(a) No person shall engage in business as a commodity dealer or warehouseman in the state of Tennessee without a license therefor issued by the department.

(b) Application for a license to engage in business as a commodity dealer or warehouseman shall be filed with the department and shall contain information and be in a form as prescribed by the department by lawfully promulgated rule.

(c) The application for an initial license may be filed at any time prior to beginning business as a commodity dealer or warehouseman. However, the license shall terminate ninety (90) days after the close of the commodity dealer's or warehouseman's fiscal year.

(d) The application for a renewal of a license shall be filed with the department annually within ninety (90) days after the close of the commodity dealer's or warehouseman's last completed fiscal year or within such further time, not exceeding sixty (60) days, as the department, upon application, may allow.

(e) For all commodity dealer or warehouseman licenses, with the exception of incidental commodity dealers, nonsecured, the application shall be accompanied by a financial statement setting forth information as prescribed by the commissioner by lawfully promulgated rule.

(f) The application for a license to operate as a commodity dealer or warehouseman, as defined in this chapter, or a renewal thereof, shall be accompanied by a filing fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The application for a license to operate as an incidental commodity dealer as defined in this chapter, or a renewal thereof, shall be accompanied by a filing fee of fifty dollars ($50.00).

(g) The license or renewal thereof issued by the department under this section shall be posted in the principal office of the licensee in this state. A certificate shall be posted in each location listed on a licensee's application where the licensee engages in the business of buying or storing commodities. In the case of a licensee operating a truck or tractor trailer unit, the licensee is required to have a certificate that the license is in effect, and that a bond or certificate of deposit has been filed, carried in each truck or tractor trailer unit used in connection with the purchase of commodities from producers. Upon request of a licensee and payment of the fee therefor, the department shall issue to the licensee a certificate that a license has been issued or renewed and a bond filed as required by this chapter.

(h) The license issued to an incidental commodity dealer, nonsecured shall clearly state: “Producers are not eligible to receive indemnification from the Tennessee grain indemnity fund if payment is not made for commodities delivered to this dealer.” Additionally, this statement shall also be posted adjacent to the license issued to the dealer in the location required by this part. The notice shall be in print no smaller than two inches (2″) in letter height. This statement shall also be placed on the receipt or scale ticket issued to the seller, with a place for the seller's signature provided on each receipt or scale ticket. The signature of the seller or the seller's representative shall be affixed to each receipt or scale ticket.