§ 32 §1851 — License required; fee; expiration and renewal

No person within this State may manufacture or bottle for sale any beverage without first having filed with the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry an application for a license accompanied with the fee specified in this section and having been issued a license to operate a beverage plant. Upon receipt of such application containing information required by the commissioner and being satisfied that the applicant has complied with this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter, the commissioner shall issue the applicant a license to manufacture and sell beverages.
No person manufacturing or bottling any beverage outside of the State for retail sale within the State may sell or offer to sell the same within the State unless that person has made application and secured a license to sell beverages from the commissioner upon the payment of the fee specified in this section. The commissioner may issue a license to sell beverages manufactured or bottled outside of the State upon being satisfied from inspection by an inspector of the department or from a statement from the agency having enforcement of the beverage law in the state where the beverage establishment is located, that the establishment complies with the requirements of this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter, and upon the commissioner's approval of the establishment on the basis of the inspection or statement.
Beginning August 1, 2000, each license or license renewal issued expires on the 31st day of December following the date of issuance or on the date provided by the provisions of the Maine Administrative Procedure Act as to license expiration, whichever date is later, unless sooner revoked as provided in section 1802, and must be renewed annually thereafter subject always to such revocation. When an initial license is issued or when a license is renewed between August 1, 2000 and December 31, 2001, the license fee is prorated based on the number of months the license is valid and the annual license fee.
The fee for a license issued under this section is based on the number of persons employed by the manufacturer or bottler. The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish a schedule of fees for licenses issued under this subchapter. Fees must be appropriate to the size of the beverage plant. Notwithstanding Title 5, section 8071, subsection 3, paragraph B, rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

Legislative History

PL 1977, c. 694, §584 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 410, §S4 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 598, §2 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 598, §4 (AFF). PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. GGGG, §8 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §6 (REV).