(a) General. A person shall serve a copy of any document filed with the Hearing Docket on each party at the time of filing. Service on a party's attorney of record or a party's designated representative may be considered adequate service on the party.

(b) Type of service. A person may serve documents by personal delivery or by mail.

(c) Certificate of service. A person may attach a certificate of service to a document tendered for filing with the hearing docket clerk. A certificate of service shall consist of a statement, dated and signed by the person filing the document, that the document was personally delivered or mailed to each party on a specific date.

(d) Date of service. The date of service shall be the date of personal delivery; or if mailed, the mailing date shown on the certificate of service, the date shown on the postmark if there is no certificate of service, or other mailing date shown by other evidence if there is no certificate of service or postmark.

(e) Additional time after service by mail. Whenever a party has a right or a duty to act or to make any response within a prescribed period after service by mail, or on a date certain after service by mail, 5 days shall be added to the prescribed period.

(f) Service by the administrative law judge. The administrative law judge shall serve a copy of each document including, but not limited to, notices of prehearing conferences and hearings, rulings on motions, decisions, and orders, upon each party to the proceedings by personal delivery or by mail.

(g) Valid service. A document that was properly addressed, was sent in accordance with this subpart, and that was returned, that was not claimed, or that was refused, is deemed to have been served in accordance with this subpart. The service shall be considered valid as of the date and the time that the document was deposited with a contract or express messenger, the document was mailed, or personal delivery of the document was refused.