Ohio Code 5735.02 – Dealer’s license – application – right to refuse license – fee
(A) A motor fuel dealer shall not receive, use, sell, or distribute any motor fuel or engage in business within this state unless the motor fuel dealer holds an unrevoked license issued by the tax commissioner to engage in such business.
Terms Used In Ohio Code 5735.02
- Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Bond: includes an undertaking. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures; this provision does not affect any law relating to signatures. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Motor fuel: means gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, compressed natural gas, or any other liquid motor fuel, including, but not limited to, liquid petroleum gas or liquid natural gas, but excluding substances prepackaged and sold in containers of five gallons or less. See Ohio Code 5735.01
- Motor fuel dealer: means any person who satisfies any of the following:
(a) The person imports from another state or foreign country or acquires motor fuel by any means into a terminal in this state;
(b) The person imports motor fuel from another state or foreign country in bulk lot vehicles for subsequent sale and distribution in this state from bulk lot vehicles;
(c) The person refines motor fuel in this state;
(d) The person acquires motor fuel from a motor fuel dealer for subsequent sale and distribution by that person in this state from bulk lot vehicles;
(e) The person possesses an unrevoked permissive motor fuel dealer's license. See Ohio Code 5735.01
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Person: includes individuals, partnerships, firms, associations, corporations, receivers, trustees in bankruptcy, estates, joint-stock companies, joint ventures, the state and its political subdivisions, and any combination of persons of any form. See Ohio Code 5735.01
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(B) To procure a motor fuel dealer’s license, every motor fuel dealer shall file with the commissioner an application verified under oath by the applicant and in such form as the commissioner prescribes, setting forth, in addition to such other information required by the commissioner, the following:
(1) The name under which the motor fuel dealer will transact business within the state;
(2) The location, including street number address, of its principal office or place of business within this state;
(3) The name and address of the owner, or the names and addresses of the partners if such motor fuel dealer is a partnership, or the names and addresses of the principal officers if such motor fuel dealer is a corporation or an association;
(4) If such motor fuel dealer is a corporation organized under the laws of another state, territory, or country, a certified copy of the certificate or license issued by the Ohio secretary of state showing that such corporation is authorized to transact business in this state;
(5) An agreement that the motor fuel dealer will assume the liability and will pay the tax on any shipment of motor fuel made into the state from any other state or foreign country and sold or caused to be sold by such motor fuel dealer for delivery to a person in this state who is not the holder of an unrevoked motor fuel dealer’s license.
(C)(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, an application for a license shall be accompanied by a bond, of the character stipulated and in the amount provided for in section 5735.03 of the Revised Code, which shall be filed with the commissioner.
(2) The commissioner may exempt a motor fuel dealer from the requirements set forth in division (C)(1) of this section and section 5735.03 of the Revised Code if the motor fuel dealer only sells or distributes motor fuel upon which the motor fuel taxes imposed under this chapter have been paid or are not required to be paid by the motor fuel dealer.
(D) If any application for a license to transact business as a motor fuel dealer in the state is filed by any person who has had any license previously canceled for cause by the tax commissioner; if the commissioner believes that such application is not filed in good faith or that such application is filed as a subterfuge by some person for the real person in interest who has previously had any license canceled for cause by the tax commissioner; if the person has violated any provision of this chapter; or if the person has failed to file any returns, submit any information, or pay any outstanding taxes, charges, or fees as required for any tax, charge, or fee administered by the commissioner, to the extent the commissioner is aware of such failure at the time of the application, then the tax commissioner, after a hearing, of which the applicant shall be given five days’ notice in writing and at which said applicant shall have the right to appear in person or by counsel and present testimony, may refuse to issue to such person a license to transact business as a motor fuel dealer in the state.
(E) When the application in proper form has been accepted for filing, and the bond accepted and approved, the commissioner shall issue to such motor fuel dealer a license to transact business as a motor fuel dealer in the state, subject to cancellation of such license as provided by law.
(F) No person shall make a false or fraudulent statement on the application required by this section.