(1) Any obligor may appoint a registered agent on whom notices and process may be served under s. 721.85. The statement of appointment must be in writing signed by the obligor and must:
(a) Provide the name of the registered agent and the street address for the registered office;
(b) Identify the obligor for whom the registered agent serves;
(c) Indicate the purpose of the appointment;
(d) Specify the instruments out of which the liens arise;
(e) Designate the address the obligor wishes to use to receive mail from the registered agent; and
(f) Contain the obligor’s undertaking to inform the registered agent of any change in such designated address.
The statement of appointment must also provide for the registered agent’s acceptance of the appointment, which must confirm that the registered agent is familiar with and accepts the obligations of that position as set forth in this section.
(2) An obligor may change but not revoke its appointment of registered agent and registered office under this chapter by executing a written statement of change that identifies the former registered agent and registered address and also satisfies all of the requirements of subsection (1). A copy of the statement of change must be promptly provided to the former registered agent and the affected lienholder and becomes effective upon receipt by the affected lienholder.
(3) A registered agent appointed under subsection (1) or a successor registered agent appointed under subsection (2) shall provide the lienholder with a copy of the obligor’s appointment and the executed acceptance of the appointment by the registered agent promptly following the registered agent’s receipt of the statement of appointment or statement of change executed by the obligor. The statement of appointment or statement of change becomes effective upon receipt by the lienholder of the fully executed form. A successor registered agent shall promptly provide a copy of a statement of change to the former registered agent.
(4) A registered agent may change its business name or the street address of the registered office for any obligor for which it serves as registered agent by:
(a) Notifying all obligors of the specific change in writing at the address such obligor designated for receipt of mail from the registered agent; and
(b) Delivering to each respective lienholder a statement that updates the information on the original appointment or change of appointment, identifies the names of all affected obligors, and states that each such affected obligor has been notified of the change.
(5) A registered agent may resign his or her agency appointment for any obligor for which he or she serves as registered agent, provided that:
(a) The resigning registered agent executes a written statement of resignation that identifies himself or herself and the street address of his or her registered office, and identifies the obligors affected by his or her resignation;
(b) A successor registered agent is appointed and such successor registered agent executes an acceptance of appointment as successor registered agent and satisfies all of the requirements of subsection (1). The resigning registered agent may designate the successor registered agent; however, if the resigning registered agent fails to designate a successor registered agent or the designated successor registered agent fails to accept, the successor registered agent for the affected obligors may be designated by the mortgagee as to the mortgage lien and by the owners’ association as to the assessment lien; and
(c) Copies of the statement of resignation and acceptance of appointment as successor registered agent are promptly mailed to the affected obligors at the obligors’ last designated address shown on the records of the resigning registered agent and to the affected lienholders. The agency and registered office of the resigning registered agent are terminated and the agency and registered office of the successor registered agent are effective as of the 10th day after the date on which the statement of resignation and acceptance of appointment as successor registered agent are received by the lienholder, unless a longer period is provided in the statement of resignation and acceptance of appointment as successor registered agent.
(6) Unless otherwise provided in this section, a registered agent in receipt of any notice or other document addressed from the lienholder to the obligor in care of the registered agent at the registered office must mail, by first-class mail if the obligor’s address is within the United States, and by international air mail if the obligor’s address is outside the United States, with postage fees prepaid, such notice or documents to the obligor at the obligor’s last designated address within 5 days after receipt.
(7) In the absence of a written agreement to the contrary, a registered agent is not liable for the failure to give notice to the obligor of the receipt of any document under this part if, such registered agent has complied in a timely manner with the procedures and duties in this section.
History.—s. 13, ch. 98-36; s. 77, ch. 99-3; s. 55, ch. 99-7; s. 44, ch. 2000-302; s. 30, ch. 2004-279; s. 7, ch. 2013-159.