Wash. Rev. Code » Title 4 · Chapter 4.28
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 4.28.180 (2026)

Personal service out-of-state

✓ current as of May 2026
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Personal service of summons or other process may be made upon any party outside the state. If upon a citizen or resident of this state or upon a person who has submitted to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state, it shall have the force and effect of personal service within this state; otherwise it shall have the force and effect of service by publication. The summons upon the party out of the state shall contain the same and be served in like manner as personal summons within the state, except it shall require the party to appear and answer within sixty days after such personal service out of the state.
[ 1959 c 131 s 1; 1895 c 86 s 3; 1893 c 127 s 11; RRS s 234.]

Notes:

Rules of court: Cf. CR 4(e), CR 12(a), CR 82(a).
Service of process on nonresident motor vehicle operator: RCW 46.64.040.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 61 cases (10 in the last 5 years), 1963–2024 · leading case: Haberman v. Washington Pub. Power Supply Sys., 750 P.2d 254 (Wash. 1988).
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Haberman v. Washington Pub. Power Supply Sys., 750 P.2d 254 (Wash. 1988). · cites it 4× “See RCW 4.28.180. RCW 4.28.180 provides: Personal service out of state.”
Ashley v. Superior Court, 521 P.2d 711 (Wash. 1974). · cites it 6× “RCW 4.28.180 provides that personal services of summons or process may be made upon the party outside the state.”
Nixon v. Cohn, 385 P.2d 305 (Wash. 1963). · cites it 4× “The respondent’s affidavit admits the above facts, but states that respondent does no business whatever in Washington, has no agent or employee in Washington, owns no property in Washington, has no office or telephone listing in Washington, and at no time relevant to this case…”
Sammamish Pointe Homeowners Ass'n v. Sammamish Pointe L.L.C., 116 Wash. App. 117 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “The plaintiff in this lawsuit served each of several out-of-state companies with a 20-day summons instead of the 60-day summons required by Washington’s long-arm statute, RCW 4.28.180. The trial court erred in concluding that a misstatement of the proper return period is a…”
Sammamish Pointe Homeowners Ass'n v. Sammamish Pointe LLC, 64 P.3d 656 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “The plaintiff in this lawsuit served each of several out of-state companies with a 20-day summons instead of the 60-day summons required by Washington's long-arm statute, RCW 4.28.180. The trial court erred in concluding that a misstatement of the proper return period is a…”
Summerrise v. Stephens, 454 P.2d 224 (Wash. 1969). · cites it 4× “180), and the long-arm statute (RCW 4.28.180 and 4.28.185). *810 The facts, briefly stated, are that the plaintiff, a Washington resident, has a cause of action against the doctor defendant for claimed malpractice occurring in this state during February 1955.”
State v. Reader's Digest Ass'n, 501 P.2d 290 (Wash. 1972). · cites it 2× “160, which provides: Personal service of any process in an action under this chapter may be made upon any person outside the state if such person has engaged in conduct in violation of this chapter which has had the impact in this state which this chapter reprehends.”
Ralph's Concrete v. Concord Concrete Pumps, 225 P.3d 1035 (Wash. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 2× “r of service of process on defendants located outside of this state who are subject to the jurisdiction of Washington courts based on the acts specified in the statute: Service of process upon any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state, as provided…”
Ralph's Concrete Pumping, Inc. v. Concord Concrete Pumps, Inc., 154 Wash. App. 581 (Wash. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 2× “service of process on defendants located outside of this state who are subject to the jurisdiction of Washington courts based on the acts specified in the statute: Service of process upon any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state, as provided in…”
State Ex Rel. Coughlin v. Jenkins, 7 P.3d 818 (Wash. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 2× “185(2) also describes how to effect service of process: Service of process upon any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state, as provided in this section, may be made by personally serving the defendant outside this state, as provided in RCW…”
Toulouse v. Swanson, 438 P.2d 578 (Wash. 1968). · cites it 4× “This is a classic case for the application of RCW 4.28.180 and 4.28.185, the “long arm” statute that provides: Personal service of summons or other process may be made upon any party outside the state.”
Ohio Sec. Ins. Co. v. AXIS Ins. Co., 413 P.3d 1028 (Wash. 2018). “185 (1977), and its companion service statute, RCW 4.28.180, provided an alternative to former RCW 48.”
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