The California Highway Patrol is one of the most active law enforcement agencies in the state, with approximately 7,000 uniformed officers patrolling California’s highways, freeways, and unincorporated areas. The CHP’s scope of operations generates a range of litigation: civil rights lawsuits alleging excessive force, personal injury claims from patrol car accidents, and wrongful death actions are the most common categories in California courts. If you are involved in any of these cases, understanding how to serve the CHP is the essential first step.
No CHP area office, communications center, or headquarters location is authorized to accept service of process. Attempting service at any CHP facility will result in rejection of the documents.
The Government Claims Act Prerequisite
Before filing a lawsuit against the California Highway Patrol, you must file a Government Claim under Government Code Section 910. The Government Claims Act is a mandatory pre-litigation requirement for any action seeking money damages from a California state agency. A lawsuit filed without a prior Government Claim will be dismissed.
File the claim with: California Government Claims Program, Department of General Services, P.O. Box 989052, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9052.
Filing deadlines:
• Personal injury or property damage (the most common category in CHP litigation): six months from the date the cause of action accrued
• All other claims: one year from accrual
The agency has 45 days to respond. If the claim is rejected — or if no response is received within 45 days (deemed rejection) — you have six months to file your lawsuit in court. These deadlines are strictly enforced. A missed filing deadline ends the case.
For civil rights claims brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in federal court, the Government Claims Act requirement does not apply. Federal civil rights claims have their own statute of limitations (generally two years in California) and do not require a prior government claim. Consult with a civil rights attorney to determine which court and which procedural track applies to your specific case.
You Do NOT Serve the CHP Directly
Under Government Code Section 955.4, service of process on the California Highway Patrol must be made on the California Attorney General — not on any CHP facility.
The CHP does not have a registered agent listed with the Secretary of State. It is a state agency, and state agencies are served through the AG. There are no exceptions for “local” or “convenient” service.
The correct service address is:
Office of the Attorney General
1300 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Additional requirement: Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 416.50, you must also send a copy of the summons and complaint by certified mail to the head of the agency. For the CHP, this means mailing a copy to the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol at 601 N. 7th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811. Both steps — personal service on the AG and certified mail to the agency head — are required for valid service.
What Documents Are Commonly Served
CHP litigation in California encompasses several categories:
• Civil rights complaints under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 — Excessive force claims, unlawful arrest, and Fourth Amendment violations filed in federal court. These are among the most significant CHP cases in terms of damages exposure. While § 1983 claims do not require the Government Claims Act prerequisite, they are still served on the AG under state service rules when concurrent state law claims are included.
• Personal injury complaints from patrol car accidents — CHP officers drive at high speeds in law enforcement pursuit situations and emergency response operations. Accidents involving CHP patrol vehicles cause serious injuries and fatalities annually in California. These cases proceed under the Government Tort Liability Act and require the Government Claims Act prerequisite.
• Wrongful death complaints — Cases involving deaths caused by CHP officer-involved shootings, pursuit-related accidents, or other CHP conduct. These are among the highest-profile and highest-damages cases filed against the agency.
• Petitions for writ of mandate — Challenging CHP administrative decisions, including driver license actions taken after DUI investigations and administrative license suspension proceedings.
• Subpoenas for incident records and body camera footage — Attorneys in civil and criminal cases subpoena the CHP for collision reports, use of force documentation, dispatch records, and body-worn camera video.
How We Handle It
The Attorney General’s office at 1300 I Street is one of our most frequently served locations in Sacramento. We handle service for CHP cases, DMV cases, EDD cases, and dozens of other state agency matters at the AG’s office on a regular basis. The building operates with government security protocols, and our servers know the access procedures and intake requirements.
We provide court-ready proof of service documenting the date, time, address, and identity of the person who accepted the documents. For CHP cases that also require certified mail to the CHP Commissioner at 601 N. 7th Street, we can coordinate the mailing as an add-on service.
Service Level | Timeframe | Price
Standard | 10 business days | \$99
Expedited | 3 business days | \$150
Rush | 24 hours | \$175
Court Filing Add-on | — | +\$30
