---
title: O.C.G.A. § 33-15-120. Appointment of Commissioner as agent for service of process.
collection: code
id: 33-15-120
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 33-15-120 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/33-15-120
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/33-15-120.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/33-15-120/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t33-ch1-22-(v24)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=a873240d_0#page=752
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: INSURANCE / FRATERNAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES / MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 33-15-120. Appointment of Commissioner as agent for service of process.

(a) Every society authorized to do business in this state shall appoint in writing the Commissioner and each successor in office to be its true and lawful attorney upon whom all lawful process in any action or proceeding against it shall be served and shall agree in such writing that any lawful process against it which is served on said attorney shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the society and that the authority shall continue in force so long as any liability remains outstanding in this state. Copies of such appointment, certified by said Commissioner, shall be deemed sufficient evidence thereof and shall be admitted in evidence with the same force and effect as the original thereof might be admitted.

(b) Service shall only be made upon the Commissioner or, if absent, upon the person in charge of the Commissioner’s office. It shall be made in duplicate and shall constitute sufficient service upon the society. When legal process against a society is served upon the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall forthwith forward one of the duplicate copies by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, prepaid, directed to the secretary or corresponding officer. No such service shall require a society to file its answer, pleading, or defense in less than 30 days from the date of mailing the copy of the service to a society. Legal process shall not be served upon a society except in the manner provided in this Code section. At the time of serving any process upon the Commissioner, the plaintiff or complainant in the action shall pay to the Commissioner a fee of $15.00.

## History

Code 1981, § 33-15-120, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 1744, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3.

## Cross References

Service of process generally, § 9-11-4.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 16, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that the amendment to this Code section by Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3, was applicable with respect to notices delivered on or after July 1, 2000.