(a) No person may engage in the application of pesticides for hire at any time without a pesticide application business license issued by the commissioner. The commissioner shall require an annual fee for each pesticide application business license issued as prescribed by rules promulgated under this article.

(b) Application for a pesticide application business license shall be made in writing to the commissioner on forms approved or supplied by the commissioner. Each application for a license shall contain information regarding the applicant's qualifications and proposed operations, license classification or classifications the applicant is applying for and shall include the following:

(1) The full name of the person applying for the license;

(2) If different from subdivision (1) of this subsection, the full name of the individual qualifying under subsection (c) of this section;

(3) If the applicant is a person other than an individual, the full name of each member of the firm or partnership or the names of the officers of the association, corporation or group;

(4) The principal business address of the applicant in the state and elsewhere;

(5) The address of each branch office or suboffice from which the business of applying pesticides is carried on. Each suboffice shall be licensed;

(6) The name and address of each certified commercial applicator applying pesticides or supervising the application of pesticides for the pesticide application business;

(7) State tax number; and

(8) Any other necessary information prescribed by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner may not issue a pesticide application business license until the owner, manager, partner or corporate officer is qualified by passing an examination to demonstrate to the commissioner his or her knowledge of the state and federal pesticide laws, safe use and storage of pesticides. The pesticide application business shall be limited to the classification or classifications for which the business maintains certified commercial applicators in their employ.

(d) If the commissioner finds the applicant qualified to apply pesticides in the classifications the applicant has applied for, and if the applicant files the financial security required by this article, and if the applicant applying for a license to engage in aerial application of pesticides has met all the requirements of the federal aviation agency, the aeronautics commission of this state, and any other applicable federal or state laws or regulations to operate the equipment described in the application, the commissioner shall issue a pesticide application business license. The license expires at the end of the calendar year of issue, unless it has been revoked or suspended prior to expiration by the commissioner for cause. When the financial security required under this article is dated to expire at an earlier date, the license shall be dated to expire upon expiration date of the financial security. The commissioner may limit the license of the applicant to certain classifications of pest control work, or to certain areas or to certain types of equipment or to certain specific pesticides if the applicant is only so qualified. If a license is not issued as applied for, the commissioner shall inform the applicant in writing of the reasons for the denial.

(e) All persons applying pesticides as a pesticide business, whether or not they are applying restricted-use pesticides, shall be a certified applicator in the appropriate category or subcategory or shall be a registered technician under the direct supervision of a certified commercial applicator.

(f) All funds collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Pesticide Control Fund of the state pursuant to section twenty-three of this article.