Serving a Business
Rule 4(h) allows state-law methods or delivery to an officer or authorized agent. The registered agent is the least contestable route.
The rule
Rule 4(h)(1) covers service on a domestic corporation, partnership, or other unincorporated association. It provides two routes: follow state law for serving a summons in the state where the district court sits or where service is made; or deliver a copy of the summons and complaint to an officer, a managing or general agent, or any other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process.
What a registered agent is
Most states require registered business entities to designate someone to receive legal papers on the company's behalf. That designation is public and appears in the state's business-entity records, alongside the entity's registered legal name.
Why it's the usual route
Serving the registered agent falls squarely within the "agent authorized by appointment or by law" language, which makes it the least contestable option. It's the same record used to confirm the defendant's legal name.
What doesn't reliably work
Handing papers to a receptionist, a former supervisor, or a store manager isn't automatically service on the entity. Whether a given person qualifies as an officer or managing agent is a fact question, and getting it wrong can mean service is challenged and has to be redone — inside the Rule 4(m) window.
When the employer is a government entity
Rule 4(j) sets out separate requirements for serving a state, municipal corporation, or other local government.
Sources
Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(e)(1), 4(h), 4(j); state business-entity records.
Red flags to watch for
- Papers left at the worksite with whoever was at the desk
- No registered agent identified in the state's records
- A public employer served the same way as a private company
Next up
Waivers, Deadlines, and Proof
Not sure where you stand?
The AI screener can point you to the right step and topics for your situation — and help you start building your claim.
Start AI screeningSources: EEOC.gov, EEOC Field Manual, and federal employment statutes. Informational only — not legal advice.