Every applicant for a prepaid rental listing service license who is not a resident of this state shall file with the application for a license an irrevocable consent that in any action arising out of the activities of the prepaid rental listing service commenced against him or her in this state, if personal service of process upon him or her cannot be made in this state in the exercise of due diligence, a valid service may be made upon him or her by delivering the process to the Secretary of State.
Insofar as possible, the provisions of Section 1018 of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to service of process on the Secretary of State are applicable to this section.