§ 562b-6

562B.6 Jurisdiction and service of process. 1. The appropriate district court of this state may exercise jurisdiction over a landlord or tenant with respect to conduct in this state governed by this chapter or with respect to anyclaim arising from a transaction subject to this chapter. An action under this chapter may bebrought as a small claim pursuant to the provisions of chapter 631. In addition to any othermethod provided by rule or by statute, personal jurisdiction over a landlord or tenant maybe acquired in a civil action or proceeding instituted in the appropriate district court by theservice of process in the manner provided by this section. 2. If a landlord is not a resident of this state or is a corporation not authorized to do business in this state and engages in conduct in this state governed by this chapter, or engagesin a transaction subject to this chapter, the landlord shall designate an agent upon whomservice of process may be made in this state. The agent shall be a resident of this state or acorporation authorized to do business in this state. The designation shall be in writing andfiled with the secretary of state.

y be made in this state. The agent shall be a resident of this state or acorporation authorized to do business in this state. The designation shall be in writing andfiled with the secretary of state. If no designation is made and filed or if process cannot beserved in this state upon the designated agent, process may be served upon the secretary ofstate, but the plaintiff or petitioner shall forthwith mail a copy of this process and pleading bycertified mail, return receipt requested, to the defendant or respondent at that person’s lastreasonably ascertained address. If there is no last reasonably ascertainable address and if thedefendant or respondent has not complied with section 562B.14, subsections 1 and 2, thenservice upon the secretary of state shall be sufficient service of process without the mailing ofcopies to the defendant or respondent. Service of process shall be deemed complete and thetime shall begin to run for the purposes of this section at the time of service upon the secretaryof state. The defendant shall appear and answer within thirty days after completion thereofin the manner and under the same penalty as if defendant had been personally served withthe

pon the secretaryof state. The defendant shall appear and answer within thirty days after completion thereofin the manner and under the same penalty as if defendant had been personally served withthe summons. An affidavit of compliance with this section shall be filed with the clerk of thedistrict court on or before the return day of the process, or within any further time the courtallows. [C79, 81, §562B.6] Sat Dec 23 11:06:43 2023 Iowa Code 2024, Section 562B.6 (21, 0)