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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
HOUSE BILL 3227 By: Humphrey
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to process servers; amending 12 O.S.
2021, Section 158.1, as amended by Section 1, Chapter
20, O.S.L. 2023 (12 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 158.1),
which relates to process servers; prohibiting the
electronic storage of process server applications;
removing certain fees for initial application other
than One Hundred Fifty Dollar fee; prohibiting
additional fees for renewal of license other than
Fifteen Dollar fee; prohibiting the use of a process
server's license number to be used as a court case
number; requiring process servers telephone numbers
be posted on statewide registry; amending 12 O.S.
2021, Section 2004, as amended by Section 1, Chapter
59, O.S.L. 2022 (12 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 2004),
which relates to service of process; adding service
to a person's place of employment; adding service to
a medical facility where the person is a patient;
defining private or gated residential community;
requiring entry to private or gated residential
community for service of process; authorizing service
on employee, security officer, or gatekeeper of a
private or gated residential community who refused
access to the community; permitting service of
process by securely posting service on or by gate if
no employee, security guard, or gatekeeper is present
and electronic gate or locked gate is present;
creating misdemeanor offense for an employer to
knowingly refuse to assist service of process on an
employee during business hours; prescribing penalty;
defining medical facility; creating misdemeanor
offense for an employee of a medical facility to
knowingly refuse to assist service of process on an
employee or patient; prescribing penalty; amending 21
O.S. 2021, Section 650.6, as last amended by Section
182, Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (21 O.S. Supp. 2025,
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Section 650.6), which relates to assault and battery
on process servers; modifying assault and battery on
process server to felony; updating penalty; providing
for codification; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 12 O.S. 2021, Section 158.1, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 20, O.S.L. 2023 (12 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 158.1), is amended to read as follows:
Section 158.1. A. Service and return of process of court
documents may be by an authorized licensed private process server.
The presiding judge of the judicial administrative district in which
the county is located, or an associate district judge or district
judge of the county as may be designated by the presiding judge,
shall be authorized to issue a license to make service of process of
court documents to persons deemed qualified to do so.
B. Any person who is:
1. Eighteen (18) years of age or older;
2. Of good moral character;
3. Found ethically and mentally fit;
4. A resident of the State of Oklahoma for a period of not less
than six (6) months; and
5. A resident of the county or judicial administrative district
in which the application is submitted for a period of not less than
thirty (30) days,
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may obtain a license by filing an a paper application with the court
clerk on a verified form to be prescribed by the Administrative
Office of the Courts. The form shall require the applicant to
identify whether the applicant has had a process server license
issued by the State of Oklahoma, any other state, or any county in
Oklahoma at any time prior to the current application. The
application shall not be electronically recorded.
Any person who has been convicted of a violent crime, as defined
in Section 571 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or a crime that
requires the person to register pursuant to the Sex Offenders
Registration Act in this state or another state shall be prohibited
from applying for or obtaining a license to serve process in this
state. If a person is currently licensed to serve process in this
state and the person has a previous felony conviction for a crime
enumerated in Section 571 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes or a
crime that requires the person to register pursuant to the Sex
Offenders Registration Act, the person shall be prohibited from
applying for renewal of the license as provided for in subsection C
of this section.
C. The applicant filing for a license to serve process anywhere
in this state shall pay a license fee of One Hundred Fifty Dollars
($150.00), and the regular docketing, posting, mailing, and filing
fees prescribed by law. The license shall contain the full legal
name, address, county in which the license was issued, a brief
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description of the licensee, and a recent photograph of the
licensee. The license shall state that the licensee is an officer
of the court only for the purpose of service of process. The
authority of the licensee shall be statewide. The license shall be
carried by the licensee while on duty as a private process server.
At the end of one (1) calendar year from the date of issuance of the
initial license, the license shall be renewed for a period of three
(3) years. The license shall be renewed each succeeding three (3)
years. A fee of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) per renewal shall be
charged for each statewide license renewal. No other fee shall be
charged to the licensee for renewal. A license issued pursuant to
this subsection entitles the holder of the license to serve process
in any county in this state.
All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited
in the court fund.
D. Upon the filing of an application for a license, the court
clerk shall give thirty (30) days of notice of hearing by causing
the notice to be continually posted for thirty (30) days on the
website of the county, or be posted in the courthouse. The
applicant shall cause notice of the hearing to be made no less than
twenty (20) days prior to the hearing one time by publication in a
legal newspaper of the county, as defined in Section 106 of Title 25
of the Oklahoma Statutes, in which the application is filed. The
applicant court clerk shall be responsible for payment of the
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publication fee, and shall file in the case the proof of publication
affidavit from the newspaper prior to the hearing. The court clerk
shall deliver by electronic means or deliver a copy of the notice at
least twenty (20) days prior to the hearing to the district
attorney, the sheriff in the county in which the application was
filed, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the
Administrative Office of the Courts. The notice shall contain the
name of the applicant and the time and place the presiding judge,
the associate district judge, or district judge designated by the
presiding judge, will act upon the application.
E. If, at the time of consideration of the application or
renewal, there are no protests, and the applicant appears qualified,
the application for the license shall be granted by the presiding
judge or such associate district judge or district judge as is
designated by the presiding judge and, upon executing bond running
to the State of Oklahoma in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars
($5,000.00) for faithful performance of his or her duties and filing
the bond with the court clerk, the applicant shall be authorized and
licensed to serve court documents in any county in this state. If,
at the time of consideration of the application for the license, the
presiding judge, associate district judge or district judge as is
designated by the presiding judge determines that the applicant does
not meet all of the qualifications necessary for a license, the
applicant shall be prohibited from reapplying for a license to serve
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process for a period of not less than one (1) year from the date of
denial.
F. If any citizen of this state files a written protest setting
forth objections to the licensing of the applicant, the district
court clerk shall so advise the presiding judge or such associate
district judge or district judge as is designated by the presiding
judge, who shall set a later date for hearing of application and
protest. The hearing shall be held within sixty (60) days and after
notice to all persons known to be interested.
G. Proof of service of process shall be shown by affidavit as
provided for by subsection G of Section 2004 of this title.
H. The district attorney of the county wherein a license
authorized under this act has been issued or the Attorney General
may file a petition in the district court to revoke the license
issued to any licensee, as authorized pursuant to the provisions of
this section, alleging the violation by the licensee of any of the
provisions of the law. After at least thirty (30) days of notice by
certified mail to the licensee, the chief or presiding judge,
sitting without jury, shall hear the petition and enter an order
thereon. If the license is revoked, the licensee shall not be
permitted to reapply for a license for a period of five (5) years
from the date of revocation. Notwithstanding any other provision of
this section, any licensee whose license has been revoked one time
shall pay the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) as a renewal
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fee. If a second revocation occurs, the chief or presiding judge
shall not allow an applicant to renew the license.
I. No license number shall be used as a court case number.
J. Any person who knowingly and willfully serves process in
Oklahoma without a process server license issued by the State of
Oklahoma or who holds himself or herself out to be a process server
licensed by the State of Oklahoma when the person is not licensed as
such shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor. The
provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a process server
licensed in another state who is serving court documents issued by a
court in another state to a person in Oklahoma.
J. K. The court clerk shall make available at all times in the
office of the court clerk the list of licensed private process
servers. Any person in need of the services of a process server may
designate one from the names on the list, before presenting summons
to the court clerk for issuance, without necessity for individual
judicial appointment.
K. L. No later than January 1, 2013, the Administrative Office
of the Courts shall establish and maintain a statewide registry
which shall contain a list of licensed private process servers and
their telephone numbers. The Administrative Office of the Courts
shall promulgate rules for the creation and maintenance of the
statewide registry. Rules for the statewide registry for private
process servers must have approval of the Supreme Court.
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SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 12 O.S. 2021, Section 2004, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 59, O.S.L. 2022 (12 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 2004), is amended to read as follows:
Section 2004.
PROCESS
A. SUMMONS: ISSUANCE. Upon filing of the petition, the clerk
shall forthwith issue a summons. Upon request of the plaintiff
separate or additional summons shall issue against any defendants.
B. SUMMONS: FORM.
1. The summons shall be signed by the clerk, be under the seal
of the court, contain the name of the court and the names of the
parties, be directed to the defendant, state the name and address of
the plaintiff's attorney, if any, otherwise, the plaintiff's
address, and the time within which these rules require the defendant
to appear and defend, and shall notify the defendant that in case of
failure to appear, judgment by default will be rendered against the
defendant for the relief demanded in the petition.
2. A judgment by default shall not be different in kind from or
exceed in amount that prayed for in either the demand for judgment
or in cases not sounding in contract in a notice which has been
given the party against whom default judgment is sought. Except as
to a party against whom a judgment is entered by default, every
final judgment shall grant the relief to which the party in whose
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favor it is rendered is entitled, even if the party has not demanded
such relief in his or her pleadings.
C. BY WHOM SERVED: PERSON TO BE SERVED.
1. SERVICE BY PERSONAL DELIVERY.
a. At the election of the plaintiff, process, other than
a subpoena, shall be served by a sheriff or deputy
sheriff, a person licensed to make service of process
in civil cases or a person specially appointed for
that purpose. The court shall freely make special
appointments to serve all process, other than a
subpoena, under this paragraph.
b. A summons to be served by the sheriff or deputy
sheriff shall be delivered to the sheriff by the court
clerk or an attorney of record for the plaintiff.
When a summons, subpoena or other process is to be
served by the sheriff or deputy sheriff of another
county, the court clerk shall mail it, together with
the voucher of the court clerk for the fees collected
for the service, to the sheriff of that county. The
sheriff shall deposit the voucher in the Sheriff's
Service Fee Account created pursuant to Section 514.1
of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The sheriff or
deputy sheriff shall serve the process in the manner
that other process issued out of the court of the
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sheriff's own county is served. A summons to be
served by a person licensed to make service of process
in civil cases or by a person specially appointed for
that purpose shall be delivered by an attorney of
record for the plaintiff to such person.
c. Service shall be made as follows:
(1) upon an individual other than an infant who is
less than fifteen (15) years of age or an
incompetent person, by delivering a copy of the
summons and of the petition personally or by
leaving copies thereof at the person's dwelling
house or usual place of abode with some person
then residing therein who is fifteen (15) years
of age or older, by delivering a copy of the
summons and of the petition to an agent
authorized by appointment or by law to receive
service of process, or by delivering a copy of
the summons and of the petition personally or by
leaving copies thereof at an agreed meeting place
with some person then residing at the person's
dwelling house or usual place of abode, by
delivering a copy of the summons and of the
petition personally at the person's place of
employment, or by delivering a copy of the
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summons and of the petition personally at a
medical facility where that person is a patient,
(2) upon an infant who is less than fifteen (15)
years of age, by serving the summons and petition
personally and upon either of the infant's
parents or guardian, or if they cannot be found,
then upon the person having the care or control
of the infant or with whom the infant lives; and
upon an incompetent person by serving the summons
and petition personally and upon the incompetent
person's guardian,
(3) upon a domestic or foreign corporation or upon a
partnership or other unincorporated association
which is subject to suit under a common name, by
delivering a copy of the summons and of the
petition to an officer, a managing or general
agent or to any other agent authorized by
appointment or by law to receive service of
process and, if the agent is one authorized by
statute to receive service and the statute so
requires, by also mailing a copy to the
defendant,
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(4) upon the United States or an officer or agency
thereof in the manner specified by Federal Rule
of Civil Procedure 4,
(5) upon a state, county, school district, public
trust or municipal corporation or other
governmental organization thereof subject to
suit, by delivering a copy of the summons and of
the petition to the officer or individual
designated by specific statute; however, if there
is no statute, then upon the chief executive
officer or a clerk, secretary or other official
whose duty it is to maintain the official records
of the organization,
(6) upon an inmate incarcerated in an institution
under the jurisdiction and control of the
Department of Corrections, by delivering a copy
of the summons and of the petition to the warden
or superintendent or the designee of the warden
or superintendent of the institution where the
inmate is housed. It shall be the duty of the
receiving warden or superintendent or a designee
to promptly deliver the summons and petition to
the inmate named therein. The warden or
superintendent or his or her designee shall
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reject service of process for any inmate who is
not actually present in the institution, and
(7) upon an inmate incarcerated in a county jail or
detention center under the jurisdiction and
control of the county sheriff or the jail trust
of the county, by delivering a copy of the
summons and of the petition to the jail or
detention center administrator or the designee of
such administrator of the jail or detention
center where the inmate is housed. It shall be
the duty of the receiving jail or detention
center administrator or designee to promptly
deliver the summons and petition to the inmate
named therein. The jail or detention center
administrator or designee shall reject service of
process for any inmate who is not actually
present in the jail or detention center.
2. SERVICE BY MAIL.
a. At the election of the plaintiff, a summons and
petition may be served by mail by the plaintiff's
attorney, any person authorized to serve process
pursuant to subparagraph a of paragraph 1 of this
subsection or by the court clerk upon a defendant of
any class referred to in division (1), (3) or (5) of
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subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
Service by mail shall be effective on the date of
receipt or if refused, on the date of refusal of the
summons and petition by the defendant.
b. Service by mail shall be accomplished by mailing a
copy of the summons and petition by certified mail,
return receipt requested and delivery restricted to
the addressee. When there is more than one defendant,
the summons and a copy of the petition or order shall
be mailed in a separate envelope to each defendant.
If the summons is to be served by mail by the court
clerk, the court clerk shall enclose the summons and a
copy of the petition or order of the court to be
served in an envelope, prepared by the plaintiff,
addressed to the defendant, or to the resident service
agent if one has been appointed. The court clerk
shall prepay the postage and mail the envelope to the
defendant, or service agent, by certified mail, return
receipt requested and delivery restricted to the
addressee. The return receipt shall be prepared by
the plaintiff. Service by mail to a garnishee shall
be accomplished by mailing a copy of the summons and
notice by certified mail, return receipt requested,
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and at the election of the judgment creditor by
restricted delivery, to the addressee.
c. Service by mail shall not be the basis for the entry
of a default or a judgment by default unless the
record contains a return receipt showing acceptance by
the defendant or a returned envelope showing refusal
of the process by the defendant. Acceptance or
refusal of service by mail by a person who is fifteen
(15) years of age or older who resides at the
defendant's dwelling house or usual place of abode
shall constitute acceptance or refusal by the party
addressed. In the case of an entity described in
division (3) of subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this
subsection, acceptance or refusal by any officer or by
any employee of the registered office or principal
place of business who is authorized to or who
regularly receives certified mail shall constitute
acceptance or refusal by the party addressed. A
return receipt signed at such registered office or
principal place of business shall be presumed to have
been signed by an employee authorized to receive
certified mail. In the case of a state municipal
corporation, or other governmental organization
thereof subject to suit, acceptance or refusal by an
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employee of the office of the officials specified in
division (5) of subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this
subsection who is authorized to or who regularly
receives certified mail shall constitute acceptance or
refusal by the party addressed. If delivery of the
process is refused, upon the receipt of notice of such
refusal and at least ten (10) days before applying for
entry of default, the person elected by plaintiff
pursuant to subparagraph a of this paragraph to serve
the process shall mail to the defendant by first-class
mail a copy of the summons and petition and a notice
prepared by the plaintiff that despite such refusal
the case will proceed and that judgment by default
will be rendered against him unless he appears to
defend the suit. Any default or judgment by default
shall be set aside upon motion of the defendant in the
manner prescribed in Section 1031.1 of this title, or
upon petition of the defendant in the manner
prescribed in Section 1033 of this title if the
defendant demonstrates to the court that the return
receipt was signed or delivery was refused by an
unauthorized person. A petition shall be filed within
one (1) year after the defendant has notice of the
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default or judgment by default but in no event more
than two (2) years after the filing of the judgment.
3. SERVICE BY PUBLICATION.
a. Service of summons upon a named defendant may be made
by publication when it is stated in the petition,
verified by the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney
or in a separate affidavit by the plaintiff or the
plaintiff's attorney filed with the court, that with
due diligence service cannot be made upon the
defendant by any other method.
b. Service of summons upon the unknown successors of a
named defendant, a named decedent or a dissolved
partnership, corporation or other association may be
made by publication when it is stated in a petition,
verified by the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney
or in a separate affidavit by the plaintiff or the
plaintiff's attorney filed with the court, that the
person who verified the petition or the affidavit does
not know and with due diligence cannot ascertain the
following:
(1) whether a person named as defendant is living or
dead, and, if dead, the names or whereabouts of
the person's successors, if any,
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(2) the names or whereabouts of the unknown
successors, if any, of a named decedent,
(3) whether a partnership, corporation or other
association named as a defendant continues to
have legal existence or not; or the names or
whereabouts of its officers or successors,
(4) whether any person designated in a record as a
trustee continues to be the trustee; or the names
or whereabouts of the successors of the trustee,
or
(5) the names or whereabouts of the owners or holders
of special assessment or improvement bonds, or
any other bonds, sewer warrants or tax bills.
c. Service pursuant to this paragraph shall be made by
publication of a notice, signed by the court clerk,
one (1) day a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in
a newspaper authorized by law to publish legal notices
which is published in the county where the petition is
filed. If no newspaper authorized by law to publish
legal notices is published in such county, the notice
shall be published in some such newspaper of general
circulation which is published in an adjoining county.
All named parties and their unknown successors who may
be served by publication may be included in one
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notice. The notice shall state the court in which the
petition is filed and the names of the plaintiff and
the parties served by publication, and shall designate
the parties whose unknown successors are being served.
The notice shall also state that the named defendants
and their unknown successors have been sued and must
answer the petition on or before a time to be stated
(which shall not be less than forty-one (41) days from
the date of the first publication), or judgment, the
nature of which shall be stated, will be rendered
accordingly. If jurisdiction of the court is based on
property, any real property subject to the
jurisdiction of the court and any property or debts to
be attached or garnished must be described in the
notice.
(1) When the recovery of money is sought, it is not
necessary for the publication notice to state the
separate items involved, but the total amount
that is claimed must be stated. When interest is
claimed, it is not necessary to state the rate of
interest, the date from which interest is claimed
or that interest is claimed until the obligation
is paid.
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(2) It is not necessary for the publication notice to
state that the judgment will include recovery of
costs in order for a judgment following the
publication notice to include costs of suit.
(3) In an action to quiet title to real property, it
is not necessary for the publication notice to
state the nature of the claim or interest of
either party, and in describing the nature of the
judgment that will be rendered should the
defendant fail to answer, it is sufficient to
state that a decree quieting plaintiff's title to
the described property will be entered. It is
not necessary to state that a decree forever
barring the defendant from asserting any interest
in or to the property is sought or will be
entered if the defendant does not answer.
(4) In an action to foreclose a mortgage, it is
sufficient that the publication notice state that
if the defendant does not answer, the defendant's
interest in the property will be foreclosed. It
is not necessary to state that a judgment forever
barring the defendant from all right, title,
interest, estate, property and equity of
redemption in or to the property or any part
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thereof is requested or will be entered if the
defendant does not answer.
d. Service by publication is complete when made in the
manner and for the time prescribed in subparagraph c
of this paragraph. Service by publication shall be
proved by the affidavit of any person having knowledge
of the publication. No default judgment may be
entered on such service until proof of service by
publication is filed with and approved by the court.
e. Before entry of a default judgment or order against a
party who has been served solely by publication under
this paragraph, the court shall conduct an inquiry to
determine whether the plaintiff, or someone acting in
behalf of the plaintiff, made a distinct and
meaningful search of all reasonably available sources
to ascertain the whereabouts of any named parties who
have been served solely by publication under this
paragraph. Before entry of a default judgment or
order against the unknown successors of a named
defendant, a named decedent or a dissolved
partnership, corporation or association, the court
shall conduct an inquiry to ascertain whether the
requirements described in subparagraph b of this
paragraph have been satisfied.
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f. A party against whom a default judgment or order has
been rendered, without other service than by
publication in a newspaper, may, at any time within
three (3) years after the filing of the judgment or
order, have the judgment or order set aside in the
manner prescribed in Sections 1031.1 and 1033 of this
title. Before the judgment or order is set aside, the
applicant shall notify the adverse party of the
intention to make an application and shall file a full
answer to the petition, pay all costs if the court
requires them to be paid and satisfy the court by
affidavit or other evidence that during the pendency
of the action the applicant had no actual notice
thereof in time to appear in court and make a defense.
The title to any property which is the subject of and
which passes to a purchaser in good faith by or in
consequence of the judgment or order to be opened
shall not be affected by any proceedings under this
subparagraph. Nor shall proceedings under this
subparagraph affect the title of any property sold
before judgment under an attachment. The adverse
party, on the hearing of an application to open a
judgment or order as provided by this subparagraph,
shall be allowed to present evidence to show that
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during the pendency of the action the applicant had
notice thereof in time to appear in court and make a
defense.
g. The term "successors" includes all heirs, executors,
administrators, devisees, trustees and assigns,
immediate and remote, of a named individual,
partnership, corporation or association.
h. Service outside of the state does not give the court
in personal jurisdiction over a defendant who is not
subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this
state or who has not, either in person or through an
agent, submitted to the jurisdiction of the courts of
this state.
4. SERVICE ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
a. Service of process on a domestic or foreign
corporation may be made by serving the Secretary of
State as the corporation's agent, if:
(1) there is no registered agent for the corporation
listed in the records of the Secretary of State,
or
(2) neither the registered agent nor an officer of
the corporation could be found at the registered
office of the corporation, when service of
process was attempted.
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b. Before resorting to service on the Secretary of State
the plaintiff must have attempted service either in
person or by mail on the corporation at:
(1) the corporation's last-known address shown on the
records of the Franchise Tax Division of the
Oklahoma Tax Commission, if any is listed there,
and
(2) the corporation's last-known address shown on the
records of the Secretary of State, if any is
listed there, and
(3) the corporation's last address known to the
plaintiff.
If any of these addresses are the same, the plaintiff
is not required to attempt service more than once at
any address. The plaintiff shall furnish the
Secretary of State with a certified copy of the return
or returns showing the attempted service.
c. Service on the Secretary of State shall be made by
filing two (2) copies of the summons and petition with
the Secretary of State, notifying the Secretary of
State that service is being made pursuant to the
provisions of this paragraph, and paying the Secretary
of State the fee prescribed in paragraph 7 of
subsection A of Section 1142 of Title 18 of the
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Oklahoma Statutes, which fee shall be taxed as part of
the costs of the action, suit or proceeding if the
plaintiff shall prevail therein. If a registered
agent for the corporation is listed in the records of
the Secretary of State, the plaintiff must also
furnish a certified copy of the return showing that
service on the registered agent has been attempted
either in person or by mail, and that neither the
registered agent nor an officer of the corporation
could be found at the registered office of the
corporation.
d. Within three (3) working days after receiving the
summons and petition, the Secretary of State shall
send notice by letter, certified mail, return receipt
requested, directed to the corporation at its
registered office or the last-known address found in
the office of the Secretary of State, or if no address
is found there, to the corporation's last-known
address provided by the plaintiff. The notice shall
enclose a copy of the summons and petition and any
other papers served upon the Secretary of State. The
corporation shall not be required to serve its answer
until forty (40) days after service of the summons and
petition on the Secretary of State.
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e. Before entry of a default judgment or order against a
corporation that has been served by serving the
Secretary of State as its agent under this paragraph,
the court shall determine whether the requirements of
this paragraph have been satisfied. A default
judgment or order against a corporation that has been
served only by service on the Secretary of State may
be set aside upon motion of the corporation in the
manner prescribed in Section 1031.1 of this title, or
upon petition of the corporation in the manner
prescribed in Section 1033 of this title, if the
corporation demonstrates to the court that it had no
actual notice of the action in time to appear and make
its defense. A petition shall be filed within one (1)
year after the corporation has notice of the default
judgment or order but in no event more than two (2)
years after the filing of the default judgment or
order.
f. The Secretary of State shall maintain an alphabetical
record of service setting forth the name of the
plaintiff and defendant, the title, docket number and
nature of the proceeding in which the process has been
served upon the defendant, the fact that service has
been effected pursuant to the provisions of this
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paragraph, the return date thereof and the date when
the service was made. The Secretary of State shall
not be required to retain this information for a
period longer than five (5) years from receipt of the
service of process.
g. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a
foreign insurance company doing business in this
state.
5. SERVICE BY ACKNOWLEDGMENT. An acknowledgment on the back of
the summons or the voluntary appearance of a defendant is equivalent
to service.
6. SERVICE BY OTHER METHODS. If service cannot be made by
personal delivery or by mail, a defendant of any class referred to
in division (1) or (3) of subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this
subsection may be served as provided by court order in a manner
which is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice
of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard and upon filing an
affidavit by the plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney that with due
diligence service cannot otherwise be made upon the defendant.
7. NO SERVICE BY PRISONER. No prisoner in any jail, Department
of Corrections facility, private prison, or parolee or probationer
under supervision of the Department of Corrections shall be
appointed by any court to serve process on any defendant, party or
witness.
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D. SUMMONS AND PETITION. The summons and petition shall be
served together. The plaintiff shall furnish the person making
service with such copies as are necessary. The failure to serve a
copy of the petition with the summons is not a ground for dismissal
for insufficiency of service of process, but on motion of the party
served, the court may extend the time to answer or otherwise plead.
If a summons and petition are served by personal delivery, the
person serving the summons shall state on the copy that is left with
the person served the date that service is made. This provision is
not jurisdictional, but if the failure to comply with it prejudices
the party served, the court, on motion of the party served, may
extend the time to answer or otherwise plead.
E. SUMMONS: TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF EFFECTIVE SERVICE.
1. Service of the summons and petition may be made anywhere
within this state in the manner provided by subsection C of this
section.
2. When the exercise of jurisdiction is authorized by
subsection F of this section, service of the summons and petition
may be made outside this state:
a. by personal delivery in the manner prescribed for
service within this state,
b. in the manner prescribed by the law of the place in
which the service is made for service in that place in
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an action in any of its courts of general
jurisdiction,
c. in the manner prescribed by paragraph 2 of subsection
C of this section,
d. as directed by the foreign authority in response to a
letter rogatory,
e. in the manner prescribed by paragraph 3 of subsection
C of this section only when permitted by subparagraphs
a and b of paragraph 3 of subsection C of this
section, or
f. as directed by the court.
3. Proof of service outside this state may be made in the
manner prescribed by subsection G of this section, the order
pursuant to which the service is made, or the law of the place in
which the service is made for proof of service in an action in any
of its courts of general jurisdiction.
4. Service outside this state may be made by an individual
permitted to make service of process under the law of this state or
under the law of the place in which the service is made or who is
designated to make service by a court of this state.
5. When subsection C of this section requires that in order to
effect service one or more designated individuals be served, service
outside this state under this section must be made upon the
designated individual or individuals.
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6. a. A court of this state may order service upon any
person who is domiciled or can be found within this
state of any document issued in connection with a
proceeding in a tribunal outside this state. The
order may be made upon application of any interested
person or in response to a letter rogatory issued by a
tribunal outside this state and shall direct the
manner of service.
b. Service in connection with a proceeding in a tribunal
outside this state may be made within this state
without an order of court.
c. Service under this paragraph does not, of itself,
require the recognition or enforcement of an order,
judgment or decree rendered outside this state.
F. ASSERTION OF JURISDICTION. A court of this state may
exercise jurisdiction on any basis consistent with the Constitution
of this state and the Constitution of the United States.
G. RETURN.
1. The person serving the process shall make proof of service
thereof to the court promptly and in any event within the time
during which the person served must respond to the process, but the
failure to make proof of service does not affect the validity of the
service.
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2. When process has been served by a sheriff or deputy sheriff
and return thereof is filed in the office of the court clerk, a copy
of the return shall be sent by the court clerk to the plaintiff's
attorney within three (3) days after the return is filed. If
service is made by a person other than a sheriff or deputy sheriff,
the licensed process server shall make affidavit thereof. The
return shall set forth the county of issuance, the name of the
person served and the date, place and method of service.
3. If service was by mail, the person mailing the summons and
petition shall endorse on the copy of the summons or order of the
court that is filed in the action the date and place of mailing and
the date when service was receipted or service was rejected, and
shall attach to the copy of the summons or order a copy of the
return receipt or returned envelope, if and when received, showing
whether the mailing was accepted, refused or otherwise returned. If
the mailing was refused, the return shall also show the date and
place of any subsequent mailing pursuant to paragraph 2 of
subsection C of this section. When the summons and petition are
mailed by the court clerk, the court clerk shall notify the
plaintiff's attorney within three (3) days after receipt of the
returned card or envelope showing that the card or envelope has been
received.
H. AMENDMENT. At any time in its discretion and upon such
terms as it deems just, the court may allow any process or proof of
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service thereof to be amended, unless it clearly appears that
material prejudice would result to the substantial rights of the
party against whom the process issued.
I. SUMMONS: TIME LIMIT FOR SERVICE. If service of process is
not made upon a defendant within one hundred eighty (180) days after
the filing of the petition and the plaintiff has not shown good
cause why such service was not made within that period, the action
shall be deemed dismissed as to that defendant without prejudice and
Section 100 of this title shall be applicable to any refiling of the
action. Upon application of a defendant not timely served, the
court shall enter an order dismissing the action as to that
defendant. The court shall enter a dismissal order of an action
within two hundred (200) days after the filing of the action in
which no service has been made on any defendant as required pursuant
to this section and such order shall be mailed to the address of the
party or the party's attorney of record. The action shall not be
dismissed if a summons was served on the defendant within one
hundred eighty (180) days after the filing of the petition and a
court later holds that the summons or its service was invalid.
After a court quashes a summons or its service, a new summons may be
served on the defendant within a time specified by the judge. If
the new summons is not served within the specified time, the action
shall be deemed to have been dismissed without prejudice as to that
defendant. This subsection shall not apply with respect to a
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defendant who has been outside of this state for one hundred eighty
(180) days following the filing of the petition.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2004.4 of Title 12, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. As used in this section, "private or gated residential
community" includes, but is not limited to, a private or gated home,
condominium association, housing cooperative, apartment complex,
housing community, or community.
B. An employee, security officer, or gatekeeper of a private or
gated residential community shall grant entry into the community,
including its common areas and common elements, to an officer
authorized by law to serve process or a process server licensed in
this state who is attempting to serve process on a person who
resides within or is known to be within the private or gated
residential community.
C. If an employee, security officer, or gatekeeper of a gated
residential community refuses to allow entry to the private or gated
residential community, the employee, security officer, or gatekeeper
shall be considered an agent authorized by law pursuant to Section
2004 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes to receive service of
process and the process server may service process by delivering a
copy of the summons and of the petition to the employee, security
officer, or gatekeeper.
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D. In the case where there is not employee, security officer,
or gatekeeper and only an electronic entrance lock or locked gate is
used, the process server may securely post the document to the
nearest place to or directly on the electronic access device to open
such gate or the gate itself.
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 594 of Title 21, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Any employer, or any agent who has direct supervision or control
of a business establishment, who knowingly refuses to assist any
officer authorized by law to serve process or process server
licensed in this state to serve process on an employee during the
working hours of the employee, at the location the employee is
regularly assigned to work, by failing or refusing to make such
employee available for service of process shall, upon conviction, be
guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county
jail for not more than one (1) year, by a fine not to exceed One
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 595 of Title 21, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. For the purposes of this section, a "medical facility" shall
include any:
1. Facility licensed under any nursing home care act;
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2. Facility licensed under any specialized health
rehabilitation act;
3. Facility licensed under any community care act;
4. Mental, drug, physical, or alcohol rehabilitation facility;
5. Residential facility;
6. Medical facility;
7. Developmental disability facility;
8. Homeless facility, shelter, or day care; and
9. Adult day care center.
B. Any employee of a medical facility who knowingly refuses to
assist any officer authorized by law to serve process or process
server licensed in this state to serve process on an employee or
patient by failing or refusing to make such employee or patient
available for service of process shall, upon conviction, be guilty
of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for
not more than one (1) year, by a fine not to exceed One Thousand
Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine.
SECTION 6. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 650.6, as
last amended by Section 182, Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (21 O.S. Supp.
2025, Section 650.6), is amended to read as follows:
Section 650.6. A. Every person who commits any assault upon
any county commissioner, county clerk, county assessor, county
treasurer, or any officer of a state district or appellate court, or
the Workers' Compensation Court, including but not limited to
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judges, bailiffs, court reporters, court clerks or deputy court
clerks, or upon any witnesses or juror, because of said person's
service in such capacity or within six (6) months of said person's
service in such capacity, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one
(1) year, by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00),
or by both such imprisonment and fine.
B. Every person who commits any battery or assault and battery
upon any county commissioner, county clerk, county assessor, county
treasurer, or officer of a state district or appellate court, or the
Workers' Compensation Court, including but not limited to judges,
bailiffs, court reporters, court clerks or deputy court clerks, or
upon any witnesses or juror, because of said person's service in
such capacity or within six (6) months of said person's service in
such capacity, shall be guilty of a Class B6 felony offense
punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of
Corrections for not more than five (5) years, by a fine of not more
than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such imprisonment
and fine.
C. Every person who knowingly commits any assault, battery, or
assault and battery upon a process server licensed in this state
while the person is in the performance of his or her duties shall,
upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor felony punishable by
imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year in
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the custody of the Department of Corrections not more than two (2)
years, by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) Two
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00), or by both such imprisonment and fine.
SECTION 7. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
60-2-15568 AQH 12/22/25