North Dakota Century Code Title 51. Sales and Exchanges § 51-19-15. Service of process

1. Every applicant for registration of an offer to sell franchises under this chapter, other than a domestic corporation or limited liability company, shall file with the commissioner in such form as the commissioner prescribes an irrevocable consent appointing the commissioner or commissioner's successor in office to be the applicant's attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal suit, action, or proceeding against the applicant or applicant's successor, executor, or administrator, which arises under this chapter or any rule or order hereunder after the consent has been filed with the same force and validity as if served personally on the person filing the consent. A person who has filed such a consent in connection with a previous registration under this chapter need not file another. Service may be made by leaving a copy of the process in the office of the commissioner but it is not effective unless the plaintiff, who may be the commissioner in a suit, action, or proceeding instituted by the commissioner, forthwith sends notice of the service and a copy of the process by registered or certified mail to the defendant or respondent at the defendant's or respondent's last address on file with the commissioner and the plaintiff's affidavit of compliance with this section is filed in the case on or before the return day of the process, if any, or within such further time as the court allows.

2. When any person, including any nonresident of this state, engages in conduct prohibited or made actionable by this chapter or any rule or order hereunder, whether or not the person has filed a consent to service of process under subsection 1 and personal jurisdiction over the person cannot otherwise be obtained in this state, that conduct must be considered equivalent to the person's appointment of the commissioner or commissioner's successor in office to be the person's attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal suit, action, or proceeding against the person or the person's successor, executor, or administrator which grows out of that conduct and which is brought under this chapter or any rule or order hereunder with the same force and validity as if served on the person personally. Service may be made by leaving a copy of the process in the office of the commissioner, but it is not effective until the plaintiff, who may be the commissioner in a suit, action, or proceeding instituted by the commissioner, forthwith sends notice of the service and a copy of the process by registered or certified mail to the defendant or respondent at the defendant's or respondent's last-known address or takes other steps which are reasonably calculated to give actual notice and the plaintiff's affidavit of compliance with this section is filed in the case on or before the return day of the process, if any, and within such further time as the court allows.