(a) Section 6103 does not apply to any fee or charge or expense for official services rendered by a sheriff or marshal in connection with the levy of writs of attachment, execution, possession, or sale. The fee, charge, or expense may be advanced to the sheriff or marshal, as otherwise required by law.

(b) (1) Notwithstanding Section 6103, the sheriff or marshal, in connection with the service of process or notices, may require that all fees which a public agency, or any person or entity, is required to pay under provisions of law other than this section, be prepaid by a public agency named in Section 6103, or by any person or entity, prior to the performance of any official act. This authority to require prepayment shall include fees governed by Section 6103.5.

(2) This subdivision does not apply to the service of process or notices in any action by the district attorney’s office for the establishment or enforcement of a child support obligation.

(3) This subdivision does not apply to a particular jurisdiction unless the sheriff or marshal, as the case may be, imposes the requirement of prepayment upon public agencies and upon all persons or entities within the private sector.

(4) The requirement for prepayment of a fee deposit does not apply to orders or injunctions described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (x) of Section 527.6, paragraph (1) of subdivision (w) of Section 527.8, or paragraph (1) of subdivision (w) of Section 527.85 of the Code of Civil Procedure, Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code (Prevention of Domestic Violence), Division 3.2 (commencing with Section 18100) of Title 2 of Part 6 of the Penal Code (Gun Violence Restraining Orders), and Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 15600) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act).

However, a sheriff or marshal may submit a billing to the superior court for payment of fees in the manner prescribed by the Judicial Council irrespective of the in forma pauperis status of any party under Rules 3.50 to 3.58, inclusive, of the California Rules of Court. The fees for service, cancellation of service, and making a not found return may not exceed the amounts provided in Sections 26721, 26736, and 26738, respectively, and are subject to the provisions of Section 26731.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 898, Sec. 1. (SB 1200) Effective January 1, 2019.)