---
kind: "section"
citation: "45 C.F.R. § 1174.8"
title: "45"
number: "1174.8"
heading: "Service of a complaint."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/45/1174.8"
---

# §1174.8. Service of a complaint.

- (a) The reviewing official must serve the complaint on an individual defendant directly, on a partnership through a general partner, and on a corporation or an unincorporated association through an executive officer or a director, except that the reviewing official may also make service on any person authorized by appointment or by law to receive process for the defendant.
- (b) The reviewing official may serve the complaint either by:
  - (1) Registered or certified mail; or
  - (2) **Personal delivery by anyone eighteen years of age or older.**
- (c) The date of service is the date of personal delivery or, in the case of service by registered or certified mail, the date of postmark.
- (d) When the reviewing official serves the complaint, he or she should also serve the defendant with a copy of this part and [31 U.S.C. 3801-3812](/usc/31/3801-3812.md).

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 31 U.S.C. 3801-3812; 5 U.S.C. App. 8G(a)(2).

### Source

Source: 86 FR 44628, Aug. 13, 2021, unless otherwise noted.