19.09.305 - Service on secretary when registrant not found -- Procedure -- Fee -- Costs. - Washington Statutes

Service on secretary when registrant not found — Procedure — Fee — Costs.

When a person or an organization registered under this chapter, or its president, treasurer, or comparable officers, cannot be found after reasonably diligent effort, the secretary of state shall be an agent of such person or organization upon whom process may be served. Service on the secretary shall be made by delivering to the secretary or the secretary's designee duplicate copies of such process, and a filing fee to be established by rule of the secretary. Thereupon, the secretary shall immediately cause one of the copies thereof to be forwarded to the registrant at the most current address shown in the secretary's files. Any service so had on the secretary shall be returnable in not less than thirty days.

     Any fee under this section shall be taxable as costs in the action.

     The secretary shall maintain a record of all process served on the secretary under this section, and shall record the date of service and the secretary's action with reference thereto.

     Nothing in this section limits or affects the right to serve process required or permitted to be served on a registrant in any other manner now or hereafter permitted by law.

[1993 c 471 § 16; 1983 c 265 § 7.]