(1) It is unlawful for any person to engage in business as a terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, biodiesel manufacturer, or wholesaler of motor fuel within this state unless such person is the holder of an unrevoked license issued by the department to engage in such business. A person is engaging in such business if he or she:

(a) Imports or causes any motor fuel to be imported and sells such fuel at wholesale, retail, or otherwise within this state.

(b) Imports and withdraws for use within this state by himself or herself or others any motor fuel from the tank car, truck, or other original container or package in which such motor fuel was imported into this state.

(c) Manufactures, refines, produces, or compounds any motor fuel and sells such fuel at wholesale or retail, or otherwise within this state for use or consumption within this state.

(d) Imports into this state from any other state or foreign country, or receives by any means into this state, any motor fuel which is intended to be used for consumption in this state and keeps such fuel in storage in this state for a period of 24 hours or more after it loses its interstate or foreign commerce character as a shipment in interstate or foreign commerce.

(e) Is primarily liable under the fuel tax laws of this state for the payment of motor fuel taxes.

(f) Purchases or receives in this state motor fuel upon which the tax has not been paid.

(g) Exports taxable motor or diesel fuels either from substorage at a bulk facility or directly from a terminal rack to a destination outside the state.

(2) To procure a terminal supplier license, a person shall file with the department an application under oath, and in such form as the department may prescribe, setting forth:

(a) The name under which the person will transact business within the state and that person’s registration number under s. 4101 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(b) The location, with street number address, of his or her principal office or place of business and the location where records will be made available for inspection.

(c) The name and complete residence address of the owner or the names and addresses of the partners, if such person is a partnership, or of the principal officers, if such person is a corporation or association; and, if such person is a corporation organized under the laws of another state, territory, or country, he or she shall also indicate the state, territory, or country where the corporation is organized and the date the corporation was registered with the Department of State as a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in the state.

Each license must be renewed annually through application.

(3) To procure an importer, exporter, or blender of motor fuels license, a person shall file with the department an application under oath, and in such form as the department may prescribe, setting forth:

(a) The name under which the person will transact business within the state.

(b) The location, with street number address, of his or her principal office or place of business and the location where records will be made available for inspection.

(c) The name and complete residence address of the owner or the names and addresses of the partners, if such person is a partnership, or of the principal officers, if such person is a corporation or association; and, if such person is a corporation organized under the laws of another state, territory, or country, he or she shall also indicate the state, territory, or country where the corporation is organized and the date the corporation was registered with the Department of State as a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in the state.

Each license must be renewed annually through application.

(4) To procure a wholesaler of motor fuel license, a person shall file with the department an application under oath and in such form as the department may prescribe, setting forth:

(a) The name under which the person will transact business within the state.

(b) The location, with street number address, of his or her principal office or place of business within this state and the location where records will be made available for inspection.

(c) The name and complete residence address of the owner or the names and addresses of the partners, if such person is a partnership, or of the principal officers, if such person is a corporation or association; and, if such person is a corporation organized under the laws of another state, territory, or country, he or she shall also indicate the state, territory, or country where the corporation is organized and the date the corporation was registered with the Department of State as a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in the state.

Each license must be renewed annually through application.

(5) Each biodiesel manufacturer must meet the reporting, bonding, and licensing requirements for wholesalers under this chapter. This subsection does not apply to a municipality, county, or school district that manufactures biodiesel fuel solely for use by the municipality, county, or school district.

(6) Upon the filing of an application for a license and concurrently therewith, a bond of the character stipulated and in the amount provided for shall be filed with the department. No license shall issue upon any application unless accompanied by such a bond, except as provided in s. 206.05(1).

(7)(a) If all applicants for a license hold a current license in good standing of the same type and kind, the department shall issue a temporary license upon the filing of a completed application and the posting of adequate bond. A temporary license shall automatically expire 90 days after its effective date or, prior to the expiration of 90 days or the period of any extension, upon issuance of a permanent license or of a notice of intent to deny a permanent license. A temporary license may be extended once for a period not to exceed 60 days, upon written request of the applicant, subject to the restrictions imposed by this subsection.

(b) A publicly held corporation, the securities of which are regularly traded on a national securities exchange and not over the counter, which begins a new business and which applies for a license as a terminal supplier, importer, exporter, or wholesaler shall be issued a license without the department’s background investigation.

(8)(a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this chapter, the department may grant a temporary fuel license for immediate use if:

1. The Governor has declared a state of emergency under s. 252.36; or

2. The President of the United States has declared a major disaster in this state or in any other state or territory of the United States.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter requiring a license and a bond or criminal background check, the department may issue a temporary license as an importer or exporter to a person who holds a valid Florida wholesaler license or to a person who is an unlicensed dealer. A license may be issued under this subsection only to a business that has a physical location in this state and holds a valid Florida sales and use tax certificate of registration or that holds a valid fuel license issued by another state.

(c) A temporary license expires on the last day of the month following the month in which the temporary license was issued. The department may extend any temporary license on a month-to-month basis during the period of a declared state of emergency or major disaster as provided in this subsection. If the department extends a temporary license, the extended license expires on the last day of the month in which the temporary license was extended.

(d) In order to procure a temporary license, a nonresident business must provide to the department the information required in subsection (4); the federal identification number of the business or, if such number is unavailable, the social security number of the owner; and any other information that is required by the department.

(e) A temporary license authorized by this subsection may not be renewed if the licensee has not filed the required returns or made payment of the taxes required under this chapter.

History.—s. 2, ch. 16082, 1933; CGL 1936 Supp. 1167(63); s. 7, ch. 63-253; s. 5, ch. 65-371; s. 2, ch. 65-420; ss. 10, 21, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 70-995; s. 1, ch. 77-149; s. 2, ch. 84-329; s. 74, ch. 85-342; s. 54, ch. 87-99; s. 1059, ch. 95-147; s. 2, ch. 95-417; s. 3, ch. 96-323; s. 10, ch. 2003-254; s. 14, ch. 2004-5; s. 15, ch. 2007-106; s. 1, ch. 2013-142; s. 9, ch. 2017-36.

Note.—Former s. 207.02.