Any person, firm, corporation or association desiring to renew a permit issued pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-70-5 shall make application to the Commissioner of Insurance not less than 30 days prior to the expiration date of the then current permit. Such renewal applicant shall be entitled to a renewal permit upon submission to the Commissioner of Insurance of all the information as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-70-5; provided, however, it shall be sufficient, wherever applicable, to reference the prior year’s application if there has been no change as to any of the required information and it shall not be necessary to submit with a renewal application a new director’s resolution. In addition, the applicant shall submit to the Commissioner a copy of a “continuation certificate” or paid receipt for renewal premiums for the collection agency bond for the year for which the renewal permit is applied. The application shall include a calculation in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-70-20, and if the bond is increased, an endorsement by the surety. With a renewal application, the applicant shall submit a balance sheet for the last fiscal year ending prior to the application, certified true and correct by a corporate officer, partner, or proprietor, setting forth the current assets, fixed assets, current liabilities and positive net worth of the applicant. In calculating its positive net worth under this section, an applicant is not required to include in its balance sheet liabilities from the purchase of stock by or in connection with the applicant’s employee stock ownership plan that is qualified under 26 U.S.C. §§ 401(a) and 4975(e)(7) or to include in its balance sheet unallocated or unearned shares held in such a qualified employee stock ownership plan. (1979, c. 835; 2016-78, s. 6.5.)