---
title: O.C.G.A. § 14-2-504. Service on corporation.
collection: code
id: 14-2-504
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 14-2-504 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/14-2-504
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/14-2-504.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/14-2-504/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t14-(v12)-2017-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=507372ea_0#page=85
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CORPORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND ASSOCIATIONS / BUSINESS CORPORATIONS / OFFICE AND AGENT / REGISTERED AGENTS AND SERVICE OF PROCESS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 14-2-504. Service on corporation.

(a) A corporation’s registered agent is the corporation’s agent for service of process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the corporation.

(b) If a corporation has no registered agent or the agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the corporation may be served by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested, addressed to the secretary of the corporation at its principal office. Service is perfected under this subsection at the earliest of:

(1) The date the corporation receives the mail;

(2) The date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the corporation; or

(3) Five days after its deposit in the mail, as evidenced by the postmark, if mailed postage prepaid and correctly addressed.

(c) This Code section does not prescribe the only means, or necessarily the required means, of serving a corporation.

## History

Code 1981, § 14-2-504, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 16, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that the amendment to this Code section was applicable with respect to notices delivered on or after July 1, 2000.

## Law Reviews

For article summarizing law relating to jurisdiction and venue over domestic and foreign corporations in Georgia, and service thereon, see 21 Mercer L. Rev. 457 (1970). For survey article on business associations, see 34 Mercer L. Rev. 13 (1982). For annual survey of trial practice and procedure, see 38 Mercer L. Rev. 383 (1986). For survey article on trial practice and procedure, see 59 Mercer L. Rev. 423 (2007).

For comment on Rossville Crushed Stone, Inc. v. Massey, 219 Ga. 467, 133 S.E.2d 874 (1963), see 1 Ga. St. B. J. 116 (1964). For comment advocating a ‘‘single-act’’ jurisdictional statute as basis for jurisdiction over a foreign corporation, in light of Singer v. Walker, 21 A.D.2d 285, 250 N.Y.S.2d 216 (1964), see 2 Ga. St. B. J. 131 (1965).