The department may refuse to issue a license to a manufacturer, manufacturer branch, remanufacturer, remanufacturer branch, distributor, distributor branch, transporter, or dealer, if it determines any of the following:

(a) The applicant was previously the holder, or a managerial employee of the holder, of a license issued under this chapter which was revoked for cause and never reissued by the department, or which was suspended for cause and the terms of suspension have not been fulfilled.

(b) The applicant was previously a business representative of a business whose license issued under this chapter was revoked for cause and never reissued or was suspended for cause and the terms of suspension have not been fulfilled.

(c) If the applicant is a business, a business representative of the business was previously the holder of a license, or was a business representative of a business whose license, issued under this chapter was revoked for cause and never reissued or was suspended for cause and the terms of suspension have not been fulfilled; or, by reason of the facts and circumstances related to the organization, control, and management of the business, the operation of that business will be directed, controlled, or managed by individuals who, by reason of their conviction of violations of the provisions of this code, would be ineligible for a license and, by licensing the business, the purposes of this chapter would be defeated.

(d) The applicant, or a business representative if the applicant is a business, has been convicted of a crime or committed an act or engaged in conduct involving moral turpitude which is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of the licensed activity. A conviction after a plea of nolo contendere is a conviction within the meaning of this section.

(e) The applicant was previously the holder of an occupational license issued by another state, authorizing the same or similar activities of a license issued under this division; and that license was revoked or suspended for cause and was never reissued, or was suspended for cause, and the terms of suspension have not been fulfilled.

(f) The information contained in the application is incorrect.

(g) Upon investigation, the business history required by Section 11704 contains incomplete or incorrect information, or reflects substantial business irregularities.

(h) A decision of the department to cancel, suspend, or revoke a license has been made and the applicant was a business representative of the business regulated under that license.

(i) The applicant has failed to repay the full amount of a claim paid by the Consumer Motor Vehicle Recovery Corporation, plus interest at the rate of 10 percent per annum. The dealer or lessor-retailer’s discharge in bankruptcy shall not relieve the dealer or lessor-retailer from the provisions of this subdivision, except to the extent, if any, mandated by bankruptcy law.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 437, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2008.)