15 CFR § 904.3 - Filing and service.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t15/s904.3"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "15 CFR § 904.3 - Filing and service."
title_number: 15
title_name: "Commerce and Foreign Trade"
section_number: "904.3"
section_name: "Filing and service."
chapter_name: "NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL REGULATIONS"
part_number: "904"
part_name: "CIVIL PROCEDURES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "16 U.S.C. 1801  16 U.S.C. 1531  16 U.S.C. 1361  16 U.S.C. 3371  16 U.S.C. 1431  16 U.S.C. 6901  16 U.S.C. 773  16 U.S.C. 951  16 U.S.C. 5001  16 U.S.C. 3631  42 U.S.C. 9101  30 U.S.C. 1401  16 U.S.C. 971  16 U.S.C. 781  16 U.S.C. 2431  16 U.S.C. 972  16 U.S.C. 916  16 U.S.C. 1151  16 U.S.C. 3601  16 U.S.C. 1851 note; 15 U.S.C. 330  16 U.S.C. 2461  16 U.S.C. 5101  16 U.S.C. 1371  16 U.S.C. 3601  16 U.S.C. 1822 note, 16 U.S.C. 4001  16 U.S.C. 5501  16 U.S.C. 5601  16 U.S.C. 973  16 U.S.C. 1827a, 16 U.S.C. 7701  16 U.S.C. 7801  16 U.S.C. 1826g, 51 U.S.C. 60101  16 U.S.C. 7001  16 U.S.C. 7401  16 U.S.C. 2401  16 U.S.C. 1826k note, 1857 note, 22 U.S.C. 1980, Pub. L. 116-340, 134 Stat. 5128."
regulatory_source: "71 FR 12448, Mar. 10, 2006, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "904"
---


# 904.3 Filing and service.

(a) Service of a NOVA (§ 904.101), NOPS (§ 904.302), NIDP (§ 904.303), Notice of Proposed Forfeiture (§ 904.504), Notice of Seizure (§ 904.501), Notice of Summary Sale (§ 904.505), Written Warning (§ 904.402), or Initial Decision (§ 904.271) may be made by certified mail (return receipt requested), electronic transmission, or third party commercial carrier to an addressee's last known address or by personal delivery. Service of a notice under this subpart will be considered effective upon receipt.

(b) Service of documents and papers, other than those described in paragraph (a) of this section, may be made by first class mail (postage prepaid), electronic transmission, or third party commercial carrier, to an addressee's last known address or by personal delivery. Service of documents and papers will be considered effective upon the date of postmark (or as otherwise shown for government-franked mail), delivery to third party commercial carrier, electronic transmission, or upon personal delivery.

(c) Whenever this part requires service of a document or other paper referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, such service may effectively be made on the agent for service of process, on the attorney for the person to be served, or other representative. Refusal by the person to be served (including an agent, attorney, or representative) of service of a document or other paper will be considered effective service of the document or other paper as of the date of such refusal. In cases where a document or paper described in paragraph (a) of this section is returned unclaimed, service will be considered effective if the U.S. Postal Service provides an affidavit stating that the party was receiving mail at the same address during the period when certified service was attempted.

(d) Any documents and other papers filed or served must be signed:

(1) By the person or persons filing the same;

(2) By an officer thereof if a corporation;

(3) By an officer or authorized employee if a government instrumentality; or

(4) By an attorney or other person having authority to sign.

[87 FR 38936, June 30, 2022]