Florida Association of Professional Process Servers

What Florida Association of Professional Process Servers does

Florida Association of Professional Process Servers (FAPPS) is a Florida-based nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1980 and headquartered in Melbourne, FL. As the chartered state association of the National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS), it serves licensed Florida process servers authorized under Florida law to deliver formal court documents, alongside attorneys and law firms seeking qualified process servers and government/court systems requiring proper service of process. The association operates a membership-based platform that includes the AFPS Formal Education Program (16-hour initial training at $180 and 4-hour continuing education at $75), the AFPS registry, a searchable member directory by county/city/zip, the Secure Document Trading Service (SDTS) for encrypted document exchange (partnered with Secure Document Trading, Inc.), the quarterly Paper Chase newsletter, an annual convention, and a Violence Incident Report Form used for legislative advocacy.

FAPPS generates revenue through three core streams: annual membership dues ($150 Active, $120 Associate, $30 Supporting), education and training course fees, and advertising (newsletter, annual directory, website banners, mailing labels). Distribution is direct and self-serve via the fapps.org website and in-person/online education classes. The association is approved as a training provider in 8 Florida judicial circuits plus the Broward and Seminole County Sheriff offices, with exclusive provider status for the 15th and 19th Judicial Circuits and Broward County Sheriff. Leadership comprises a volunteer Board of Directors (President Chris Yeoman, Vice President Michelle Howard, Secretary Joe Osborne Jr., Treasurer Gretchen Randall, six Directors, and Executive Director Diana Wardwell). FAPPS has been active in legislative advocacy for over 40 years, with documented wins including the 1988 Florida Certified Process Server Act, gated community access (HB 59, 2011), service on LLCs (2014), virtual office service (SB1432, 2016), and SB1062 service on business entities (effective January 2023). The association maintains international members from Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom.

Name

Florida Association of Professional Process Servers

Legal name

Florida Association of Professional Process Servers

Website

https://fapps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Florida Association of Professional Process Servers (FAPPS) is a Florida-based nonprofit membership association founded in 1980, serving licensed process servers, attorneys, and court systems through education, a searchable member directory, encrypted document exchange, and legislative advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees collected from Active ($150/yr), Associate ($120/yr), and Supporting ($30/yr) members. Membership runs January to December with prorated discounts available. Additional county listings available for $20 each.
2. Education and Training Courses: Revenue from AFPS education courses including 16-hour new process server course ($180), 4-hour continuing education ($75), clerical staff training ($50), and course books ($20).
3. Advertising and Publications: Revenue from newsletter advertising (The Paper Chase), annual directory ads, website banner ads ($199 members/$299 non-members), and mailing label sales ($49.99/set).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FAPPS is a nonprofit professional membership association for licensed Florida process servers. It delivers annual memberships across three tiers, an accredited AFPS Formal Education Program (16-hour initial and 4-hour continuing education courses), a statewide online member directory, the Secure Document Trading Service for encrypted document exchange, and a quarterly newsletter covering Chapter 48 statute updates. The association also advocates for process server legislation and hosts annual conventions and networking events.

Product overview

FAPPS is a professional membership association offering a unified platform of services for Florida process servers. The core offerings include the AFPS Formal Education Program (accreditation and licensing education), a searchable member directory for client referrals, the Secure Document Trading Service for secure document exchange, and quarterly publications including The Paper Chase newsletter. The association also organizes annual events (Convention and Professional Beach Getaway) and provides advocacy through legislative monitoring and a violence reporting system. These products and services work together to support, educate, and connect professional process servers across Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AFPS Formal Education Program Accredited FAPPS Process Server certification program offering a 16-hour initial training course ($180) for first-time licensing and a 4-hour continuing education course ($75) for license renewal. Approved in multiple Florida judicial circuits and offered online via Gototraining and in-person at partner institutions. Members earn or maintain the AFPS designation (valid for two years) by passing with 80% or higher.
• FAPPS Member Search Directory Public online searchable directory enabling attorneys, law firms, and the public to locate FAPPS member process servers by name, company, city, state, zip code, and county throughout Florida. Available to view by county or by city.
• Secure Document Trading Service (SDTS) Encrypted electronic document and data forwarding service provided through FAPPS's partnership with Secure Document Trading, Inc. Members can exchange documents securely without email or other unsecure transport methods, with data and documents encrypted using SSL at each point of transfer.
• The Paper Chase Newsletter Quarterly newsletter published in January, April, June, and September providing updates on Florida statutes, civil rules of procedure, administrative orders, and industry news for FAPPS members. Includes advertising opportunities for members and non-members.
• Annual FAPPS Convention Annual flagship event (36th Annual Convention as of recent years) featuring educational speakers, general membership meetings, board elections, and networking opportunities for process servers.
• Professional Beach Getaway Mid-year weekend event combining education, board meetings, and networking for FAPPS members. Created by Diana Wardwell.
• Violence Incident Report Form Online reporting form for process servers to document assault incidents encountered in the field. Submitted data is compiled into statistical reports used to support lobbying and legislative efforts on process server safety.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPPS is the chartered state association of NAPPS. The relationship involves mutual representation, shared standards development, and coordination on national legislative matters. FAPPS members receive NAPPS affiliation and access to NAPPS resources.
• Secure Document Trading, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationFAPPS partners with Secure Document Trading, Inc. to provide members with SDTS - an encrypted document and data forwarding service. Data and documents are encrypted using SSL at each point of transfer, offering a secure alternative to email or unsecure transport methods.
• Indian River State College (IRSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAPPS partnered with Indian River State College/CCTI as the exclusive training provider for the 19th Judicial Circuit since 2014. Classes are held at the Brown Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Fort Pierce, FL.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ABC Legal Services: A major commercial process serving company offering nationwide service of process with a modern technology platform. Operates in the same legal services delivery space as FAPPS members but as a commercial, technology-enabled incumbent rather than a trade association.
• ServeNow: A leading commercial process serving marketplace and directory connecting attorneys with process servers nationwide. Comparable end-customers (attorneys, law firms) and overlapping directory functionality with FAPPS' member search.
• Prober & Raphael: A commercial process serving company serving attorney clients in multiple U.S. jurisdictions. Comparable to the activity that FAPPS members perform, representing the commercial side of the same value chain.

Others

• Florida Bar Association: The integrated bar association for Florida lawyers. Comparable in being a Florida-based professional membership association with legislative advocacy, education, and member service functions, though for attorneys rather than process servers.

Direct peers

• Texas Process Servers Association: Texas state-level trade association for professional process servers. Offers comparable membership tiers, education programs, and legislative monitoring functions tailored to Texas-specific service-of-process statutes.
• New York State Professional Process Servers Association: New York state trade association representing professional process servers. Comparable in mission, education offerings, advocacy, and member directory functions for a different state jurisdiction.
• National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS): FAPPS' chartered parent association at the national level. NAPPS provides overlapping membership benefits, education, and legislative advocacy, and shares mutual representation arrangements with FAPPS, making it the most direct comparable peer.
• California Association of Legal Support Professionals (CALSPro): A parallel state-level professional association for process servers and legal support professionals in California. Operates with similar membership, education, certification, and advocacy functions, serving the same end-customer segment in a different jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FAPPSonFB

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida Association of Professional Process Servers