Rhode Island § 7-6-79 - Rhode Island Nonprofit Corporation Act

§ 7-6-79. Service of process on foreign corporation.

(a) The registered agent appointed by a foreign corporation authorized to conduct affairs in this state shall be an agent of the corporation upon whom any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the corporation may be served.

(b) Whenever a foreign corporation authorized to conduct affairs in this state fails to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this state, or whenever any registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office or whenever the certificate of authority of a foreign corporation is suspended or revoked, the secretary of state shall be an agent of the corporation upon whom any process, notice, or demand may be served. Service on the secretary of state of any process, notice, or demand shall be made by delivering to and leaving with the secretary of state, or with any clerk having charge of the corporation department of the secretary of state’s office, duplicate copies of the process, notice, or demand. If any process, notice, or demand is served on the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall immediately forward one of the copies by registered or certified mail, addressed to the corporation at its principal office in the state or country under the laws of which it is incorporated. Any service upon the secretary of state is returnable in not less than 30 days.

(c) The secretary of state shall keep a record of all processes, notices, and demands served upon the secretary of state under this section, and shall record in the record the time of the service and the secretary of state’s action with reference to the service.

(d) Nothing contained in this section limits or affects the right to serve any process, notice, or demand, required or permitted by law to be served upon a corporation in any other manner now or subsequently permitted by law.