(1) Each corporation shall designate and continuously maintain in this state:

(a) A registered office, which may be the same as its place of business in this state; and

Terms Used In Florida Statutes 607.0501

  • Authorized entity: means :
    (a) A corporation for profit;
    (b) A limited liability company;
    (c) A limited liability partnership; or
    (d) A limited partnership, including a limited liability limited partnership. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Day: means a calendar day. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Department: means the Florida Department of State. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Domestic: means , with respect to an entity, an entity governed as to its internal affairs by the laws of this state. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Entity: includes corporation and foreign corporation; unincorporated association; business trust, estate, limited liability company, partnership, trust, and two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest; and state, United States, and foreign governments. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Foreign: means , with respect to an entity, an entity governed as to its internal affairs by the organic law of a jurisdiction other than this state. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Individual: includes the estate of an incompetent or deceased individual. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Proceeding: includes a civil suit, a criminal action, an administrative action, and an investigatory action. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • Writing: means printing, typewriting, electronic communication, or other communication that is reducible to a tangible form. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
(b) A registered agent, which must be:

1. An individual who resides in this state whose business address is identical to the address of the registered office;
2. Another domestic entity that is an authorized entity and whose business address is identical to the address of the registered office; or
3. A foreign entity authorized to transact business in this state which is an authorized entity and whose business address is identical to the address of the registered office.
(2) This section does not apply to corporations which are required by law to designate the Chief Financial Officer as their attorney for the service of process, associations subject to the provisions of chapter 665, and banks and trust companies subject to the provisions of the financial institutions codes.
(3) Each initial registered agent, and each successor registered agent that is appointed, shall file a statement in writing with the department, in the form and manner prescribed by the department, accepting the appointment as registered agent while simultaneously being designated as the registered agent. The statement of acceptance must provide that the registered agent is familiar with, and accepts, the obligations of that position.
(4) The duties of a registered agent are:

(a) To forward to the corporation at the address most recently supplied to the registered agent by the corporation, a process, notice, or demand pertaining to the corporation which is served on or received by the registered agent; and
(b) If the registered agent resigns, to provide the notice required under s. 607.0503 to the corporation at the address most recently supplied to the registered agent by the corporation.
(5) The department shall maintain an accurate record of the registered agent and registered office for service of process and shall promptly furnish any information disclosed thereby upon request and payment of the required fee.
(6) A corporation may not prosecute or maintain an action in a court in this state until the corporation complies with this section, pays to the department any amounts required under this chapter, and, to the extent ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, pays to the department a penalty of $5 for each day it has failed to so comply or $500, whichever is less.
(7) A court may stay a proceeding commenced by a corporation until the corporation complies with this section.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Part I Contents