Fla. Stat. 48.111
Service on public agencies and officers

(1)

Process against any municipal corporation, agency, board, or commission, department, or subdivision of the state or any county which has a governing board, council, or commission or which is a body corporate shall be served:On the registered agent; orIf the municipal corporation, agency, board, or commission, department, or subdivision of the state does not have a registered agent, or if the registered agent cannot otherwise be served after one good faith attempt:
On the president, mayor, chair, or other head thereof; and in the absence of all persons listed in this subparagraph;
On the vice president, vice mayor, or vice chair; and in the absence of all persons listed in subparagraph 1. and this subparagraph;
On any member of the governing board, council, or commission, the manager of the governmental entity, if any, or an in-house attorney for the governmental entity, if any; and in the absence of all the persons listed in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., and this subparagraph;
On any employee of the governmental entity at the main office of the governmental entity.

(a)

On the registered agent; or

(b)

If the municipal corporation, agency, board, or commission, department, or subdivision of the state does not have a registered agent, or if the registered agent cannot otherwise be served after one good faith attempt:On the president, mayor, chair, or other head thereof; and in the absence of all persons listed in this subparagraph;On the vice president, vice mayor, or vice chair; and in the absence of all persons listed in subparagraph 1. and this subparagraph;On any member of the governing board, council, or commission, the manager of the governmental entity, if any, or an in-house attorney for the governmental entity, if any; and in the absence of all the persons listed in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., and this subparagraph;On any employee of the governmental entity at the main office of the governmental entity.
1. On the president, mayor, chair, or other head thereof; and in the absence of all persons listed in this subparagraph;
2. On the vice president, vice mayor, or vice chair; and in the absence of all persons listed in subparagraph 1. and this subparagraph;
3. On any member of the governing board, council, or commission, the manager of the governmental entity, if any, or an in-house attorney for the governmental entity, if any; and in the absence of all the persons listed in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., and this subparagraph;
4. On any employee of the governmental entity at the main office of the governmental entity.

(2)

Process against any public agency, board, commission, or department not a body corporate or having a governing board or commission shall be served on the public officer being sued or the chief executive officer of the agency, board, commission, or department.

(3)

In any suit in which the Department of Revenue or its successor is a party, process against the department shall be served on the executive director of the department. This procedure is to be in lieu of any other provision of general law, and shall designate said department to be the only state agency or department to be so served.

Source: Section 48.111 — Service on public agencies and officers, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0048.­111 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

48.011
Process 48.19
Service on nonresidents operating aircraft or watercraft in the state 48.20
Service of process on Sunday 48.21
Return of execution of process 48.021
Process 48.22
Cumulative to other laws 48.23
Lis pendens 48.25
Short title 48.27
Certified process servers 48.29
Certification of process servers 48.31
Removal of certified process servers 48.031
Service of process generally 48.041
Service on minor 48.042
Service on incompetent 48.051
Service on state prisoners 48.061
Service on partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and limited partnerships 48.062
Service on a domestic limited liability company or registered foreign limited liability company 48.071
Service on agents of nonresidents doing business in the state 48.081
Service on a domestic corporation or registered foreign corporation 48.091
Partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies 48.092
Service on financial institutions 48.101
Service on dissolved corporations, dissolved limited liability companies, dissolved limited partnerships, and dissolved limited liability partnerships 48.102
Service by other means 48.111
Service on public agencies and officers 48.121
Service on the state 48.131
Service on alien property custodian 48.141
Service on labor unions 48.151
Service on statutory agents for certain persons 48.161
Method of substituted service on nonresident 48.171
Service on nonresident motor vehicle owners, etc 48.181
Substituted service on nonresidents and foreign business entities engaging in business in state or concealing their whereabouts 48.183
Service of process in action for possession of premises 48.184
Service of process for removal of unknown parties in possession 48.193
Acts subjecting person to jurisdiction of courts of state 48.194
Personal service in another state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States 48.195
Service of foreign process 48.196
Service of process in connection with actions under the Florida International Commercial Arbitration Act 48.197
Service in a foreign country

Current through Fall 2025

§ 48.111. Svc. on public agencies & officers's source at flsenate​.gov