(1) LICENSE REQUIRED. (a) No grain warehouse keeper may hold at any time more than 50,000 bushels of grain for others without a current annual license from the department. A grain warehouse keeper who has grain warehouses with a combined capacity of more than 50,000 bushels shall obtain a license unless the grain warehouse keeper proves to the department that the grain warehouse keeper holds no more than 50,000 bushels of grain for others at any time. (b) A license under par. (a) expires on the August 31 following its issuance. No person may transfer or assign a license issued under par. (a). (2) LICENSE APPLICATION. A person shall apply for a grain warehouse keeper license in writing, on a form provided by the department. The applicant shall provide all of the following: (a) The applicant’s legal name and any trade name under which the applicant proposes to operate as a grain warehouse keeper. (b) A statement of whether the applicant is an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a cooperative, an unincorporated cooperative association, a limited liability company, a trust, or other legal entity. If the applicant is a corporation, a cooperative, or an association, the applicant shall identify each officer of the corporation or cooperative. If the applicant is a partnership, the applicant shall identify each partner. (c) The mailing address of the applicant’s primary business location and the name of a responsible individual who may be contacted at that location. (d) The street address and capacity of every grain warehouse that the applicant operates or proposes to operate in this state and the name of a responsible individual who may be contacted at each warehouse. (e) The combined capacity of all grain warehouses identified under par. (d). (f) All license fees and surcharges required under sub. (3). (g) Proof that the applicant is insured as required under s. 126.27, unless the applicant has previously filed proof that remains current. The proof may consist of a certification provided by an insurance company licensed to do business in this state. (h) A financial statement if required under s. 126.28 (1) and not yet filed. (i) Other relevant information required by the department. (3) LICENSE FEES AND SURCHARGES. A person applying for a grain warehouse keeper license shall pay the following fees and surcharges in the amounts that the department specifies by rule: (a) A nonrefundable basic license fee, which may be based on the number of grain warehouses that the applicant operates. (b) A grain warehouse inspection fee, which may be based on the number and sizes of the grain warehouses that the applicant operates. (c) A supplementary inspection fee for each grain warehouse that the applicant operates in excess of one grain warehouse. (d) A license surcharge if the department determines that, within 365 days before submitting the license application, the applicant operated as a grain warehouse keeper without a license in violation of sub. (1). The applicant shall also pay any license fees, license surcharges, and fund assessments that are still due for the license year in which the applicant violated sub. (1). (e) A license surcharge if during the preceding 12 months the applicant failed to file an annual financial statement required under s. 126.28 (1) (b) by the applicable deadline. (f) A license surcharge if a renewal applicant fails to renew a license by the license expiration date of August 31. (3m) EFFECT OF PAYMENT OF SURCHARGE. Payment of a license surcharge under sub. (3) (d) does not relieve the applicant of any other civil or criminal liability that results from the violation of sub. (1), but does not constitute evidence of any law violation. (4) LICENSE FOR PART OF YEAR; FEES. A person who applies for an annual grain warehouse keeper license after the beginning of a license year shall pay the full annual fee amounts required under sub. (3). (5) FEE CREDIT. Beginning on January 1, 2023, if the combined fund balance contributed by grain warehouse keepers and grain dealers, as defined in s. 126.10 (9), exceeds $2,300,000 on May 31 of any license year, the department shall credit 12.5 percent of the excess amount against grain warehouse inspection fees charged under sub. (3) (b) to contributing grain warehouse keepers who file timely license renewal applications for the next license year. The department shall credit each contributing grain warehouse keeper on a prorated basis, in proportion to the total inspection fees that the warehouse keeper has paid under sub. (3) (b) for the 4 preceding license years. (6) FEE STATEMENT. The department shall provide, with each license application form, a written statement of all license fees and surcharges required under sub. (3) or the formula for determining them. The department shall specify any fee credit for which the applicant may qualify under sub. (5). (7) NO LICENSE WITHOUT FULL PAYMENT. The department may not grant a license under sub. (1) until the applicant pays all license fees and surcharges identified in the department’s statement under sub. (6). The department shall refund a fee or surcharge paid under protest if upon review the department determines that the fee or surcharge is not applicable. (8) ACTION GRANTING OR DENYING APPLICATION. The department shall grant or deny a license application under sub. (2) within 30 days after the department receives a complete application. If the department denies a license application, the department shall give the applicant a written notice stating the reasons for the denial. (9) LICENSE DISPLAYED. A grain warehouse keeper who is required to hold a license under sub. (1) shall prominently display a copy of that license at each grain warehouse. (10) NOTIFICATION. A licensed warehouse keeper shall notify the department, in writing, before the warehouse keeper adds a grain warehouse or changes the location or capacity of any grain warehouse. In the notice, the grain warehouse keeper shall specify any change in the combined capacity of grain warehouses operated by the grain warehouse keeper resulting from the proposed addition or change.
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