(a) Permits generally; fees; delinquent penalty; subcategories of structural pest control permits and fees. Before any person engages in professional work or services as defined in this chapter or before any person may solicit professional work or services through advertising or in any other manner, the person shall apply for and obtain from the commissioner an annual permit on forms furnished for this purpose accompanied with the annual permit fee which shall be established by the Board of Agriculture and Industries not to exceed $200. Structural pest control work as defined in subdivision (5) of Section 2-28-1 shall be divided in the following subcategories: (1) Control of wood-destroying organisms by any method other than fumigation, (2) Control of industrial, institutional, and household pests by any method other than fumigation, (3) Fumigation pest control. The annual permit fee for persons engaged in the type of entomological work known as structural pest control work as defined in subdivision (5) of Section 2-28-1 shall be established by the board for each subcategory of work a person is qualified to perform. Any person engaged in structural pest control work who conducts the work from more than one location or place of business that is a branch office as defined in subdivision (6) of Section 2-28-1 shall be required to obtain a branch office permit for each branch office, and the permit fee shall be established by the board for each branch office and for each subcategory of work a person is qualified to perform. If a person conducts structural pest control work from an additional location designated as a suboffice as defined in subdivision (7) of Section 2-28-1, the person shall be required to obtain a suboffice permit for each suboffice, and the permit fee shall be established by the board for each suboffice and for each subcategory of work a person is qualified to perform. All permits shall expire on September 30 and shall be renewed by October 1 upon payment of the annual permit fee prescribed by this subsection and upon compliance with the other requirements of this chapter. If the permit fee is not paid by November 1 or within 31 days from the date on which the fee is due, a delinquent penalty established by the board shall be added to the amount.

(b) Number of permits required. When a person has qualified for a permit to perform more than one type or branch of professional work or services, other than structural pest control work, only one permit shall be required to be obtained by the person, and the permit shall specify each type of professional work or service that the person is authorized to perform. When a person has qualified for a permit to perform more than one type or branch of structural pest control work, the person shall be required to obtain only one permit, that shall specify each type of work that the person is authorized to perform. Any person who performs structural pest control work from a branch office as defined in this section shall also be required to obtain a branch office permit for each branch office. Any person who performs structural pest control work from a suboffice as defined in this section shall also be required to obtain a suboffice permit for each suboffice.

(c) Statements of applicants as to training and experience; testing and examination; issuance of permits; disposition of fees. The commissioner, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter, may require applicants for a permit to submit statements as to training and experience in professional work or services, and applicants shall be required to pass any test or examination for each type of professional service or work as the commissioner may prescribe. An examination fee established by the board shall accompany each application for each examination taken by the applicant. All permit fees and examination fees collected under this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the Agricultural Fund for the administration and enforcement of this chapter. Before a permit is issued to any applicant, the applicant shall be certified by the commissioner as qualified to perform the type of professional work or services for which a permit is desired. A full-time employee of an applicant who has been certified by the commissioner as qualified to perform the type or branch of professional work or service in which the applicant desires to engage may be designated by the applicant as a supervisor to be in charge of and responsible for the applicant's professional work or services, and the permit may be issued designating the employee as a supervisor.