corp. Code § 1505 (domestic) and § 2111 (foreign corporations) establish that the registered agent designated in the entity’s filings receives service on behalf of the entity. Cal. Corp. Code §§ 1505, 2111. Federal courts: FRCP 4(h)(1)(B) authorizes service on a corporation by following the state law for the state where the federal district court is located or where service is being made — which incorporates the state registered agent provisions. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(h)(1)(B).

What this means for default judgments. An entity that receives proper service through CT Corporation but fails to respond cannot challenge a resulting default judgment on the ground that it did not receive actual notice, provided the registered agent’s address was current and delivery was properly made. Courts have consistently upheld default judgments entered against entities served through CT Corporation where the entity’s own failure to maintain current forwarding information with CT Corp caused the failure of actual notice. The legal effectiveness of registered agent service creates strong incentives for entities to keep their registered agent informed — and creates equally strong protection for plaintiffs who serve correctly.

Pricing for CT Corporation Service

CT Corporation does not charge a state filing fee for accepting service of process — unlike the NY Secretary of State ($40) or the Delaware Division of Corporations ($50) for fallback service. Undisputed Legal’s service fee covers entity verification, document review, physical delivery, receipt capture, and GPS-verified affidavit of service. All fees include GPS-verified affidavit.

Routine Service — $100–$150. First attempt within 3–7 business days. Standard service for CT Corporation office delivery in New York, California, Delaware, Texas, Illinois, Florida, and all other states where no deadline pressure requires expedited handling. Includes entity verification, correct office confirmation, and receipt capture.

Rush Service — $200–$250. First attempt within 24–48 business hours. For matters with approaching answer deadlines, recently filed complaints, or urgent commercial litigation requiring confirmed service before a court date.

Same-Day Service — $250–$300. First attempt the same business day when documents are received during normal business hours. Available at CT Corporation offices across all major states including New York (28 Liberty Street), California (818 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles), Delaware (1209 Orange Street, Wilmington), Texas (Dallas), Illinois (Chicago), and others. Accounts for building security clearance time at high-rise locations.

Email / Mail Service — $75. Where permitted; completed within 24–48 business hours from time of receipt. For jurisdictions and case types where court rules permit service by certified mail on a registered agent, and where counsel has confirmed that mail service satisfies the applicable state rule for the entity type being served.

Stake-Out Service — $325–$425. Includes 1 hour waiting time; each additional hour $100–$150. For situations where multiple attempts at a CT Corporation office are required due to access issues, holiday closures, or coordination with same-day business hour requirements in time-sensitive matters.

Order CT Corporation Service Now

Confirm which state’s CT Corp office applies to your matter before ordering. Not sure? Call (800) 774-6922 — our team will run the entity search and confirm the correct office and address before you submit.

Why Clients Choose Undisputed Legal for CT Corporation Service

CT Corporation service at first glance appears to be simple walk-in delivery. The state directory, the building-access protocols, the receipt requirement, the entity-name verification step, and the registered-agent confirmation process add layers that generic process service vendors routinely skip — and that create vulnerability when the defendant moves to dismiss for defective service. Undisputed Legal has served CT Corporation offices across the United States for over two decades.

Entity verification before every dispatch. We run the state entity search before every CT Corporation delivery. Registered agents change. Addresses relocate. An entity that used CT Corp last year may list CSC today. We do not leave confirmation of the registered agent to the attorney's recollection or a prior affidavit. The search takes minutes and has prevented failed service attempts on matters where the registered agent had changed between case filing and service attempt.

Multi-state coverage. We deliver to CT Corporation offices in New York, California, Delaware, Texas, Illinois, Florida, New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arizona, and throughout the country. For cross-border matters requiring CT Corp service in multiple states on the same matter — for example, serving a parent corporation in Delaware and a subsidiary in California in the same litigation — we coordinate multi-state delivery with GPS-verified affidavits from each location.

DCWP licensing for New York City. CT Corporation's New York office at 28 Liberty Street is in Manhattan (New York City). Service at this location requires a DCWP-licensed process server under New York City Administrative Code § 20-403. Our servers hold active New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) process server licenses and maintain GPS-verified records compliant with NYC regulations for every 28 Liberty Street delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CT Corporation the defendant in my lawsuit?

No. CT Corporation is never the defendant. It is the registered agent for the entity you are suing. CT Corporation receives service of process on behalf of its client entities — the corporations, LLCs, and other business entities that have designated CT Corp as their registered agent. When you serve CT Corporation, you are completing service on the underlying entity, not on CT Corporation itself. Your summons and complaint should name the entity (for example, "XYZ Corporation") as the defendant, formatted as: XYZ Corporation, c/o CT Corporation System, [address]. If CT Corporation appears as the named defendant in your complaint, you will need an amended pleading and a fresh service attempt.

What is the difference between CT Corporation System and Corporation Trust Company?

Both are Wolters Kluwer subsidiaries providing registered agent services, but they are legally distinct entities that file under different names in different states. "CT Corporation System" is the name used in most states. "Corporation Trust Company" is the name used for certain Delaware-registered entities, most notably Delaware domestic corporations that are long-established clients of the legacy Corporation Trust Company entity at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington DE 19801. When preparing documents for service in Delaware, check the Delaware Division of Corporations entity record to determine whether the registered agent is listed as "Corporation Trust Company" or "CT Corporation System" — and use exactly that name on your documents.

How do I verify that my defendant uses CT Corporation as its registered agent?

Query the Secretary of State's entity search database for the state where the entity is incorporated or registered to do business. Every state maintains a publicly searchable database showing the entity's current registered agent name and address. The registered agent field will show either "CT Corporation System," "Corporation Trust Company," "CSC," "National Registered Agents," or whichever agent the entity has designated. Never serve CT Corporation without this confirmation — the registered agent can change at any time, and serving the wrong agent results in non-service regardless of how well the delivery is otherwise executed.

Which CT Corporation office should I serve?

Serve the CT Corporation office at the address listed in the entity's registered agent designation on file with the state where the entity is registered. This is typically the state of incorporation for domestic service, or the state where the entity is registered to do business if you are serving its agent in a non-incorporation state. The state of the litigation — where the lawsuit was filed — does not determine which CT Corp office to serve, unless the entity separately registered CT Corp at that address in that state. A Delaware corporation being sued in New York federal court is served at the Delaware CT Corp office (Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington DE 19801) unless the entity also registered CT Corp as its New York agent — in which case the New York address (28 Liberty Street) is also valid for service in that state.

Does CT Corporation accept service by mail, fax, or courier?

CT Corporation does not accept service by fax or email. Courier delivery (FedEx, UPS, DHL) is accepted at most CT Corporation offices for jurisdictions where the applicable court rule or statute permits service by courier on a registered agent — confirm the specific state rule before using this method. Standard personal delivery by a process server during business hours is accepted at all CT Corporation offices and is the preferred and unambiguous method. The server must present to the designated SOP intake representative and should always obtain the written receipt issued by CT Corporation at the time of delivery.

What is the difference between CT Corporation and CSC?

CT Corporation System (Wolters Kluwer) and CSC (Corporation Service Company) are the two dominant commercial registered agent services in the United States, each representing hundreds of thousands of entities. They are completely separate companies at separate addresses. CT Corporation's primary Delaware office is at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington DE 19801 (Corporation Trust Company). CSC's primary Delaware office is at 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington DE 19808. Serving at one when the entity uses the other results in non-service. Always verify through the state entity search which company the specific entity has designated as its registered agent.

What happens after CT Corporation receives my process?

CT Corporation logs the receipt, timestamps the delivery, and forwards the documents to its client entity's designated legal or compliance contact — typically by overnight courier to the entity's internal legal department or outside counsel. CT Corporation's forwarding is an internal administrative step; from the plaintiff's perspective, service is legally complete at the moment of delivery to CT Corporation as the registered agent. The entity's internal receipt of the forwarded papers is not a precondition for service to be effective. CT Corporation issues a written receipt at the time of delivery — retain this receipt as evidence of service completion independent of the affidavit of service.

What if CT Corporation refuses to accept service?

CT Corporation refusal of service is rare but can occur if the entity is no longer a CT Corporation client, if the entity name on the documents does not match the name in CT Corporation's records, or if the delivery is attempted outside business hours. If CT Corporation declines to accept: document the refusal with date, time, and the name of the CT Corporation representative who declined; do not leave the papers; consult the attorney of record immediately. In some jurisdictions, a registered agent's refusal to accept service that is otherwise properly directed can trigger alternative service procedures. If the entity is no longer a CT Corporation client, a new registered agent search through the state entity database is required before attempting service again.

Questions about CT Corporation office locations, entity verification, or multi-state registered agent service? Call (800) 774-6922 — Undisputed Legal serves CT Corporation offices nationwide with GPS-verified delivery and written receipt capture.

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Professional Credentials & Affiliations

Undisputed Legal Inc. maintains active membership and affiliations with the following professional organizations: National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS), United States Process Servers Association (USPSA), National Association of Legal Support Professionals (NAOSP), Better Business Bureau (BBB) A+ Rating, New York State Unified Court System, DCWP Licensed Process Server (NYC), International Association of Professional Process Servers, National Notary Association, American Bar Association (ABA) - Allied Member, New York County Lawyers Association, Brooklyn Bar Association, Queens County Bar Association, Bronx County Bar Association, Staten Island Bar Association, Westchester County Bar Association, and Nassau County Bar Association.

Corporate Process Service Resources

Undisputed Legal is the authority in corporate process service. Explore our expertise:

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• How to Serve Legal Papers at CT Corporation
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• The Model Registered Agents Act and Service of Process
• National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
• Corporate Process Service: Registered Agent Requirements
• Corporate Process Service: A Complete Guide
• Corporate Process Service Laws: Requirements & Compliance
• Complex Corporate Process Service Solutions
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• Why Serve Legal Papers Through the New York Secretary of State
• How to Serve Legal Papers on the Delaware Secretary of State
• How to Serve Legal Papers on the New Jersey Secretary of State
• Process Service Rules & Laws: Serving Secretary of State
• New York State Process Server Regulations, Compliance & Liability

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