Florida § 604.19 - License; fee; bond; certificate of deposit; penalty.

§ 604.19. License; fee; bond; certificate of deposit; penalty.

Unless the department refuses the application on one or more of the grounds provided in this section, it shall issue to an applicant, upon the payment of required fees and the execution and delivery of a bond or certificate of deposit as provided in this section, a state license entitling the applicant to conduct business as a dealer in agricultural products for a 1-year period to coincide with the effective period of the bond or certificate of deposit furnished by the applicant. During the 1-year period covered by a license, if the supporting surety bond or certificate of deposit is canceled for any reason, the license shall automatically expire on the date the surety bond or certificate of deposit terminates, unless an acceptable replacement is in effect before the date of termination so that continual coverage occurs for the remaining period of the license. A surety company shall give the department a 30-day written notice of cancellation by certified mail in order to cancel a bond. Cancellation of a bond or certificate of deposit shall not relieve a surety company or financial institution of liability for purchases or sales occurring while the bond or certificate of deposit was in effect. The license fee, which must be paid for the principal place of business for a dealer in agricultural products, shall be based upon the amount of the dealer’s surety bond or certificate of deposit furnished by each dealer under the provisions of s. 604.20 and may not exceed $500. For each additional place in which the applicant desires to conduct business and which the applicant names in the application, the additional license fee must be paid but may not exceed $100 annually. Should any dealer in agricultural products fail, refuse, or neglect to apply and qualify for the renewal of a license on or before the date of expiration thereof, a penalty not to exceed $100 shall apply to and be added to the original license fee and shall be paid by the applicant before the renewal license may be issued. The department by rule shall prescribe fee amounts sufficient to fund ss. 604.15-604.34.