(A) Any partnership that maintains an effective statement of partnership authority under section 1776.33 of the Revised Code shall maintain continuously in this state an agent for service of process on the partnership. The agent shall be one of the following:

(1) A natural person who is a resident of this state;

(2) A domestic or foreign corporation , nonprofit corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited partnership association, professional association, business trust, or unincorporated nonprofit association that has a business address in this state. If the agent is an entity other than a domestic corporation, the agent shall meet the requirements of Title XVII of the Revised Code for an entity of the agent's type to transact business or exercise privileges in this state.

(B) The secretary of state shall not accept an original statement of partnership authority for filing unless the statement of partnership authority includes a written appointment of an agent as this section requires and a written acceptance of the appointment signed by the designated agent.

(C) If an agent dies, resigns, or moves outside of this state, the partnership shall appoint forthwith another agent and file with the secretary of state an amendment to its statement of partnership authority appointing a new agent and including a written acceptance of the appointment that is signed by the designated agent.

(D) If the address of an agent changes from that stated in the records of the secretary of state, the partnership forthwith shall file with the secretary of state an amendment to its statement of partnership authority setting forth the new address.

(E) An agent may resign by filing a written and signed notice of resignation with the secretary of state on a form the secretary prescribes and mailing a copy of that notice to the partnership. The agent shall mail the copy of the notice to the partnership at the current or last known address of its principal office on or prior to the date that the agent files the notice with the secretary of state. The notice shall include the name of the partnership, the name and current address of the agent, the current or last known address, including the street and number or other particular description, of the partnership's principal office, a statement of the resignation of the agent, and a statement that a copy of the notice was provided to the partnership within the time and in the manner specified in this division. The resigning agent's authority terminates thirty days after filing the notice with the secretary of state.

(F) A partnership may revoke the appointment of its agent by filing with the secretary of state an amendment to its statement of partnership authority indicating that the appointment of the former agent is revoked and that a new agent is appointed. A written acceptance signed by the new designated agent shall accompany the filing.

(G)

(1) Any legal process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon a partnership with an effective statement of partnership authority may be served upon the partnership as follows:

(a) If its agent is a natural person, by delivering a copy of the process, notice, or demand to the agent;

(b) If its agent is not a natural person, by delivering a copy of the process, notice, or demand to the address of the agent in this state as contained in the records of the secretary of state.

(2)

(a) If its agent cannot be found or no longer has the address stated in the records of the secretary of state or the partnership has failed to maintain an agent as this section requires, and the party, agent, or representative that desires service files with the secretary of state an affidavit stating that one of those circumstances exists and the most recent address of the partnership ascertained after a diligent search, then service upon the secretary of state as the agent of the partnership may be initiated by delivering to the secretary of state four copies of the process, notice, or demand accompanied by a fee of not less than five and not more than seven dollars, as determined by the secretary of state.

(b) The secretary of state forthwith shall give notice of that delivery to the partnership at either its principal office as shown upon the secretary of state's records or at any different address specified in the affidavit of the party desiring service and shall forward to the partnership at either address by certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy of the process, notice, or demand.

(c) Service upon the partnership is made when the secretary of state gives the notice and forwards the process, notice, or demand as set forth in division (G)(2) of this section.

(H) The secretary of state shall keep a record of each process, notice, and demand that pertains to a partnership and that is delivered to the secretary of state's office under this section or another law of this state that authorizes service upon the secretary of state in connection with a partnership. In that record, the secretary shall record the time of each delivery of that type and the secretary's subsequent action with respect to the process, notice, or demand.

(I) Nothing in this section limits or affects the right to serve process in any other manner now or hereafter provided by law. This section is an extension of, and not a limitation upon, the right otherwise existing of service of legal process.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 62, SB 98, §1, eff. 2/18/2014.

Effective Date: 2008 HB332 08-06-2008