Service of notices, rules, decisions, orders

20. (a) Notices, rules, decisions, and orders required or permitted to be issued and served pursuant to P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.), except as otherwise provided for a notice of noncompliance issued for a potentially hazardous violation pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (d) of section 13 of P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-13), shall be served as follows: (1) On the owner: (i) By mailing same by certified or ordinary mail to the person designated as owner or agent on the certificate of registration or in the municipal tax records or in the records of the Department of the Treasury; or (ii) By serving same on the owner, or upon a person authorized to accept service on behalf of the owner in a civil matter, in accordance with the Rules of Court. (2) On the occupant: (i) By mailing same by certified or ordinary mail to said occupant; (ii) By serving same on the Department of the Treasury, who shall be deemed the owner's agent for service of process, provided however, that reasonable efforts have first been made to serve the owner or his agent by certified mail and that a copy of such notice is posted in a conspicuous location on the premises. "Conspicuous location" shall include the walls of the front vestibule or in any common foyer or hallway immediately inside the main front entrance; or (iii) By leaving same at the dwelling unit of the occupant with a competent member of the household of the age of 14 or over. (b) The date of service shall be considered the date of personal service, the date of other method of service authorized under this section, or the date of the third day after mailing, whichever occurs first.