In case the director shall find that the collection of any tax imposed by this act would be facilitated thereby, he may authorize, under reasonable conditions, any person resident or located outside this State, engaged in the business of selling and shipping cigarettes into the State, upon complying with the requirements of the director, to affix or cause to be affixed on behalf of any purchaser of cigarettes who would otherwise be taxable therefor, the stamps required by this act, or may authorize the use of a machine by such persons as herein provided, except that the delivery of stamps or meterings to such persons shall be made upon a prepayment basis. Any such nonresident person shall be required to agree to submit his books, accounts, and records to reasonable examination, by the director or his duly authorized agent. Each such nonresident person, other than a foreign corporation which is authorized by law to transact business in this State shall, by a duly executed instrument filed in the office of the Secretary of State, constitute the Secretary of State his lawful attorney in fact upon whom any original process in any action or legal proceeding against such nonresident person may be served, and therein agree that any original process against him so served shall be of the same force and effect as if served on him within this State, and that the authority thereof shall continue in force irrevocably so long as any such nonresident person shall remain liable for any taxes, interest and penalties under this act. Service of process against any such nonresident person shall be made by leaving the process, with a fee of two dollars ($2.00) in the office of the Secretary of State. Upon the receipt of any such process the Secretary of State shall send forthwith by registered mail to such nonresident person a notice of such service and a copy of the process. Any nonresident person who shall comply with the provisions of this section may be licensed as a distributor.
N.J.S. § 54:40A-18