FL H0157

Expands required hours for registered offices to be open for service of process to include both 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on business days, and allows process to be served on any employee of the registered agent present at the office if the agent is unavailable, including on the first attempt.

Authorizes service of process on domestic business entities, business trusts, or sole proprietorships in receivership by personally serving the receiver during the pendency of the receivership.

Revises substituted service through the Secretary of State by requiring process to be issued in the name of the party to be served (in care of the Secretary of State), removing the Secretary of State's obligation to keep service records, and clarifying that neither the Secretary of State nor the Department of State become parties to lawsuits through substituted service.

Allows substituted service on the Secretary of State when a nonresident or a party concealing their whereabouts cannot be personally served after due diligence, and deems former Florida residents who become nonresidents to have appointed the Secretary of State as their agent for service in business-related actions.

Provides retroactive application, validating any service of process between January 2, 2023, and October 1, 2025, that complied with either the 2022 amendments (chapter 2022-190) or the pre-2023 service of process laws, and applies the new amendments to all service effectuated on or after October 1, 2025.