"La Puente" on an envelope covers far more ground than the City of La Puente. The two ZIP Codes that carry the name, 91744 and 91746, take in the city, a large share of the City of Industry, and several unincorporated communities run by Los Angeles County. For a process server, that changes nothing about where the papers go. For the case, it can change which housing rules apply and how the address should be described.
The courts, at least, treat the whole area the same. Evictions and small claims stay close, at the West Covina Courthouse. Divorces, restraining orders and larger civil suits go east to Pomona.
We serve summonses, complaints, subpoenas, restraining orders, family law papers and eviction notices at homes, apartments and businesses throughout 91744 and 91746. Start a Service Request with the papers attached, or email Service@ValproAttorneyServices.com.
Where La Puente cases are filed
The Superior Court's Filing Court Locator assigns cases by ZIP Code and community name. We ran both La Puente ZIP Codes in October 2026, covering every community the locator lists under them. All of them returned this table. Distances are straight-line from La Puente's Census center point.
| Case type | Courthouse | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Limited unlawful detainer | West Covina Courthouse, 1427 West Covina Parkway | 2.7 mi |
| Small claims | West Covina Courthouse | 2.7 mi |
| Unlimited civil | Pomona Courthouse South, 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona | 11.6 mi |
| Family law | Pomona Courthouse South | 11.6 mi |
| Restraining orders | Pomona Courthouse South | 11.6 mi |
| Limited civil, collections | Norwalk Courthouse, 12720 Norwalk Blvd. | 10.6 mi |
| Limited civil, not collections | Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles | 16.8 mi |
| Probate | Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 16.8 mi |
Local Rule 2.2 puts the area in the East District, which has three courthouses: Pomona Courthouse South, El Monte and West Covina. El Monte's directory lists criminal and traffic only, so it shouldn't appear on a civil summons.
Who governs a 91744 or 91746 address
The Census Bureau's 2020 file matching ZIP Code areas to places breaks the two ZIP Codes down like this.
91744:
- La Puente, about 33.4% of the land
- Valinda, about 22.7%
- City of Industry, about 19.1%
- South San Jose Hills, about 15.6%
- West Puente Valley, about 9.1%
91746:
- City of Industry, about 39.4%
- Avocado Heights, about 29.2%
- West Puente Valley, about 18.5%
- La Puente, about 9.9%
- small pieces of Baldwin Park, Hacienda Heights and unincorporated land without a Census name
Valinda, West Puente Valley, Avocado Heights and South San Jose Hills are Census-designated places. They have no city government. Los Angeles County provides their local services and sets their local rules. The City of La Puente itself sits mostly in 91744, with about a sixth of its land in 91746.
The locator also lists Bassett and "Covina" as community names under these ZIP Codes. Whatever the label, the courthouses don't change.
Where the La Puente pattern breaks
Two of the neighboring communities spill into ZIP Codes that carry other names, and that's where routing can shift.
- Avocado Heights has about a quarter of its land in 90601, a Whittier ZIP Code. When we ran 90601 in October 2026, the locator had no Avocado Heights row. Its Industry row matched La Puente's courthouses, but its Whittier row sent unlimited civil and evictions to Norwalk, family law to the Whittier Courthouse and small claims to Bellflower.
- South San Jose Hills has about 9% of its land in 91792. The rows listed there, West Covina and Woodside Village, route the same way La Puente does.
So for an address on the Avocado Heights side with a 90601 ZIP Code, the community name on the complaint decides the courthouse. Run the exact name through the locator before filing, and tell us the name you used so our proof of service describes the address the same way.
Rentals outside the city line
The County's Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) enforces the Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance in unincorporated Los Angeles County. For a rental in Valinda, West Puente Valley, Avocado Heights or South San Jose Hills, that ordinance may set the eviction rules. For a rental inside La Puente's city limits, it doesn't.
What the ordinance changes, according to DCBA:
- Evictions need a listed just cause, split into at-fault reasons such as unpaid rent or a nuisance, and no-fault reasons such as an owner move-in, which may require relocation assistance.
- Unpaid rent has a floor. Since April 16, 2026, a landlord may terminate for non-payment only when the past-due rent exceeds two months of Fair Market Rent for that unit size.
- The notice has to show the math. A termination based on that threshold must state the Fair Market Rent amount and the number of bedrooms.
Tenants who get a notice to pay or quit are pointed by DCBA to its free mediation service and to Stay Housed L.A. for legal help and short-term rental assistance. DCBA also runs a Tenant Right to Counsel program that provides free legal help to eligible tenants in unincorporated areas once an unlawful detainer is filed. To check a property, DCBA suggests the Registrar-Recorder's address lookup for whether it's unincorporated, and its own Rent Registry for whether the unit is covered.
When you send a notice for service, tell us which community the unit is in, if you know. The server's description of the address should match the one on the notice.
Papers to serve in La Puente?
The West Covina Courthouse for evictions and small claims
The West Covina building handles the case types that move fastest. The directory lists four departments on the first floor that matter to civil filers: Department 2 for unlawful detainer, Department 3 for small claims, and Departments 1 and 6 for general civil. The small claims and unlawful detainer clerks share a counter, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on court days. The court provides free 4-hour parking in designated areas, though some levels are reserved for court employees.
Urgent eviction matters move on a fixed schedule. The directory says ex parte hearings in unlawful detainer cases are called at 11:00 a.m. in Department 2, every court day. If a lockout date or a stay request is driving your timeline, tell us the date, so the papers that have to be served on the other side are out the door first.
For an eviction: send us the summons, complaint and any prejudgment claim of right to possession, with every adult occupant's name. The tenant gets 10 court days to answer after personal delivery, or 10 calendar days plus 10 court days after the mailing that follows substituted service or posting. The court's e-filing FAQ notes that a limited unlawful detainer complaint is filed as confidential automatically under Code of Civil Procedure § 1161.2.
For small claims: count back from the hearing date on page 1 of the claim. A defendant in Los Angeles County must be served at least 15 days before the hearing, and a defendant in another county at least 20 days before. Substituted service has to be finished 10 days ahead of whichever deadline applies. The server signs form SC-104.
Pomona for family law and larger civil suits
A La Puente divorce, custody or support case, a domestic violence or civil harassment restraining order, and any unlimited civil suit are filed at Pomona Courthouse South. The directory lists the unlimited civil clerk and the family law clerk in Room 101 on the first floor. The family law window opens at 8:00 a.m., half an hour before the civil one. For civil ex parte requests, the directory says the application is filed with the clerk at 8:30 a.m. and heard in the department at 9:00 a.m., so any papers the other side must receive beforehand should be served well ahead of that morning.
Two services in the building help parties who must appear. A Children's Waiting Room on the 4th floor, Room 410, takes children aged 2½ to 13. A Domestic Violence Clinic and the Self-Help Center share Room 730 on the 7th floor. If you're serving a temporary restraining order, send it with the hearing notice as soon as it's signed, because the restrained person has to be served before that date. Proof is on form DV-200 for domestic violence orders and CH-200 for civil harassment.
Choosing the district for an unlimited case
Many unlimited civil cases may be filed either downtown in the Central District or in the East District, depending on the facts. Local Rule 2.3(a)(1)(B) sets the tests: where a contract was to be performed or the defendant lives, where real property sits, where an employee worked, or where a non-injury tort arose.
Personal injury cases have no choice. Under Local Rule 2.3(a)(1)(A), an unlimited case for bodily injury, wrongful death or personal property damage must be filed in the district where it happened. An injury in Valinda or La Puente is an East District case, filed at Pomona. Every new civil filing carries form LACIV 109, which explains the location choice, and a copy is served with the summons.
Collections, probate and e-filing exemptions
Smaller cases split two ways. Limited collection suits, $35,000 or less, are filed at the Norwalk Courthouse, where the first-floor civil counter has its own phone line for collection cases. Other limited cases are filed at Stanley Mosk downtown, along with all La Puente probate, trust, conservatorship and guardianship matters.
Represented parties must e-file in civil cases. The court's FAQ explains that an attorney who can't use the system may ask for an exemption on forms EFS-007 and EFS-008. For a case pending outside the Central District, such as an East District case in Pomona, that request goes to the district's supervising judge. Self-represented parties may file on paper.
Giving the server what the address doesn't say
Because 91744 and 91746 mix two cities with several unincorporated communities, a few extra facts go a long way. Include in the Letter of Instruction:
- The community name, if it's Valinda, West Puente Valley, Avocado Heights or South San Jose Hills.
- Unit, space or suite number, and the business name for a commercial address in Industry.
- Hours the person is usually there, or their shift.
- A second address, such as a workplace in West Covina, Baldwin Park or El Monte.
- A description or photo, and a vehicle with its plate number.
- Prior attempts, with dates and who answered.
- The hearing date, so the attempts finish ahead of it.
Starting January 1, 2027, reasonable diligence before substituted service is shown by attempting personal delivery on at least three occasions, on three different days, at three different times (CCP § 415.20(b)(2)). Our AB 747 guide has the details. We make no guarantees for service.
Companies with a La Puente or Industry address
For a corporation, LLC or limited partnership, the agent for service of process listed with the Secretary of State is usually the first stop. Our serving corporations guide explains agents, officers and registered agent companies. If a person has moved on, skip tracing looks for a new address, and you approve it before the papers go back out. Status updates come by email.
Our Los Angeles County court filing page covers filing at West Covina, Pomona and downtown, and document retrieval pulls conformed copies. The proof of service guide explains which form comes back to you.
Near La Puente
Industry is under a mile from La Puente's center point, West Covina 3 miles and Baldwin Park 3.6. El Monte is 5.2 miles away. The rest of the county starts from our Los Angeles County page.