ILCS » Chapter 735 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

735 ILCS 5/2-203 (2026)

Service on individuals

✓ current as of May 2026
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(735 ILCS 5/2-203) (from Ch. 110, par. 2-203)
    Sec. 2-203. Service on individuals.
    (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided, service of summons upon an individual defendant shall be made (1) by leaving a copy of the summons with the defendant personally, (2) by leaving a copy at the defendant's usual place of abode, with some person of the family or a person residing there, of the age of 13 years or upwards, and informing that person of the contents of the summons, provided the officer or other person making service shall also send a copy of the summons in a sealed envelope with postage fully prepaid, addressed to the defendant at his or her usual place of abode, or (3) as provided in Section 1-2-9.2 of the Illinois Municipal Code with respect to violation of an ordinance governing parking or standing of vehicles in cities with a population over 500,000. The certificate of the officer or affidavit of the person that he or she has sent the copy in pursuance of this Section is evidence that he or she has done so. No employee of a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act shall obstruct an officer or other person making service in compliance with this Section. An employee of a gated residential community shall grant entry into the community, including its common areas and common elements, to a process server authorized under Section 2-202 of this Code who is attempting to serve process on a defendant or witness who resides within or is known to be within the community. As used in this Section, "gated residential community" includes a condominium association, housing cooperative, or private community.
    (b) The officer, in his or her certificate or in a record filed and maintained in the Sheriff's office, or other person making service, in his or her affidavit or in a record filed and maintained in his or her employer's office, shall (1) identify as to sex, race, and approximate age the defendant or other person with whom the summons was left and (2) state the place where (whenever possible in terms of an exact street address) and the date and time of the day when the summons was left with the defendant or other person.
    (c) Any person who knowingly sets forth in the certificate or affidavit any false statement, shall be liable in civil contempt. When the court holds a person in civil contempt under this Section, it shall award such damages as it determines to be just and, when the contempt is prosecuted by a private attorney, may award reasonable attorney's fees.
(Source: P.A. 98-104, eff. 7-22-13; 98-966, eff. 1-1-15; 99-180, eff. 7-29-15.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 79 cases (38 in the last 5 years), 1996–2026 · leading case: Cent. Mortg. Co. v. Kamarauli, 2012 IL App (1st) 112353 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012).
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Cent. Mortg. Co. v. Kamarauli, 2012 IL App (1st) 112353 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012). · cites it 5× “In their motion, defendants argued that service for them on Anna Mourzaeva was not proper because, although Anna was their mother/mother-in-law, she was not a member of their household, as required by section 2-203 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS…”
Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co. v. Brewer, 2012 IL App (1st) 111213 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012). “735 ILCS 5/2-203 (West 2008). Rule 7.3 merely applies the general requirements for affidavits to affidavits filed in support of motions for service by publication.”
People Ex Rel. Waller v. Harrison, 810 N.E.2d 589 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). “1 of the Code provides that if service upon an individual defendant is impractical, a plaintiff may request that the court allow "a comparable method of service." 735 ILCS 5/2-203.1 (West 2000). The motion must be accompanied by an affidavit "stating the nature and extent of the…”
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Mitchell, 2014 IL 116311 (Ill. 2014). “Plaintiff acknowledged the substituted service was improper because it was not in compliance with section 2-203 of the Code (735 ILCS 5/2-203 (West 2008)). Plaintiff argued, however, that defendant waived all objections to the court’s personal jurisdiction by filing a…”
Illinois Serv. Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n of Chicago v. Manley, 2015 IL App (1st) 143089 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 2× “¶7 On June 11, 2014, Manley filed a pro se motion to quash service under section 2-203(a) of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a) (West 2012)), claiming Illinois Service never personally served her with the summons and complaint.”
Dep't of Healthcare & Fam. Servs. ex rel. Sanders v. Edwards, 2022 IL App (1st) 210409 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “** (2) by leaving a copy at the defendant’s usual place of abode, with some person of the family or a person residing there, of the age of 13 years or upwards, and informing that person of the contents of the summons, provided the officer or other person making service shall…”
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Mitchell, 2014 IL 116311 (Ill. 2014). “Plaintiff acknowledged the substituted service was improper because it was not in compliance with section 2-203 of the Code (735 ILCS 5/2-203 (West 2008)). Plaintiff argued, however, that defendant waived all objections to the court’s personal jurisdiction by filing a…”
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Pieczonka, 2015 IL App (1st) 133128 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 3× “In his motion, defendant argued, inter alia, that he was not served at his usual place of abode, as required by section 2-203(a)(2) of the Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a)(2) (West 2012)). In support of his motion, defendant attached an affidavit that he…”
Mayfield v. Smith, 2019 IL App (1st) 181899 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 2× “) 735 ILCS 5/2-203(a) (West 2016). Our supreme court has found that “the affidavit 3 We note that the motion to quash states that plaintiff produced an affidavit of service in open court on July 12, 2017; as the e-mail is attached to the motion to quash, we presume that this…”
In Re Weitzman, 381 B.R. 874 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 2008). “735 ILCS 5/2-203(a). Illinois law further provides that an individual receiver appointed for either an individual or a corporation may be served summons like any other individual or by leaving a copy of the summons with any agent in his employ.”
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Pieczonka, 2015 IL App (1st) 133128 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 3× “In his motion, defendant argued, inter alia, that he was not served at his usual place of abode, as required by section 2-203(a)(2) of the Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a)(2) (West 2012)). In support of his motion, defendant attached an affidavit that he…”
Metrobank v. Cannatello, 2012 IL App (1st) 110529 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012). “735 ILCS 5/2-203 (West 2010). The sheriff’s affidavit of service averred that, on February 17, 2010, a copy of the complaint and summons was left with Robert Cannatello, age 64, a member of defendant’s family or person who lived at 2947 S.”
Show all 79 citing cases →
— 735 ILCS 5/2-203(a) — 31 cases
Cent. Mortg. Co. v. Kamarauli, 2012 IL App (1st) 112353 (Ill. App. Ct. 2012). “In their motion, defendants argued that service for them on Anna Mourzaeva was not proper because, although Anna was their mother/mother-in-law, she was not a member of their household, as required by section 2-203 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS…”
In Re Weitzman, 381 B.R. 874 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 2008). “735 ILCS 5/2-203(a). Illinois law further provides that an individual receiver appointed for either an individual or a corporation may be served summons like any other individual or by leaving a copy of the summons with any agent in his employ.”
Courts of Northbrook Condo. Ass'n v. Bhutani, 2014 IL App (1st) 130417 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014).
Illinois Serv. Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n of Chicago v. Manley, 2015 IL App (1st) 143089 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “¶7 On June 11, 2014, Manley filed a pro se motion to quash service under section 2-203(a) of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a) (West 2012)), claiming Illinois Service never personally served her with the summons and complaint.”
Mayfield v. Smith, 2019 IL App (1st) 181899 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019). “) 735 ILCS 5/2-203(a) (West 2016). Our supreme court has found that “the affidavit 3 We note that the motion to quash states that plaintiff produced an affidavit of service in open court on July 12, 2017; as the e-mail is attached to the motion to quash, we presume that this…”
— 735 ILCS 5/2-203(a)(1) — 8 cases
People Ex Rel. Waller v. Harrison, 810 N.E.2d 589 (Ill. App. Ct. 2004). “1 of the Code provides that if service upon an individual defendant is impractical, a plaintiff may request that the court allow "a comparable method of service." 735 ILCS 5/2-203.1 (West 2000). The motion must be accompanied by an affidavit "stating the nature and extent of the…”
In re Adoption of M.A.E., 2022 IL App (5th) 210291-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2022).
O'Halloran v. Luce, 2013 IL App (1st) 113735 (Ill. App. Ct. 2013).
Dep't of Healthcare & Fam. Servs. v. Oliver, 2023 IL App (5th) 220123-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
Illinois Dep't of Healthcare & Fam. Servs. v. Hambrick, 2024 IL App (1st) 220651-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024).
— 735 ILCS 5/2-203(a)(2) — 14 cases
Dep't of Healthcare & Fam. Servs. ex rel. Sanders v. Edwards, 2022 IL App (1st) 210409 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “** (2) by leaving a copy at the defendant’s usual place of abode, with some person of the family or a person residing there, of the age of 13 years or upwards, and informing that person of the contents of the summons, provided the officer or other person making service shall…”
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Pieczonka, 2015 IL App (1st) 133128 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “In his motion, defendant argued, inter alia, that he was not served at his usual place of abode, as required by section 2-203(a)(2) of the Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a)(2) (West 2012)). In support of his motion, defendant attached an affidavit that he…”
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Pieczonka, 2015 IL App (1st) 133128 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “In his motion, defendant argued, inter alia, that he was not served at his usual place of abode, as required by section 2-203(a)(2) of the Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a)(2) (West 2012)). In support of his motion, defendant attached an affidavit that he…”
Dore v. Quezada, 2017 IL App (1st) 162142 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017).
Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co. v. Nichols, 2013 IL App (1st) 120350 (Ill. App. Ct. 2013).
— 735 ILCS 5/2-203(b) — 6 cases
Illinois Serv. Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n of Chicago v. Manley, 2015 IL App (1st) 143089 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “¶7 On June 11, 2014, Manley filed a pro se motion to quash service under section 2-203(a) of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-203(a) (West 2012)), claiming Illinois Service never personally served her with the summons and complaint.”
In Re Gant, 201 B.R. 216 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 1996).
GSUPB v. Rosenzweig, 2023 IL App (1st) 221204-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2023).
U.S. Bank Trust, N.A. v. Martin, 2019 IL App (1st) 190924-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2019).
Ashraf v. Machiyara, 2021 IL App (1st) 201277-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2021).
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