(a)Required. —It shall be unlawful for any person to act as a special fuel dealer in this State unless such person is the holder of a valid special fuel dealer’s license issued by the Department. Except for special fuel which is delivered by a special fuel dealer into a fuel supply tank of any motor vehicle in this State, the use (as defined in this subchapter) of special fuel in this State by any person shall be unlawful unless such person is the holder of a valid special fuel user’s license issued by the Department. However, the requirement for a special fuel dealer’s or special fuel user’s license and bond may be waived by the Department, if said dealer or user has contracted to pay the applicable special fuel tax to a licensed special fuel supplier at the time of purchase. Also, it shall be unlawful for a special fuel supplier to collect the special fuel tax from a special fuel dealer or special fuel user unless the supplier is the holder of a valid special fuel supplier’s license. A fee of $10 shall be paid to the Department for the issuance of each special fuel license. As a condition of their license, persons shall make the required loan payments on their own account or for their retailer customers who:
(1) Participate in the Small Retail Gasoline Station Assistance Loan Fund, established in Chapter 74 of Title 7; and
(2) Provide these funds to the person.
(b)Application. —Application for a special fuel license shall be made to the Department of Transportation on forms supplied by the Department. A license shall be required for each separate place of business or location where special fuels are regularly delivered or placed into the fuel supply tank of a motor vehicle by a special fuel dealer or special fuel user.
(c)Form of application. —The application shall be filed upon a form prepared and furnished by the Department. The application shall contain such information as the Department deems necessary.
(d)Bond. —(1) No special fuel license shall be issued to any person or continued in force unless such person has furnished a surety bond in such forms and amount as the Department may require, but not less than $5,000, nor more than $200,000, to secure compliance with this chapter, and the payment of any and all taxes, interest and penalties due and to become due hereunder. Every bond filed with and approved by the Department shall, without the necessity of periodic renewal, remain in force and effect until such time as the license is revoked for cause, or otherwise cancelled or surrendered.
(2) The bond shall be in such form as may be approved by the Department of Transportation, and shall be executed by a surety company to be approved by the Department and duly licensed to do business under the laws of this State. The bond shall be payable to the State, and be conditioned upon the prompt filing of true reports and the payment by such licensee to the Department of any and all special fuel taxes levied or imposed by this State, together with any and all penalties and/or interest thereon, and generally upon faithful compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(3) If liability upon the bond thus filed by the licensee with the Department shall be discharged or reduced, whether by judgment rendered, payment made or otherwise, or, if in the opinion of the Department, any surety on the bond theretofore given shall have become unsatisfactory or unacceptable, then the Department may require the filing of a new bond with like surety as hereinbefore provided in the same amount, failing which, the Department shall forthwith cancel the license of the licensee. If the new bond is furnished by the licensee as above provided, the Department shall cancel and surrender the bond of the licensee for which such new bond shall be substituted; provided, however, that such bond shall not be cancelled if any liability shall have accrued under the provisions thereof which shall be still outstanding.
(4) If the Department of Transportation, after a hearing of which the licensee shall be given 5 days’ notice in writing, shall decide that the amount of the existing bond is insufficient to insure payment to the State of the amount of the tax and any penalties and interest for which the licensee is or may at any time become liable, then the licensee shall forthwith upon the written demand of the Department file an additional bond in the same manner and form with like security thereon as hereinbefore provided. The total amount of any such additional bond as well as the bond required under paragraph (d)(1) of this section shall not exceed the maximum of $200,000, and the Department shall forthwith cancel the license certificate of any licensee failing to file an additional bond as herein provided.
(5) Any surety on any bond furnished by any licensee as above provided, upon written request mailed to the Department of Transportation, certified mail, return receipt requested, shall be released and discharged from any and all liability to the State accruing on such bond. Upon receipt of such request, the Department shall forthwith acknowledge in writing the receipt of said request and shall thereafter inform the surety that it shall be released and discharged from any and all liability to the State accruing on such bond after the expiration of 60 days from the date on which the Department received the surety’s request for release and discharge. Simultaneously, the Department shall also notify the licensee who furnished such bond of the fact that the surety will be released and discharged from any and all liability on a certain date. The licensee shall further be advised that unless it shall, on or before the expiration of such 60-day period, file with the Department a new bond in the amount and form hereinbefore in this section provided, the Department shall forthwith cancel the license of the licensee.
(e)Issuance. —Upon receipt of the application and bond in proper form, the Department of Transportation shall issue to the applicant a license to act as a special fuel dealer or a special fuel user or a special fuel supplier; provided, however, that the Department may refuse to issue a license to any person:
(1) Who formerly held any type of license, which, prior to the time of filing application, has been revoked for cause; or
(2) Who is a subterfuge for the real party in interest whose license, prior to the time of filing application, has been revoked for cause; or
(3) Upon other sufficient cause being shown.
Before such refusal, the Department shall grant the applicant a hearing and shall grant the applicant at least 30 days’ written notice of the time and place thereof.
(f)Term of license. —Each special fuel license shall expire on June 30. Every person desiring to continue as a special fuel dealer or as a special fuel user or as a special fuel supplier shall annually thereafter on July 1 procure from the Department such a license, which shall expire on June 30 next following.
(g)Assignment forbidden. —No special fuel dealer’s license or special fuel user’s license or special fuel supplier’s license shall be transferable.
(h)Revocation, cancellation and surrender of license and bond. —The Department of Transportation may revoke the license of any special fuel dealer or special fuel user or special fuel supplier for reasonable cause. Before revoking any such license the Department shall notify the licensee to show cause within 30 days of the date of the notice why such license should not be revoked; provided, however, that at any time prior to and pending such hearing the Department may, in the exercise of reasonable discretion, suspend such license.
The Department shall cancel any license to act as a special fuel dealer or a special fuel user or special fuel supplier immediately upon surrender thereof by the holder.