(805 ILCS 215/117)

Sec. 117. Service of process.

(a) An agent for service of process appointed by a limited partnership or foreign limited partnership is an agent of the limited partnership or foreign limited partnership for service of any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the limited partnership or foreign limited partnership.

(b) If a limited partnership or foreign limited partnership does not appoint or maintain an agent for service of process in this State or the agent for service of process cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the agent's address, the Secretary of State is an agent of the limited partnership or foreign limited partnership upon whom process, notice, or demand may be served.

(c) Service under subsection (b) shall be made by the person instituting the action by doing all of the following:

(1) serving upon the Secretary of State, or upon any employee having responsibility for administering this Act, a copy of the process, notice, or demand, together with any papers required by law to be delivered in connection with service and paying the fee prescribed by Section 1302 of this Act;

(2) transmitting notice of the service upon the Secretary of State and a copy of the process, notice, or demand and accompanying papers to the limited partnership being served, by registered or certified mail:

(A) at the last address of the agent for service of process for the limited partnership or foreign limited partnership shown by the records on file in the Office of the Secretary of State; and

(B) at the address the use of which the person instituting the action, suit, or proceeding knows or, on the basis of reasonable inquiry, has reason to believe, is most likely to result in actual notice;

(3) attaching an affidavit of compliance with this Section, in substantially the form that the Secretary of State may by rule or regulation prescribe, to the process, notice, or demand.

(d) Service is effected under subsection (c) at the earliest of:

(1) the date the limited partnership or foreign limited partnership receives the process, notice, or demand;

(2) the date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the limited partnership or foreign limited partnership; or

(3) five days after the process, notice, or demand is deposited in the mail, if mailed postpaid and correctly addressed.

(e) The Secretary of State shall keep a record of each process, notice, and demand served pursuant to this Section and record the time of, and the action taken regarding, the service.

(f) This Section does not affect the right to serve process, notice, or demand in any other manner provided by law.

(Source: P.A. 97-839, eff. 7-20-12; 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)