(1) Service of process may be effectuated in a foreign country upon a party, other than a minor or an incompetent person, as provided in any of the following:(a) By any internationally agreed-upon means of service reasonably calculated to give actual notice of the proceedings, such as those authorized by the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters.
(b) If there is no internationally agreed-upon means of service, or if an international agreement allows but does not specify other means, by a method reasonably calculated to give actual notice of the proceedings:1. As prescribed by the foreign country’s law for service in that country in an action in its courts of general jurisdiction;
2. As the foreign authority directs in response to a letter rogatory or letter of request; or
3. Unless prohibited by the foreign country’s law, by:a. If serving an individual, delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the individual personally; or
b. Using any form of mail that the clerk addresses and sends to the party and which requires a signed receipt.
(c) Pursuant to motion and order by the court, by other means, including electronically by e-mail or other technology, which the party seeking service shows is reasonably calculated to give actual notice of the proceedings and is not prohibited by international agreement, as the court orders.
(2) Service of process may be effectuated in a foreign country upon a minor or an incompetent person in the manner prescribed by subparagraph (1)(b)1., subparagraph (1)(b)2., or paragraph (1)(c).
1Note.—Section 5, ch. 2025-13, provides:“(1) The amendments made to chapter 48, Florida Statutes, by chapter 2022-190, Laws of Florida, apply to causes of action that accrued on or after January 2, 2023, and to all causes of action that accrued before January 2, 2023, for which service of process was effectuated on or after January 2, 2023.
“(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any service of process that occurred between January 2, 2023, and October 1, 2025, which has not been invalidated by a court, is valid if such service complied with either chapter 48, Florida Statutes, as amended by chapter 2022-190, Laws of Florida, or the laws governing service of process in effect before January 2, 2023, which would have applied in the absence of chapter 2022-190, Laws of Florida.
“(3) The amendments made by this act apply to all service of process made or effectuated on or after October 1, 2025, regardless of whether the cause of action accrued before, on, or after October 1, 2025.
“(4) This section does not extend or modify the time for challenging the validity of any service of process and does not revive any ability to challenge the validity of service of process which has previously been waived.”
