490.1510 Service on foreign corporation.

1. The registered agent of a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state is the corporation’s agent for service of process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the foreign corporation.

2. A foreign corporation may be served by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the secretary of the foreign corporation at its principal office shown in its application for a certificate of authority or in its most recent biennial report if the foreign corporation meets any of the following conditions:

a. Has no registered agent or its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served.

b. Has withdrawn from transacting business in this state under section 490.1520.

c. Has had its certificate of authority revoked under section 490.1531.

3. a. A foreign corporation that does not have a current certificate of authority to transact business in this state under section 490.1503 may be served, with respect to an in rem action, in the manner provided in subsections 2 and 4, addressed to the secretary of the foreign corporation at its principal office as found either in the records of the jurisdiction of incorporation or in public records filed by it with an agency of the United States or any state having regulatory authority over the foreign corporation’s business and affairs.

b. For purposes of paragraph “a”, “in rem action” means an action, statutory notice, or demand involving the title to real estate or tangible personal property sited in Iowa; the partition or the foreclosure of a lien or mortgage against real estate; or the determination of the priorities of liens or claims against such real estate or personal property.

4. Service is perfected under subsection 2 or 3 at the earliest of:

a. The date the foreign corporation receives the mail.

b. The date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the foreign corporation.

c. Five days after its deposit in the United States mail, as evidenced by the postmark, if mailed postpaid and correctly addressed.

5. A foreign corporation may also be served in any other manner permitted by law.

89 Acts, ch 288, §170; 97 Acts, ch 171, §16; 2011 Acts, ch 56, §1, 2

Referred to in §490.1531, 490.1532