48.061 Service on partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and limited partnerships.—
(1)(a) Process against a partnership that is not a limited liability partnership or a limited partnership, including a limited liability limited partnership, must be served on any partner and is as valid for service on the partnership as if served on each individual partner.
1. If a partner is not available during regular business hours to accept service on behalf of the partnership, he or she may designate an employee or agent to accept such service.
2. After one attempt to serve a partner or designated employee or agent for service of process has been made, process may be served on a person in charge of the partnership during regular business hours.
(b) If the partnership designated an agent when registering as a general partnership with the Department of State, service on the agent is as valid for service on the partnership as if served on each individual partner; however, unless individual partners are served, the plaintiff may only proceed to judgment and execution against the assets of the partnership.
(2)(a) Process against a domestic limited liability partnership must first be served on the then-current registered agent for service of process specified in its statement of qualification, in its statement of qualification as amended or restated, or as redesignated in its annual report or change of agent filing and is as valid for service on the limited liability partnership as if served on each individual partner. If service cannot be made on the registered agent because the domestic limited liability partnership ceases to have a registered agent, or if the registered agent cannot otherwise be served after one good faith attempt because of a failure to comply with this chapter or chapter 620, the process may be served on any partner.
1. If a partner is not available during regular business hours to accept service on behalf of the partnership, he or she may designate an employee to accept such service.
2. After one attempt to serve a partner or designated employee has been made, process may be served on a person in charge of the partnership during regular business hours.
(b) If, after due diligence, the process cannot be completed under paragraph (a), the process may be served as provided in s. 48.161 on the Secretary of State as an agent of the domestic limited liability partnership or by order of the court under s. 48.102.
(3)(a)1. Process against a domestic limited partnership, including a domestic limited liability limited partnership, must first be served on the then-current agent for service of process specified in its certificate of limited partnership, in its certificate as amended or restated, or as redesignated in its annual report or change of agent filing and is as valid for service on the domestic limited partnership as if served on each individual general partner of the partnership.
2. If service cannot be made on the registered agent because the domestic limited partnership or domestic limited liability limited partnership ceases to have a registered agent, or if the registered agent cannot otherwise be served following one good faith attempt because of a failure to comply with this chapter or chapter 620, the process may be served on any general partner.
3. After service on a general partner or the registered agent, the plaintiff may proceed to judgment and execution against the assets of the domestic limited partnership or of that general partner, unless the domestic limited partnership is a limited liability limited partnership.
(b) If, after due diligence, the process cannot be completed under paragraph (a), then process may be served as provided in s. 48.161 on the Secretary of State as an agent of the limited partnership or by order of the court under s. 48.102.
(4)(a) Process against a foreign limited liability partnership that was required to comply with s. 620.9102 may be served as prescribed under subsection (2).
(b) A foreign limited liability partnership engaging in business in this state but not registered is considered, for purposes of service of process, a nonresident engaging in business in this state and may be served pursuant to s. 48.181 or by order of the court under s. 48.102.
(5)(a) Process against a foreign limited partnership that was required to comply with s. 620.1902 may be served as prescribed under subsection (3).
(b) A foreign limited partnership engaging in business in this state but not registered is considered, for purposes of service of process, a nonresident engaging in business in this state and may be served pursuant to s. 48.181 or by order of the court under s. 48.102.
History.—s. 13, Nov. 23, 1828; RS 1017; GS 1404; RGS 2601; CGL 4248; s. 4, ch. 67-254; s. 74, ch. 86-263; s. 3, ch. 87-405; s. 272, ch. 95-147; s. 2, ch. 2022-190.
