For Bumper Man, is the State Administrator and the Agent for Service of Process always the same entity?
Bumper_Man Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| STATE | STATE ADMINISTRATOR | AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS |
|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA | Department of Financial Protection and Innovation 320 West 4th Street, Suite 750 Los Angeles, California 90013 (866) 275-2677 www.dfpi.ca.gov Ask.DFPI@dfpi.ca.gov | Commissioner of the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Department of Financial Protection and Innovation 320 West 4th Street, Suite 750 Los Angeles, California 90013-2344 |
| HAWAII | Business Registration Division Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs 335 Merchant Street, Room 203 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 (808) 586-2722 | Commissioner of Securities Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs 335 Merchant Street, Room 203 Honolulu, HI 96813 |
| ILLINOIS | Franchise Bureau Office of Attorney General 500 S. Second Street Springfield, Illinois 62706 (217) 782-4465 | Franchise Bureau Office of Attorney General 500 S. Second Street Springfield, Illinois 62706 |
| INDIANA | Indiana Secretary of State Securities Division 302 W. Washington St., Room E-111 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 (317) 232-6681 | Indiana Secretary of State 201 State House 200 West Washington Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 |
| MARYLAND | Office of Attorney General | Maryland Securities Commissioner |
| Securities Division | Office of the Attorney General | |
| 200 St. Paul Place | Securities Division | |
| Baltimore, Maryland 21202 | 200 St. Paul Place | |
| (410) 576-6360 | Baltimore, Maryland 21202-2021 | |
| MICHIGAN | Michigan Department of Attorney General Consumer Protection Division, Franchise Unit 525 West Ottawa Street G. Mennen Williams Building, 1st Floor Lansing, Michigan 48933 (517) 335-7567 | Michigan Department of Commerce Corporations and Securities Bureau P.O. Box 30054 6546 Mercantile Way Lansing, Michigan 48909 |
| MINNESOTA | Department of Commerce | Commissioner of Commerce |
| 85 7th Place East, Suite 280 | Department of Commerce | |
| St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2198 | 85 7th Place East, Suite 280 | |
| (651) 539-1500 | St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2198 | |
| NEW YORK | New York State Department of Law Investor Protection Bureau 28 Liberty St., 21st Floor New York, New York 10005 (212) 416-8236 (Phone) | New York Secretary of State One Commerce Plaza 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor Albany, NY 12231-0001 |
| STATE | STATE ADMINISTRATOR | AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS |
| NORTH DAKOTA | North Dakota Securities Department 600 East Boulevard Avenue State Capitol – 14th Floor Dept. 414 Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0510 (701) 328-4712 | Securities Commissioner North Dakota Securities Department 600 East Boulevard Avenue State Capitol, 14th Floor Dept. 414 Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0510 |
| RHODE ISLAND | Director, Securities Division State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation Building 69, First Floor John O Pastore Center 1511 Pontiac Avenue Cranston, Rhode Island 02920 (401) 462-9582 | Department of Business Regulation Bldg. 69, First Floor John O Pastore Center 1511 Pontiac Avenue Cranston, RI 02920 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | Department of Labor &Regulation Division of Insurance Securities Regulation 124 S. Euclid, Suite 104 Pierre, South Dakota 57501 (605) 773-3563 | Director, Department of Labor & Regulation Division of Insurance Securities Regulation 124 S. Euclid, Suite 104 Pierre, South Dakota 57501 |
| VIRGINIA | State Corporation Commission Division of Securities and Retail Franchising Tyler Building, 9th Floor 1300 East Main Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 (804) 371-9051 | Clerk of the State Corporation Commission 1300 East Main Street, 1st Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 |
| WASHINGTON | Department of Financial Institutions | Director, Department of Financial |
| Securities Division | Institutions | |
| P.O. Box 41200 | Securities Division | |
| Olympia, Washington 98504-1200 | 150 Israel Road S.W. | |
| (362) 902-8760 | Tumwater, Washington 98501 | |
| WISCONSIN | Division of Securities Department of Financial Institutions 4822 Madison Yards Way, North Tower Madison, Wisconsin 53705 (608) 266-9555 | Administrator, Division of Securities Department of Financial Institutions 4822 Madison Yards Way, North Tower Madison, Wisconsin 53705 |
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 45–180)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bumper Man's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the State Administrator and the Agent for Service of Process are not always the same entity. The FDD provides a table that lists these entities for various states. For example, in California, the State Administrator is the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, while the Agent for Service of Process is the Commissioner of the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Similarly, in Hawaii, the State Administrator is the Business Registration Division, but the Agent for Service of Process is the Commissioner of Securities. In Maryland, the State Administrator is the Office of Attorney General Securities Division, while the Agent for Service of Process is the Maryland Securities Commissioner Office of the Attorney General Securities Division.
However, in some states like Illinois, the State Administrator and the Agent for Service of Process are the same: the Franchise Bureau Office of Attorney General. Similarly, in North Dakota, both roles are held by the North Dakota Securities Department, and in South Dakota, both roles are held by the Department of Labor & Regulation Division of Insurance Securities Regulation. In Rhode Island, the Director, Securities Division State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation is the State Administrator, while the Department of Business Regulation is the Agent for Service of Process.
This distinction is important for Bumper Man franchisees because it clarifies who to contact for official state-level business and legal matters. The State Administrator typically handles franchise-related regulatory issues, while the Agent for Service of Process is the entity officially designated to receive legal notices and court documents on behalf of the franchisor or franchisee within that state. Franchisees should ensure they understand these differences to properly handle legal and regulatory compliance.