How To Serve Process in the State of Florida

Special Note
*  Never place the name of the officer holding the position of secretary on any paper unless they are being sued individually. This applies to all State Agencies.  Only put their title as director or secretary.  Positions change and some offices can be difficult if they have the opportunity to be.

CLICK ON AGENCY BELOW

Chief Financial Officer f/k/a The Florida Insurance Commissioner

Dept Of Insurance – Division of Rehabilitation & Receivership

The Florida Department of Revenue
The Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Enforcement Program

Division of Retirement 
Agency For Workforce Innovation fkaDivision of Unemployment Compensation 
Division of Worker’s Compensation

Agency For Health Care Administration
Attorney General

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Department of Banking & Finance
Department of Business & Professional Regulation
Department of Children & Family Services F/K/A Health & Rehabilitative Services *
Department of Corrections
Department of Environmental Protection
Department Of Health
Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles*
Department of Labor & Employment Security
Department of Management Services
Department of Transportation

State Board Of Administration 
Board Of Regents Of The State Of Florida

Chief Financial Officer  (f/k/a The Florida Insurance Commissioner) 
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

There are two different ways you serve the Chief Financial Officer. The first is if they are being served on behalf of an insurance company doing business in the state of Florida. It is imperative that the insurance company be listed exactly as it is recorded with the Florida Secretary of State (850) 488-9000, or the service will be invalid and must be re-served. When serving them this way the following documents are required…

Three (3) Summons
Two (2) Complaints and/or attachments
A Check in the amount of $15.00 made out to the “Chief Financial Officer”.

Example heading of summons –
Allstate Insurance Company, By serving
The Chief Financial Officer

If serving a subpoena or other process remember you must send a total of three sets for proper service. One will be returned with the servers seal & affidavit. Don’t forget a check for $15.00 to the Chief Financial Officer.

The second way to serve the Chief Financial Officer is if they are being served on behalf of another municipal or governmental agency which is being sued. This is pursuant to F.S. 768.28(7). When serving the Chief Financial Officer in this capacity you do not need the extra copies or the $15.00 fee. It is just like serving any other document; however, you should list on the summons that you are serving the Chief Financial Officerpursuant to F.S. 768.28(7).

Example heading of summons –
The Chief Financial Officer For:
Name of Governmental Agency, County, City etc.
Pursuant to F.S. 768.28(7)

* Remember that you still need to serve the governmental agency as well as the Chief Financial Officer.

The Florida Department of Revenue
2450 Shumard Oak Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 617-8347

Example heading of summons –
The Florida Department of Revenue C/O It’s Executive Director

The process will be served at the above address on the General Counsel’s office. No extra copies or fees required.

Florida Secretary of State, Division of Corporations
2661 Executive Center Circle West
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 487-6953 Corporate Listings (850) 488-9000
Florida Division Of Corporations Search –http://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/search/

There are several ways in which you can effect substitute service on the Florida Secretary of State for individuals & businesses. There are also numerous statute numbers for which they can be served and they require the statute number be listed on the summons. When serving them in this manner the following documents are required…

Three (3) Summons * 
*(One must be an original. It is required to be served on this agency and will returned to Plaintiff
along with acceptance of service letters.)
Two (2) Complete Complaint Packages and/or attachments
A check made out to the Florida Secretary of State in the amount of $8.75.

Example heading of summons –
John Doe or John Doe Business C/O The Florida Secretary of State
As Pursuant to F.S. Give Statute number here

The Secretary of State will return process without acceptance if you fail to put the statute number on the summons or forget to enclose a check.

Secretary of State
500 S. Bronough Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 414-5536

By Serving: The General Counsel

Division of Retirement
1317 Winewood Blvd Bldg 8
Tallahassee, Florida 32303

By Serving: Records Custodian

This is the records custodian address for this agency. They accept all subpoenas for records and do require a witness fee.

AWI  f/k/a Division of Unemployment Compensation
107 East Madison Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

By Serving: Records Custodian

This is the records custodian address for this agency. They accept all subpoenas for records and do require a witness fee.

Division of Worker’s Compensation
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

By Serving: Records Custodian

This is the records custodian address for this agency. They accept all subpoenas for records and do require a witness fee.

Agency For Health Care Administration
2728 Fort Knox BLVD, Bldg.# 3, 3rd Floor
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 922-5873

By Serving : Director

Attorney General
107 W. Gaines St.  #428
Collins Bldg.
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 488 3000

By Serving: State of Florida, Office of Attorney General

Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
407 S. Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 488-3032

By Serving: Secretary of Agriculture

Department of Business & Professional Regulation 
1940 N. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 488-3140

By Serving: Executive Director C/O General Counsel

Department of Children & Family Services (F/K/A Health & Rehabilitative Services) *
1323 Winewood BLVD
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 488-2381

By Serving: The Secretary C/O General Counsel

* The agency name changed in January 1997. They will no longer except any process that reads “Health & Rehabilitative Services”.

Department of Corrections
2601 Blairstone Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 488-7840

By Serving: The Secretary of Corrections C/O General Counsel

Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd.  6th Floor
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 488-9735

By Serving: The Secretary of Environmental Protection C/O General Counsel

Department Of Health
2585 Merchants Row Blvd. 1st Floor
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

By Serving: General Counsel

Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles*
2900 Apalachee Parkway, A432
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 487-3132

By Serving: Executive Director C/O General Counsel

For Other Divisions See Below (Subpoenas for Records)

By Serving: Records Custodian / Driver’s License Records
By Serving: Records Custodian / Motor Vehicle Records
By Serving: Records Custodian / FHP Crash Records
By Serving: Records Custodian / Employee Records

Department Of Insurance – Division of Rehabilitation & Receivership
2020 Capital Circle S.E.  Alexander Bldg.
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

By Serving: Department Of Insurance C/O Florida Insurance Commissioner
                   Division Of Rehabilitation & Receivership

Department of Management Services
4050 Esplanade Way, Suite 260
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 487-1082

By Serving: Executive Director C/O General Counsel

The Florida Department of Revenue
Child Support Enforcement Program
2450 Shumard Oak Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 617-8347

By Serving: Executive Director C/O Agency Clerk

Department of Transportation
605 Suwannee Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 414-5265

By Serving: Secretary of Transportation C/O It’s’ General Counsel

State Board Of Administration
1801 Hermitage Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
(850) 488-4406

By Serving: The General Counsel

Board Of Regents Of The State Of Florida
325 W. Gaines Street  #1454
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

By Serving: The General Counsel