A summons may be served on a corporation by delivering a copy of the summons and the complaint by any of the following methods:
§ 416.10.Service On Corporation
Title 5. Jurisdiction and Service of Process · Chapter 4. Service of Summons · Article 4. Persons Upon Whom Summons May Be Served · Last amended 2007 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 416.10 lists who may be served on behalf of a California corporation — its designated agent for service of process, its top officers or an authorized person, a bank’s cashier, or as otherwise authorized by the Corporations Code.
Full Text of § 416.10
(a) To the person designated as agent for service of process as provided by any provision in Section 202, 1502, 2105, or 2107 of the Corporations Code (or Sections 3301 to 3303, inclusive, or Sections 6500 to 6504, inclusive, of the Corporations Code, as in effect on December 31, 1976, with respect to corporations to which they remain applicable).
(b) To the president, chief executive officer, or other head of the corporation, a vice president, a secretary or assistant secretary, a treasurer or assistant treasurer, a controller or chief financial officer, a general manager, or a person authorized by the corporation to receive service of process.
(c) If the corporation is a bank, to a cashier or assistant cashier or to a person specified in subdivision (a) or (b).
(d) If authorized by any provision in Section 1701, 1702, 2110, or 2111 of the Corporations Code (or Sections 3301 to 3303, inclusive, or Sections 6500 to 6504, inclusive, of the Corporations Code, as in effect on December 31, 1976, with respect to corporations to which they remain applicable), as provided by that provision.
Plain-English Summary
Section 416.10 identifies the people who count as a corporation for purposes of receiving a summons. Subdivision (a) allows service on the person designated as agent for service of process under specific Corporations Code sections. Subdivision (b) allows service on the corporation’s president, chief executive officer, or other head, a vice president, a secretary or assistant secretary, a treasurer or assistant treasurer, a controller or chief financial officer, a general manager, or any person the corporation has authorized to receive service of process.
Subdivision (c) addresses banks specifically, allowing service on a cashier or assistant cashier, or on any person described in subdivisions (a) or (b). Subdivision (d) is a cross-reference provision, allowing service as authorized by other specific Corporations Code sections governing particular kinds of corporate service.
This section works together with § 415.10 and § 415.20 — those sections describe how the copy of the summons is delivered (personally, or by substituted service left at the office), while § 416.10 identifies who it must be delivered to for that delivery to count as service on the corporation itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be served on behalf of a California corporation?
Section 416.10 allows service on the corporation’s designated agent for service of process, or on its president, CEO or other head, a vice president, a secretary or assistant secretary, a treasurer or assistant treasurer, a controller or chief financial officer, a general manager, or a person the corporation has authorized to receive service.
How is a bank served differently from other corporations?
Subdivision (c) allows service on a bank through a cashier or assistant cashier, in addition to the officers and agents listed in subdivisions (a) and (b) that apply to corporations generally.
Does § 416.10 say how the papers must be delivered to these people?
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2006 ch 567 (AB 2303),s 7, eff. 1/1/2007.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: serving a corporation california registered agentwho can accept service for a corporation californiacorporate officer service of process california