Instacart is a household name in California, but if you name “Instacart” as your defendant, you may have a service problem. The company that operates Instacart is not legally incorporated as Instacart. It is incorporated as Maplebear Inc., and that entity name mismatch trips up attorneys and litigants more often than almost any other company on this list.
Getting the entity right before you serve is not a technicality. It is the difference between a valid complaint and a motion to dismiss.
The Correct Legal Entity
Maplebear Inc., doing business as Instacart, is the correct entity. Maplebear Inc. is a Delaware corporation qualified to do business in California as a foreign corporation. It went public on the Nasdaq in September 2023 under the ticker CART, but its legal name for service and court filings remains Maplebear Inc.
When you draft your summons and complaint, the defendant line should read Maplebear Inc., a Delaware corporation doing business as Instacart — or at a minimum Maplebear Inc. dba Instacart. A complaint filed against “Instacart Inc.” or “Instacart, a California corporation” is naming an entity that likely does not exist in the form alleged, and defense counsel will move to quash.
Search bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov to confirm the current registered agent and entity status before you serve.
Where to Serve
Maplebear Inc.’s registered agent for service of process in California is:
CT Corporation System
330 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 700
Glendale, CA 91203
CT Corporation (a Wolters Kluwer company) is one of the two dominant registered agent providers for large corporations in California, alongside CSC. Their Glendale office handles service for thousands of major companies. For more on serving documents at this location, see our CT Corporation Sacramento guide — or visit our general registered agents in Sacramento guide for broader context on how registered agents work.
Note that Maplebear is a Delaware corporation registered in California, meaning it uses a registered agent rather than a direct corporate address for service purposes.
What Documents Are Commonly Served
Instacart generates consistent litigation volume across several categories:
• AB5 and gig worker misclassification claims — Instacart uses a contractor model for its shoppers, and that model has been challenged repeatedly under California’s Assembly Bill 5. Misclassification cases against Instacart remain active in California courts
• PAGA wage and hour claims — related to AB5, these claims allege that Instacart shoppers are misclassified employees entitled to minimum wage, overtime, expense reimbursements, and meal and rest break protections under California law
• Personal injury complaints from delivery accidents — when an Instacart shopper causes a traffic accident while on delivery, the question of employer liability and insurance coverage frequently leads to litigation
• CCPA complaints — Instacart collects substantial consumer data and has faced scrutiny under the California Consumer Privacy Act
• Summons and complaints in consumer fraud and false advertising cases
How We Handle It
CT Corporation’s Glendale office is one of the highest-volume registered agent service locations in Southern California. We coordinate service there through our network and provide court-ready proof of service with full intake documentation.
Service Level | Timeframe | Price
Standard | 10 business days | \$99
Expedited | 3 business days | \$150
Rush | 24 hours | \$175
Court Filing Add-on | — | +\$30
