721—9.6(17A) Service and filing of petitions and other papers.

1. 9.6(1)  When service required. Except where otherwise provided by law, every petition for declaratory order, petition for intervention, brief, or other paper filed in a proceeding for a declaratory order shall be served upon each of the parties of record to the proceeding, and on all other persons identified in the petition for declaratory order or petition for intervention as affected by or interested in the questions presented, simultaneously with their filing. The party filing a document is responsible for service on all parties and other affected or interested persons.
2. 9.6(2)  Filing—when required. All petitions for declaratory orders, petitions for intervention, briefs, or other papers in a proceeding for a declaratory order shall be filed with the Secretary of State’s Office, First Floor, State Capitol Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, or the Secretary of State’s Office, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319. All petitions, briefs, or other papers that are required to be served upon a party shall be filed simultaneously with the secretary.

3. 9.6(3)  Method of service, time of filing, and proof of mailing. Service upon a party represented by an attorney shall be made upon the attorney unless otherwise ordered. Service is made by delivery or by mailing a copy to the person’s last-known address. Service by mail is complete upon mailing, except where otherwise specifically provided by statute, rule, or order. Except where otherwise provided by law, a document is deemed filed at the time it is delivered to the secretary of state’s office, delivered to an established courier service for immediate delivery to that office, or mailed by first-class mail or state interoffice mail to that office, so long as there is proof of mailing. Proof of mailing includes either a legible United States Postal Service postmark on the envelope, a certificate of service, a notarized affidavit, or a certification in substantially the following form:

   	I certify under penalty of perjury and pursuant to the laws of Iowa that, on (date of mailing), I mailed copies of (describe document) addressed to the (agency office and address) and to the names and addresses of the parties listed below by depositing the same in (a United States post office mailbox with correct postage properly affixed or state interoffice mail).
   	(Date)	(Signature)