Normal Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Any and all Certified Process Server related inquiries must be made by contacting the Administrative Office of the Courts:
This information is provided to individuals wishing to either become certified process servers or to remain certified in the Tenth Circuit (Polk, Hardee, and Highlands Counties). Enclosed is a copy of this court's administrative order that contains the procedures and the applicable fees that would pertain to you, depending on whether you want to become a process server for the first time in this circuit or need to renew your certification. You are urged to read the entire administrative order so that you are familiar with the procedures that apply to you. Click here to view Administrative Order 1-29.5 and here to view the list of Certified Process Servers.
If you wish to become a process server for the first time, you must follow the procedures outlined in section I. Upon completion of the provisions that apply to you, and upon receipt in this office of all requirements set forth in the administrative order, the Court Administrator will review the application and inform you if it is approved or not. If it is not accepted, you will be told the reason(s) and told what you must do to be accepted.
Once you have received approval of your application, you must pay to the Clerk of the Court, via check or money order, a non-refundable application fee of $75.00 dollars payable to the “Polk County Clerk of the Court.” You should receive a validated receipt and attach such to the Application Form. As a separate payment, the applicant must pay to the Office of the Court Administrator, via check or money order, a fee of $30.00 dollars payable to the “Polk County BoCC” for the criminal records check, fingerprints, and first year I.D. badge.
I am thanking you in advance of your cooperation as you complete the application process. All approved applications are provisional, subject to the results of the background investigation conducted by F.D.L.E.
*Approved Process Server Instructors in 10th Circuit:
- A. Barry Gaston Sr.
P.O. Box 7036
Winter Haven, FL 33883
(863) 528-3528
- B. Bob Musser
P.O. Box 72
Melbourne, FL 32902-0072
(321) 952-0820
- C. David Watwood
P.O. Box 1536
Bartow, FL 33831
(863) 585-5244
(863) 651-3095
- D. Becky S. Gaston
P.O. Box 166
Lake Wales, FL 33859
(863) 678-1235
*The 10th Circuit will recognize and accept a certificate from a training provider in another county as long as that Judicial Circuit recognizes the provider as a qualified Process Server training course.