When is Illinois service by a third-party commercial carrier complete?

Confirm that the particular document may be served by a commercial carrier under the applicable rule.

Obtain evidence of the actual package handoff to the carrier, rather than label creation or eventual arrival.

Identify the proper court and its actual open-day calendar before counting three court days.

1. Confirm that the particular document may be served by a commercial carrier under the applicable rule.
2. Exclude the actual triggering day. Count only court days, omitting intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, statutory holidays and any additional closure on the proper court’s actual calendar. The bundled Illinois calendar covers 2026 and 2027. Do not use ordinary calendar-day addition.
3. Check statutory holidays and the proper court’s actual calendar.
4. Complete the particular act in the proper court.

Section 1.11 excludes a final Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday and consecutive excluded days. Section 17(a) of the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act includes Pulaski Day, Good Friday and the general election for members of the House of Representatives. Check proclamations, the proper court’s actual calendar and clerk access separately. The bundled Illinois calendar covers 2026 and 2027.

Fictitious example

Fictitious facts. A permitted carrier service package is actually handed to the carrier. The established event is August 2, 2027. No additional local closure or different court order is assumed.

Fictitious facts. The civil procedure classification and triggering event are independently established. No additional closure, court order or unmodeled restart is assumed.

The service method must be permitted

Rule 11 governs who must receive service and the applicable method. A carrier completion date does not establish that carrier service was permitted for this document or that the correct person was served.

Proof describes handoff, address and prepayment

Rule 12(b)(5) requires certification by the person who delivered the document, stating the time, place, complete address and prepaid delivery charge. Rule 12(a) requires proof to be filed.

Do not mix service methods

Rule 12(c) uses the transmission day for electronic or personal, office or residential delivery, four days after mailing for U.S. mail, and the third court day after carrier handoff for this method.

• The calculator does not decide the applicable civil procedure, disputed facts, sufficiency of a filing or whether the court grants relief.
• Check the governing edition and actual orders. A current rule does not establish every historical case’s timetable.

• Confirm that the particular document may be served by a commercial carrier under the applicable rule.
• Obtain evidence of the actual package handoff to the carrier, rather than label creation or eventual arrival.
• Identify the proper court and its actual open-day calendar before counting three court days.
• Rule 11 governs who must receive service and the applicable method. A carrier completion date does not establish that carrier service was permitted for this document or that the correct person was served.
• Rule 12(b)(5) requires certification by the person who delivered the document, stating the time, place, complete address and prepaid delivery charge. Rule 12(a) requires proof to be filed.
• Rule 12(c) uses the transmission day for electronic or personal, office or residential delivery, four days after mailing for U.S. mail, and the third court day after carrier handoff for this method.
• Preserve the carrier handoff record. Under Rule 12(b)(5), certify the time and place of delivery, the complete package address and prepaid delivery charge. File proof with the clerk under Rule 12(a). Establish this service-completion date before calculating another rule’s response period.