Sec. 529.

(1) A license or an interest in a license shall not be transferred from 1 person to another without the prior approval of the commission. For purposes of this section, the transfer in the aggregate to another person during any single licensing year of more than 10% of the outstanding stock of a licensed corporation or more than 10% of the total interest in a licensed limited partnership shall be considered to be a transfer requiring the prior approval of the commission.

(2) Not later than July 1 of each year, each privately held licensed corporation and each licensed limited partnership shall notify the commission as to whether any of the shares of stock in the corporation, or interest in the limited partnership, have been transferred during the preceding licensing year. The commission may investigate the transfer of any number of shares of stock in a licensed corporation, or any amount of interest in a licensed limited partnership, for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this act and the rules promulgated under this act.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (a) through (f), upon approval by the commission of a transfer subject to subsection (1), there shall be paid to the commission a transfer fee equal to the fee provided in this act for the class of license being transferred. A transfer fee shall not be prorated for a portion of the effective period of the license. If a person holding more than 1 license or more than 1 interest in a license at more than 1 location, but in the name of a single legal entity, transfers all of the licenses or interests in licenses simultaneously to another single legal entity, the transfers shall be considered 1 transfer for purposes of determining a transfer fee, payable in an amount equal to the highest license fee provided in this act for any of the licenses, or interests in licenses, being transferred. A transfer fee shall not be required in regard to any of the following:

(a) The transfer, in the aggregate, of less than 50% of the outstanding shares of stock in a licensed corporation or less than 50% of the total interest in a licensed limited partnership during any licensing year.

(b) The exchange of the assets of a licensed sole proprietorship, licensed general partnership, or licensed limited partnership for all outstanding shares of stock in a corporation in which either the sole proprietor, all members of the general partnership, or all members of the limited partnership are the only stockholders of that corporation. An exchange under this subdivision shall not be considered an application for a license for the purposes of section 501.

(c) The transfer of the interest in a licensed business of a deceased licensee, a deceased stockholder, or a deceased member of a general or limited partnership to the deceased person's spouse or children.

(d) The removal of a member of a firm, a stockholder, a member of a general partnership or limited partnership, or association of licensees from a license.

(e) The addition to a license of the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of any of the following:

(i) A licensed sole proprietor.

(ii) A stockholder in a licensed corporation.

(iii) A member of a licensed general partnership, licensed limited partnership, or other licensed association.

(f) The occurrence of any of the following events:

(i) A corporate stock split of a licensed corporation.

(ii) The issuance to a stockholder of a licensed corporation of previously unissued stock as compensation for services performed.

(iii) The redemption by a licensed corporation of its own stock.

(4) A nonrefundable inspection fee of $70.00 shall be paid to the commission by an applicant or licensee at the time of filing any of the following:

(a) An application for a new license or permit.

(b) A request for approval of a transfer of ownership or location of a license.

(c) A request for approval to increase or decrease the size of the licensed premises, or to add a bar.

(d) A request for approval of the transfer in any licensing year of any of the shares of stock in a licensed corporation from 1 person to another, or any part of the total interest in a licensed limited partnership from 1 person to another.

(5) An inspection fee shall be returned to the person by whom it was paid if the purpose of the inspection was to inspect the physical premises of the licensee, and the inspection was not actually conducted. An inspection fee shall not be required for any of the following:

(a) The issuance or transfer of a special license, salesperson license, limited alcohol buyer license, corporate salesperson license, hospital permit, military permit, or Sunday sale of spirits permit.

(b) The issuance of a new permit, or the transfer of an existing permit, if the permit is issued or transferred simultaneously with the issuance or transfer of a license or an interest in a license.

(c) The issuance of authorized but previously unissued corporate stock to an existing stockholder of a licensed corporation.

(d) The transfer from a corporation to an existing stockholder of any of the corporation's stock that is owned by the corporation itself.

(6) All inspection fees collected under this section shall be deposited in the special fund in section 543 for carrying out of the licensing and enforcement provisions of this act.

History: 1998, Act 58, Imd. Eff. Apr. 14, 1998