Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a · 1. General Rules
METHODS OF SERVICE
Text — As posted by the Supreme Court of Texas (file dated October 2, 2026)
(a) Methods of Service. Every notice required by these rules, and every pleading, plea, motion, or other form of request required to be served under Rule 21, other than the citation to be served upon the filing of a cause of action and except as otherwise expressly provided in these rules, may be served by delivering a copy to the party to be served, or the party's duly authorized agent or attorney of record in the manner specified below:
(1) Documents Filed Electronically. A document filed electronically under Rule 21 must be served electronically through the electronic filing manager if the email address of the party or attorney to be served is on file with the electronic filing manager. If the email address of the party or attorney to be served is not on file with the electronic filing manager, the document may be served on that party or attorney under subparagraph (2).
(2) Documents Not Filed Electronically. A document not filed electronically may be served in person, by mail, by commercial delivery service, by fax, by email, or by such other manner as the court in its discretion may direct.
(b) When Complete.
(1) Service by mail or commercial delivery service shall be complete upon deposit of the document, postpaid and properly addressed, in the mail or with a commercial delivery service.
(2) Service by fax is complete on receipt. Service completed after 5:00 p.m. local time of the recipient shall be deemed served on the following day.
(3) Electronic service is complete on transmission of the document to the serving party's electronic filing service provider. The electronic filing manager will send confirmation of service to the serving party.
(c) Time for Action After Service. Whenever a party has the right or is required to do some act within a prescribed period after the service of a notice or other paper upon him and the notice or paper is served upon him by mail, three days shall be added to the prescribed period.
(d) Who May Serve. Notice may be served by a party to the suit, an attorney of record, a sheriff or constable, or by any other person competent to testify.
(e) Proof of Service. The party or attorney of record shall certify to the court compliance with this rule in writing over signature and on the filed instrument. A certificate by a party or an attorney of record, or the return of the officer, or the affidavit of any other person showing service of a notice shall be prima facie evidence of the fact of service. Nothing herein shall preclude any party from offering proof that the document was not received, or, if service was by mail, that the document was not received within three days from the date that it was deposited in the mail, and upon so finding, the court may extend the time for taking the action required of such party or grant such other relief as it deems just.
(f) Procedures Cumulative. These provisions are cumulative of all other methods of service prescribed by these rules.
Notes and commentary — not rule text
Notes and Comments
Comment to 2013 Change: Rule 21a is revised to incorporate rules for electronic service in accordance with the Supreme Court's order - Misc. Docket No. 12-9206, amended by Misc. Docket Nos. 13-9092 and 13-9164 - mandating electronic filing in civil cases beginning on January 1, 2014.
Comment to 1990 change: To allow for service by current delivery means and technologies.
2024 Comment: The Estates Code provides for other methods of service and citation, and proof thereof, in estate and guardianship proceedings and governs those proceedings.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As posted by the Supreme Court of Texas (file dated October 2, 2026)
- Official file
- https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1463426/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf (PDF pages 36–37)
- Text hash
- sha256 90127b0526f4464cb95a6eb2118474679099793e147aed15286707cb5ccf8b96
- Composed by
- compose_tx_rules.py 2026-10-05: two PDF extractors agree character for character after the same chrome removal
BenchPath cards that rely on this text
- Ninth (9th) Court of Appeals — Statewide E-Filing Rules
- Criminal E-Filing Implementation in the Fannin County District Court (consent under SCOTX Misc. Docket No. 15-9205, Jan. 19, 2017)
- Webb County Local Rules of the District Courts and County Courts at Law Concerning the Electronic Filing of Court Documents (adopted August 31, 2005; approved by the Supreme Court of Texas, Misc. Docket No. 05-9198, December 7, 2005)
- Bell County Standing Order for Rules and Procedures for Child Protective Services Cases
- Cameron County Local Rules of the District Courts Concerning the Electronic Filing of Court Documents (adopted March 9, 2004; Supreme Court temporary approval May 25, 2004)
- Electronic Service Through the E-Filing Manager — Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a
- Electronic Service Through the E-Filing Manager — Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a
- Bexar County Local Rules of the County Courts concerning the Electronic Filing of Court Documents in Civil Cases (Parts 1–7)
- Local Rules of the County Courts Concerning the Electronic Filing of Court Documents (adopted October 30, 2013)
- Hood County Local Rules of the County Courts concerning the Electronic Filing of Court Documents (adopted 2010)
- Gregg County Local Rules of the District and County Court at Law Courts concerning the Electronic Filing of Court Documents (adopted June 5, 2013)
- Amended Local Rules of the County Courts at Law and District Courts of Galveston County
This rule cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Cited by 57 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. R. Civ. P. 21a; the first 50 in book order. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Civil Practice and Remedies Code
Code of Criminal Procedure
Family Code
- Tex. Fam. Code § 85.041DELIVERY TO RESPONDENT.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 87.003NOTIFICATION OF MOTION TO MODIFY.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 87.004CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR TELEPHONE NUMBER.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 102.009SERVICE OF CITATION.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 201.015DE NOVO HEARING BEFORE REFERRING COURT.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 201.317DE NOVO HEARING.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 263.0021NOTICE OF HEARING; PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602EXTENDED JURISDICTION.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Finance Code
Government Code
- Tex. Gov't Code § 51.9035ACTION ON FRAUDULENT CONVEYANCE.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Gov't Code § 54A.115DE NOVO HEARING.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Gov't Code § 54A.216DE NOVO HEARING BEFORE REFERRING COURT.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Gov't Code § 54B.016APPEAL TO REFERRING COURT.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Insurance Code
Local Government Code
- Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 373A.208PRIVATE SALE TO LAND BANK.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 379C.008PRIVATE SALE TO LAND BANK.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 379E.008PRIVATE SALE TO LAND BANK.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Property Code
- Tex. Prop. Code § 21.049NOTICE OF DECISION OF SPECIAL COMMISSIONERS.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Prop. Code § 27.004NOTICE AND OFFER OF SETTLEMENT.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Prop. Code § 82.118SERVICE OF PROCESS ON UNIT OWNERS IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES; CHANGE OF ADDRESS REQUIRED.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Prop. Code § 82.153CONDOMINIUM INFORMATION STATEMENTS IN GENERAL.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Tax Code
- Tex. Tax Code § 33.56VACATION OF JUDGMENT.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Tax Code § 33.57ALTERNATIVE NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE ON CERTAIN PARCELS OF REAL PROPERTY.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Tax Code § 33.912NOTICE.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Tax Code § 34.01SALE OF PROPERTY.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Tax Code § 34.03DISPOSITION OF EXCESS PROCEEDS.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. Tax Code § 34.04CLAIMS FOR EXCESS PROCEEDS.Printed as Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
Transportation Code
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 4COMPUTATION OF TIMEPrinted as Rules 21 and 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 8ATTORNEY IN CHARGEPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 10WITHDRAWAL OF ATTORNEYPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 21bSANCTIONS FOR FAILURE TO SERVE OR DELIVER COPY OF PLEADINGS AND MOTIONSPrinted as Rules 21 and 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 76aSEALING COURT RECORDSPrinted as Rules 21 and 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 86MOTION TO TRANSFER VENUEPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 145PAYMENT OF COSTS NOT REQUIREDPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 162DISMISSAL OR NON-SUITPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 176SUBPOENASPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 196REQUESTS FOR PRODUCTION AND INSPECTION TO PARTIES; REQUESTS AND MOTIONS FOR ENTRY UPON PROPERTYPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 202DEPOSITIONS BEFORE SUIT OR TO INVESTIGATE CLAIMSPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 296REQUESTS FOR FINDINGS OF FACTS AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAWPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 297TIME TO SEND FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAWPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 298ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAWPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 305PROPOSED JUDGMENTPrinted as Rule 21a
- Tex. R. Civ. P. 316CORRECTION OF CLERICAL MISTAKES IN JUDGMENT RECORDPrinted as Rule 21a
Rules for Magistrates in Inmate Litigation and Litigation Involving Certain Civilly Committed Individuals
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.