New York Consolidated Laws, General Business Law - GBS § 686. Designation of secretary of state as agent for service of process;  service of process

Any person who shall offer to sell or sell a franchise in this state as a franchisor, subfranchisor or franchise sales agent shall be deemed to have irrevocably appointed the secretary of state as his or its agent upon whom may be served any summons, complaint, subpoena, subpoena duces tecum, notice, order or other process directed to such person, or any partner, principal, officer, salesman or director thereof, or his or its successor, administrator or executor, in any action, investigation, or proceeding which arises under this article or a rule hereunder, with the same force and validity as if served personally on such person.  Service of such process upon the secretary of state shall be made by personally delivering to and leaving with him or a deputy secretary of state a copy thereof at the office of the department of state, and such service shall be sufficient provided that notice of such service and a copy of such process are sent forthwith by the department to such person, by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested, at his address as set forth in the application for registration of his offering prospectus or in the registered offering prospectus itself filed with the department of law pursuant to this article, or in default of the filing of such application or prospectus, at the last address known to the department.  Service of such process shall be complete upon receipt by the department of a return receipt purporting to be signed by the addressee or a person qualified to receive his or its registered or certified mail, in accordance with the rules and customs of the post office department, or, if acceptance was refused or unclaimed by the addressee or his or its agent, or if the addressee moved without leaving a forwarding address, upon return to the department of the original envelope bearing a notation by the postal authorities that receipt thereof was refused or that such mail was otherwise undeliverable.