Article 1. Licenses And Bonds of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 13. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.

Every person desiring to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products as a distributor (including a common carrier or authorized person mentioned in Section 30104), except a person who desires merely to sell or accept orders for cigarettes or tobacco products which are to be transported from a point outside this state to a consumer within this state, shall file with the board an application, in such form as the board may prescribe, for a distributor's license. A distributor shall apply for and obtain a license for each place of business at which he or she engages in the business of distributing cigarettes or tobacco products.

(a) The board may adopt rules and regulations which provide for the issuance of a license to a person who is not engaged in business in this state.
  (b) A holder of a license shall collect the tax imposed by this part, give receipts for the collected tax, and pay the tax to the board in the same manner as licensees engaged in business in this state.

Every applicant for a license as a distributor shall file with the board, security in the amount and form as the board prescribes. Any security in the form of cash, insured deposits in banks or savings and loan institutions, or a bond or bonds duly executed by an admitted surety insurer, payable to the state, conditioned upon faithful performance of all the requirements of this part and expressly providing for the payment of all taxes, penalties, and other obligations of the person arising out of this part shall be held by the board in trust to be used solely in the manner provided in this section.

(a) The board shall fix the amount of the security required of any distributor and may increase or reduce the amount at any time. A minimum security in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) shall be furnished by every distributor that is required to be licensed.
  (b) Except as provided in subdivision (d), if a distributor desires to defer payments for stamps or meter register settings, as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 30166) of Chapter 3.5, the board shall require a security as follows:
  (1) If a distributor elects, under Section 30168, to make payments on a monthly basis, the board shall require a security equal to not less than 70 percent of the amount and no more than twice the amount, as fixed by the board, of the distributor's purchases of stamps and meter register settings for which payment may be deferred.
  (2) If a distributor elects, under Section 30168, to make payments on a twice-monthly basis, the board shall require a security equal to not less than 50 percent of the amount and no more than twice the amount, as fixed by the board, of the distributor's purchases of stamps and meter register settings for which payment may be deferred.
  (3) If a distributor elects, under Section 30168, to make payments on a weekly basis, the board shall require a security equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount and no more than twice the amount, as fixed by the board, of the distributor's purchases of stamps and meter register settings for which payment may be deferred.
  (c) The security required by the board pursuant to subdivision (b) may be in the form of any of the following, in the amount required by paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (b):
  (1) Cash, or a cash equivalent.
  (2) A surety bond.
  (d) Upon authorization by the board, no additional security shall be required for a distributor that desires to defer payments for stamps or meter register settings, as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 30166) of Chapter 3.5, if the distributor's average monthly purchase of stamps or meter register settings for the previous 12 months does not exceed seventy-two thousand (72,000) stamps or meter register settings and if the distributor meets all of the following:
  (1) Has been licensed under this part for a minimum of five years.
  (2) Has not been delinquent in the filing of any reports or returns required under this part for the preceding three consecutive years.
  (3) Has not been delinquent in the payment of any tax under this part, or for any other tax or fee administered or collected by the board, for the preceding three consecutive years.
  (4) Provides to the board and updates, as necessary, an electronic mail address for the purpose of receiving payment information, including, but not limited to, amounts owing for stamps and meter register settings purchased.
  (5) Any other criteria the board may require.

Every bond shall contain a provision substantially to the effect that when the surety exercises his right to withdraw as surety the withdrawal shall be effective on the first day of the calendar month after receipt of the notice by the board if the notice is received on or before the fifteenth day of the month, otherwise the withdrawal shall be effective on the first day of the second calendar month after receipt of the notice by the board.

The license of any distributor may be suspended without prior notice upon cancellation of his or her bond, or if the bond becomes void or unenforceable for any reason, or if the distributor fails to pay any amounts due under this part. The license shall be reinstated if the distributor files a valid bond, provides other security as defined in Section 30141 or pays the delinquent amounts, as the case may be. Upon the petition of any distributor whose license has been suspended under this section, a hearing shall be afforded him or her after five days' notice of the time and place of hearing.

Upon receipt of a certificate of the board setting forth the amount of a distributor's delinquencies, the State Treasurer shall pay to the board the amount so certified from the money deposited with him by the distributor or from the amounts received from the sale of bonds or other obligations deposited with the Treasurer by the distributor. Securities deposited with the State Treasurer which have a prevailing market price may be sold by him for the purposes of this section at private sale at a price not lower than the prevailing market price thereof.

Upon receipt of a completed application and such bonds or other security as may be required by the board under this part, the board shall issue to the applicant a license as a distributor. A separate license shall be issued for each place of business of the distributor within the State. A license is valid only for engaging in business as a distributor at the place designated thereon, and it shall at all times be conspicuously displayed at the place for which issued. The license is not transferable and is valid until canceled, suspended, or revoked.

Whenever any distributor fails to comply with any provision of this part or any rule or regulations of the board prescribed and adopted under this part, the board upon hearing, after giving the distributor at least 10 days' notice in writing specifying the time and place of hearing and requiring him to show cause why his license should not be revoked, may revoke the license held by him. The notice may be served personally or by mail in the manner prescribed for service of notice of a deficiency determination. The board shall not issue a new license to a distributor whose license has been revoked unless it is satisfied that he will comply with the provisions of this part and the rules and regulations of the board.

Any person required to obtain a license as a distributor under this chapter who engages in business as a distributor without a license or after a license has been canceled, suspended, or revoked, and each officer of any corporation which so engages in business, is guilty of a misdemeanor.