(1) As used in this section, the term “foreign business entity” means any corporation or other business entity that is incorporated, formed, or existing under the laws of any other state, territory, or commonwealth, or the laws of any foreign country.
(2) The acceptance by any individual who is a resident of any other state, territory, or commonwealth, or of any foreign country, or by any foreign business entity of the privilege extended by law to nonresidents to operate, conduct, engage in, or carry on a business or business venture in this state, or to have an office or agency in this state, is deemed to constitute an appointment by the individual or foreign business entity of the Secretary of State of this state as its agent on whom process in any action or proceeding against the individual or foreign business entity, or any combination thereof, arising out of any transaction or operation connected with or incidental to the business or business venture may be served as substituted service in accordance with this chapter. The acceptance of the privilege is signification of the agreement of the respective individual or foreign business entity that the process served against it in accordance with this chapter is of the same validity as if served personally on the individual or foreign business entity.
(3) If a foreign business entity has registered to do business in this state and has maintained its registration in an active status or otherwise continued to have a registered agent designated in accordance with s. 48.091, personal service of process must first be attempted on the foreign business entity in the manner and order of priority described in this chapter as applicable to the foreign business entity. If, after due diligence, the party seeking to effectuate service of process is unable to effectuate service of process on the foreign business entity in the manner and order of priority provided in this chapter, the party may use substituted service of process on the Secretary of State. (4) Any individual or foreign business entity that conceals its whereabouts is deemed to have appointed the Secretary of State as its agent on whom all process may be served, in any action or proceeding against such individual or foreign business entity, arising out of any transaction or operation connected with or incidental to any business or business venture carried on in this state by such individual or foreign business entity.
(5) Any individual who was a resident of this state and who subsequently became a nonresident is deemed to have appointed the Secretary of State as his or her agent on whom all process may be served in any action or proceeding against such individual arising out of any transaction or operation connected with or incidental to any business or business venture carried on in this state by such individual.
(6) Any individual or foreign business entity that sells, consigns, or leases by any means whatsoever tangible or intangible personal property, through brokers, jobbers, wholesalers, or distributors to any individual, corporation, or other business entity in this state is conclusively presumed to be both engaged in substantial and not isolated activities within this state and operating, conducting, engaging in, or carrying on a business or business venture in this state.
(7) Service pursuant to this section must be effectuated in the manner prescribed by s. 48.161. 1Note.—Section 5, ch. 2025-13, provides:“(1) The amendments made to chapter 48, Florida Statutes, by chapter 2022-190, Laws of Florida, apply to causes of action that accrued on or after January 2, 2023, and to all causes of action that accrued before January 2, 2023, for which service of process was effectuated on or after January 2, 2023.
“(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any service of process that occurred between January 2, 2023, and October 1, 2025, which has not been invalidated by a court, is valid if such service complied with either chapter 48, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2022-190, Laws of Florida, or the laws governing service of process in effect before January 2, 2023, which would have applied in the absence of chapter 2022-190, Laws of Florida.
“(3) The amendments made by this act apply to all service of process made or effectuated on or after October 1, 2025, regardless of whether the cause of action accrued before, on, or after October 1, 2025.
“(4) This section does not extend or modify the time for challenging the validity of any service of process and does not revive any ability to challenge the validity of service of process which has previously been waived.”
