(A) Each person that is not organized under the laws of this state, that is not licensed under section 1703.03 of the Revised Code, or that does not have its principal place of business in this state, shall submit to the division of securities an irrevocable consent to service of process, as described in division (B) of this section, in connection with any of the following:

(1) Filings to claim any of the exemptions enumerated in division (Q), (W), or (Y) of section 1707.03 of the Revised Code;

(2) Applications for registration by description, qualification, or coordination;

(3) Notice filings pursuant to section 1707.092 of the Revised Code.

(B) The irrevocable written consent shall be executed and acknowledged by an individual duly authorized to give the consent and shall do all of the following:

(1) Designate the secretary of state as agent for service of process or pleadings;

(2) State that actions growing out of the sale of such securities, the giving of investment advice, or fraud committed by a person on whose behalf the consent is submitted may be commenced against the person, in the proper court of any county in this state in which a cause of action may arise or in which the plaintiff in the action may reside, by serving on the secretary of state any proper process or pleading authorized by the laws of this state;

(3) Stipulate that service of process or pleading on the secretary of state shall be taken in all courts to be as valid and binding as if service had been made upon the person on whose behalf the consent is submitted.

(C) Notwithstanding any application, form, or other material filed with or submitted to the division that purports to appoint as agent for service of process a person other than the secretary of state, the application, form, or other material shall be considered to appoint the secretary of state as agent for service of process.

(D) Service of any process or pleadings may be made on the secretary of state by duplicate copies, of which one shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state, and the other immediately forwarded by the secretary of state by certified mail to the principal place of business of the person on whose behalf the consent is submitted or to the last known address as shown on the filing made with the division. However, failure to mail such copy does not invalidate the service.

(E) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, or of any rule adopted by the division of securities under this chapter, that requires the submission of a consent to service of process, the division may provide by rule for the electronic filing or submission of a consent to service of process.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 09-16-2003 .