Fla. Stat. § 48.161 — Florida Code / Title VI / Chapter 48 / Section 48.161
48.161 Method of substituted service on certain parties in care of the Secretary of State.
Status: in_force

(1) When authorized by law, substituted service of process on a nonresident individual or a corporation or other business entity incorporated or formed under the laws of any other state, territory, or commonwealth, or the laws of any foreign country, may be made by sending a copy of the process to the office of the Secretary of State. Such process must be issued in the name of the party to be served, in the care of the Secretary of State, and must be made by personal delivery; by registered mail; by certified mail, return receipt requested; by use of a commercial firm regularly engaged in the business of document or package delivery; or by electronic transmission. Such service is sufficient service on a party that has appointed or is deemed to have appointed the Secretary of State as such party’s agent for service of process.

(2) When an individual or a business entity is a nonresident or conceals his, her, or its whereabouts, the party seeking to effectuate service may, after exercising due diligence to locate and effectuate personal service, use the substituted service method specified in subsection (1) in connection with any action in which the court has jurisdiction over the individual or business entity.

(3) Whenever a party is using substituted service specified in subsection (1), notice of service and a copy of the process must also be sent forthwith to the party being served by the party effectuating service or by such party’s attorney by registered mail; by certified mail, return receipt requested; or by use of a commercial firm regularly engaged in the business of document or package delivery. In addition, if the parties have recently and regularly used e-mail or other electronic means to communicate between themselves, the notice of service and a copy of the process must also be sent by such electronic means. The notice of service and a copy of the process must be sent to the last known physical address and, if applicable, last known electronic address of the party being served. The party effectuating service shall file proof of service or return receipts showing delivery to the other party by mail or courier and by electronic means, if electronic means were used, unless the party is actively refusing or rejecting the delivery of the notice or the party is concealing himself, herself, or itself. An affidavit of compliance of the party effectuating service or such party’s attorney must be filed within 40 days after the date of service on the Secretary of State or within such additional time as the court allows. The affidavit of compliance must set forth the facts that justify such substituted service and must contain sufficient facts showing: (a) That due diligence was exercised in attempting to locate and effectuate personal service on the party; and (b) To the extent applicable, the party’s nonresidence, or concealment, or that the party is a business entity for which substituted service is otherwise authorized by law. The party effectuating service does not need to allege in its original or amended complaint the facts required to be set forth in the affidavit of compliance.

(4) When an individual or a business entity conceals its whereabouts, the party seeking to effectuate service may, after exercising due diligence to locate and effectuate personal service, use substituted service pursuant to subsection (1) in connection with any action in which the court has jurisdiction over such individual or business entity. The party seeking to effectuate service must also comply with subsection (3); however, a return receipt or other proof showing acceptance of receipt of the notice of service and a copy of the process by the concealed party need not be filed.

(5) The party effectuating service is considered to have used due diligence if that party: (a) Made diligent inquiry and exerted an honest and conscientious effort appropriate to the circumstances to acquire the information necessary to effectuate personal service; (b) In seeking to effectuate personal service, reasonably employed the knowledge at the party’s command, including knowledge obtained pursuant to paragraph (a); and (c) Made an appropriate number of attempts to serve the party, taking into account the particular circumstances, during such times when and where such party is reasonably likely to be found, as determined through resources reasonably available to the party seeking to secure service of process.

(6) If any individual on whom service of process is authorized under subsection (1) dies, service may be made in the same manner on his or her administrator, executor, curator, or personal representative.

(7) The Secretary of State may designate an individual in his or her office to accept service.

(8) Service of process is effectuated under this section on the date the affidavit of compliance is filed, or the date when the notice of service requirements under subsection (3) are completed, whichever is later.

(9) The Department of State shall maintain a record of each process served pursuant to this section and record the time of and the action taken regarding the service. The Secretary of State and the Department of State are not parties to the lawsuit by reason of substituted service under this section, and additional court filings regarding such lawsuit may not be served upon or sent to the Secretary of State or the Department of State after the substituted service is effectuated.

(10) This section does not apply to persons on whom service is authorized under s. 48.151.

History: ss. 2, 4, ch. 17254, 1935; CGL 1936 Supp. 4274 (8), (10); s. 1, ch. 59-382; s. 4, ch. 67-254; s. 4, ch. 71-114; s. 1, ch. 71-308; s. 57, ch. 90-132; s. 277, ch. 95-147; s. 11, ch. 2022-190; s. 3, ch. 2025-13.