(1) A person may not engage in business as a secondary metals recycler at any location without registering with the department. The department shall accept applications only from a fixed business address. The department may not accept an application that provides an address of a hotel room or motel room, a vehicle, or a post office box.

(a) A fee equal to the federal and state costs for processing required fingerprints must be submitted to the department with each application for registration. One application is required for each secondary metals recycler. If a secondary metals recycler is the owner of more than one secondary metals recycling location, the application must list each location, and the department shall issue a duplicate registration for each location. For purposes of subsections (3), (4), and (5), these duplicate registrations shall be deemed individual registrations. A secondary metals recycler shall pay a fee of $6 per location at the time of registration and an annual renewal fee of $6 per location on October 1 of each year. All fees collected, less costs of administration, shall be transferred into the Operating Trust Fund.

(b) The department shall forward the full set of fingerprints to the Department of Law Enforcement for state and federal processing, provided the federal service is available, to be processed for any criminal justice information as defined in s. 943.045. The cost of processing such fingerprints shall be payable to the Department of Law Enforcement by the department. The department may issue a temporary registration to each location pending completion of the background check by state and federal law enforcement agencies but shall revoke such temporary registration if the completed background check reveals a prohibited criminal background. The Department of Law Enforcement shall report its findings to the Department of Revenue within 30 days after the date the fingerprints are submitted for criminal justice information.

(c) An applicant for a secondary metals recycler registration must be a natural person who has reached the age of 18 years or a corporation organized or qualified to do business in the state.

1. If the applicant is a natural person, the registration must include a complete set of her or his fingerprints, certified by an authorized law enforcement officer, and a recent fullface photographic identification card of herself or himself.

2. If the applicant is a partnership, all the partners must make application for registration.

3. If the applicant is a corporation, the registration must include the name and address of such corporation’s registered agent for service of process in the state and a certified copy of statement from the Secretary of State that the corporation is duly organized in the state or, if the corporation is organized in a state other than Florida, a certified copy of the statement that the corporation is duly qualified to do business in this state.

(2) A secondary metals recycler’s registration shall be conspicuously displayed at the place of business set forth on the registration. A secondary metals recycler shall not dispose of property at any location until any holding period has expired.

(3) The Department of Revenue may impose a civil fine of up to $10,000 for each knowing and intentional violation of this section, which fine shall be transferred into the General Revenue Fund. If the fine is not paid within 60 days, the department may bring a civil action under s. 120.69 to recover the fine.

(4) In addition to the fine provided in subsection (3), registration under this section may be denied or any registration granted may be revoked, restricted, or suspended by the department if, after October 2, 1989, and within a 24-month period immediately preceding such denial, revocation, restriction, or suspension:

(a) The applicant or registrant has been convicted of knowingly and intentionally:

1. Violating s. 538.20 or s. 538.21;

2. Engaging in a pattern of failing to keep records as required by s. 538.19;

3. Making a material false statement in the application for registration; or

4. Engaging in a fraudulent act in connection with any purchase or sale of regulated metals property;

(b) The applicant or registrant has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony committed by the secondary metals recycler against the laws of the state or of the United States involving theft, larceny, dealing in stolen property, receiving stolen property, burglary, embezzlement, obtaining property by false pretenses, possession of altered property, or any felony drug offense or of knowingly and intentionally violating the laws of the state relating to registration as a secondary metals recycler; or

(c) The applicant has, after receipt of written notice from the department of failure to pay sales tax, failed or refused to pay, within 30 days after the secondary metals recycler’s receipt of such written notice, any sales tax owed to the department.

(5) A denial of an application, or a revocation, restriction, or suspension of a registration, by the department shall be probationary for a period of 12 months in the event that the secondary metals recycler subject to such action has not had any other application for registration denied, or any registration revoked, restricted, or suspended, by the department within the previous 24-month period.

(a) If, during the 12-month probationary period, the department does not again deny an application or revoke, restrict, or suspend the registration of the secondary metals recycler, the action of the department shall be dismissed and the record of the secondary metals recycler cleared thereof.

(b) If, during the 12-month probationary period, the department, for reasons other than those existing prior to the original denial or revocation, restriction, or suspension, again denies an application or revokes, restricts, or suspends the registration of the secondary metals recycler, the probationary nature of such original action shall terminate and both the original action of the department and the action of the department causing the termination of the probationary nature thereof shall immediately be reinstated against the secondary metals recycler.

(6) Upon the request of a law enforcement official, the Department of Revenue shall release to the official the name and address of any secondary metals recycler registered to do business within the official’s jurisdiction.

History.—s. 2, ch. 89-533; s. 1, ch. 90-192; s. 7, ch. 90-318; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 17, ch. 94-353; s. 750, ch. 97-103; s. 5, ch. 2007-14; s. 5, ch. 2008-69; s. 72, ch. 2012-5; s. 7, ch. 2012-179; s. 50, ch. 2013-116.