{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-454.270","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 454.270","heading":"Appointment of Secretary of State as agent for service of process -- Service","body":"of process -- Return -- Applicability.\n(1) Any nonresident operator or owner of any watercraft who accepts the privilege\nextended by the laws of this state to nonresidents to operate watercraft or have them\noperated within state shall, by such acceptance and by the operation of such\nwatercraft within this state, make the Secretary of State the agent of himself or his\npersonal representative for the service of process in any ci vil action instituted in the\ncourts of this state against the operator or owner, or the personal representative of\nthe operator or owner, arising out of or by reason of any accident or collision or\ndamage occurring within this state in which the watercraft is involved.\n(2) The clerk of the court in which the action is brought shall issue a summons against\nthe defendant named in the complaint and direct it to the sheriff of Franklin County.\nThe sheriff shall execute the summons by delivering two (2) true cop ies to the\nSecretary of State and shall also deliver with each summons an attested copy of\nplaintiff's complaint. The Secretary of State shall immediately mail a copy of the\nsummons and complaint to the defendant at the address given in the complaint. The\nletter shall be posted by prepaid certified mail, return receipt requested, and shall\nbear the return address of the Secretary of State. The sheriff shall make the usual\nreturn to the court, and in addition the Secretary of State shall make a return to the\ncourt showing that the acts contemplated by this statute have been performed, and\nshall attach to his return the registry receipt, if any. Summons shall be deemed to be\nserved on the return of the Secretary of State and the action shall proceed as\nprovided in the Rules of Civil Procedure.\n(3) The sheriff serving the summons upon the Secretary of State shall pay to him, at the\ntime of service, a fee of ten dollars ($10), which shall be taxed as costs in the action.\nThe Secretary shall keep a record of each summons, including the day and hour of\nservice upon him.\n(4) The court in which the action is pending may order such continuances as may be\nnecessary to afford the defendant reasonable opportunity to appear and defend the\naction.\n(5) This chapter extends the right of service of process upon nonresidents, and does not\nlimit any other provisions for the service of process.\n(6) The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any operator or owner of any watercraft\nwho is a resident of this state at the time any accident or collision or damage occurs\nand who thereafter becomes a nonresident.","path":["KRS Chapter 454"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19606","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:59:58Z","sha256":"ca32bfa0ab9ef56fedcc0aa7c79b9ffb5347fb77ba164c0c158afe0d3d47034a","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-454.265","next":"us-ky/krs-454.275"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}