(a) Any notice required by this chapter to be served shall be deemed to have been served when served by any of the following methods: (1) when forwarded to the last known address of the owner as recorded in the real estate assessment records of the District of Columbia, by registered or certified mail, with return receipt, and such receipt shall constitute prima facie evidence of service upon such owner if such receipt is signed either by the owner or by a person of suitable age and discretion located at such address; provided, that valid service upon the owner shall be deemed effected if such notice shall be refused by the owner and not delivered for that reason; (2) when delivered to the person to be notified; (3) when left at the usual residence or place of business of the person to be notified with a person of suitable age and discretion then resident or employed therein; (4) if no such residence or place of business can be found in the District of Columbia by reasonable search, then if left with any person of suitable age and discretion employed at the office of any agent of the person to be notified, which agent has any authority or duty with reference to the land or tenement to which said notice relates; (5) if any such notice forwarded by registered or certified mail be returned for reasons other than refusal, or if personal service of any such notice, as hereinbefore provided, cannot be effected, or if no address is known or can be ascertained by reasonable diligence, by publishing the notice on 3 consecutive days in a daily newspaper published in the District of Columbia or by posting a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place in or about the structure affected by such notice; or (6) if by reason of an outstanding unrecorded transfer of title the name of the owner in fact cannot be ascertained beyond a reasonable doubt, then if served on the owner of record in a manner hereinbefore provided. Any notice to a corporation shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be deemed to have been served on such corporation if served on the president, secretary, treasurer, general manager, or any principal officer of such corporation in the manner hereinbefore provided for the service of notices on natural persons holding property in their own right, and notices to a foreign corporation shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be deemed to have been served if served personally on any agent of such corporation, or if left with any person of suitable age and discretion residing at the usual residence or employed at the usual place of business of such agent in the District of Columbia.

(b) In case such notice is served by any method other than personal service, a copy of such notice shall also be sent to the owner by ordinary mail.

(Mar. 1, 1899, 30 Stat. 923, ch. 323, § 5; as added Apr. 5, 1935, 49 Stat. 107, ch. 41; redesignated as §7, Aug. 22, 1964, 78 Stat. 600, Pub. L. 88-486, § 6; May 18, 2016, D.C. Law 21-118, § 3(d), 63 DCR 4645.)

1981 Ed., § 5-607.

1973 Ed., § 5-507.