Short answer: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s agent for service of process in California is CSC – Lawyers Incorporating Service, at CSC – Lawyers Incorporating Service, 2710 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 150N, Sacramento, CA 95833.
It is not CT. A lot of published guidance gets this wrong. Serve the wrong agent and your service is void — and in a lemon law case with a trial date, that is the case.
The Proof, From a Filed Court Record
“Via Registered Agent: CSC – Lawyers, 2710 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 150N, Sacramento, CA 95833”
McGinnis v. American Honda Motor Co. (N.D. Cal.)
That is the registered agent’s own paperwork — not a directory listing.
Why the Secretary of State Shows No Address
Look up American Honda Motor Co., Inc. on the California Secretary of State’s bizfile and you will see the agent’s name and no street address. That is not an omission — it is the law:
If a corporate agent is designated, no address for it shall be set forth.
Cal. Corp. Code § 1502(b)
The defendant’s filing tells you who to serve. It never tells you where. The address comes from the agent’s own certificate under Corp. Code § 1505, which lists the California office(s) where it accepts process. That blank is exactly where bad guidance comes from — people fill it with whatever address they find.
Name the Right Defendant
- American Honda Motor Co., Inc. — the entity that distributes and warrants Honda and Acura vehicles in the United States. This is who you name and serve.
- Not the brand. Brands are not legal entities and have no separate agent.
- Not the dealership. Under the Song-Beverly Act your warranty claim runs against the manufacturer.
What We Do
We are a Registered California Process Server (#024-027). We serve American Honda Motor Co., Inc. through its agent of record and return a signed Proof of Service formatted for filing in your court. Out-of-state subpoenas and summonses must be domesticated in California first — we handle that too.
Personal service on the registered agent: $99 flat. Order service or call (916) 999-1846.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s California registered agent CSC or CT Corporation?
CSC – Lawyers Incorporating Service, at CSC – Lawyers Incorporating Service, 2710 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 150N, Sacramento, CA 95833. This is confirmed by a filed court record, not a directory.
Why does the Secretary of State show no address for American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s agent?
Corporations Code section 1502(b) forbids it: ‘If a corporate agent is designated, no address for it shall be set forth.’ The address lives on the agent’s own section 1505 certificate.
What happens if I serve the wrong registered agent?
The service is void. California courts have vacated defaults where the proof of service did not name a person authorized to accept (Ramos v. Homeward Residential). Actual notice does not cure defective service.
Do I sue the manufacturer or the dealership?
Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the warranty claim runs against the manufacturer. The dealer is usually not the right defendant for a lemon law claim.
How fast can you serve it?
Tell us your deadline. For small claims, service must be completed at least 15 days before the hearing if the defendant is in-county, or 20 days if out-of-county, under CCP 116.340(b).
