14B NCAC 17 .0209          COMPANY BUSINESS LICENSE

(a)  Any firm, association, or corporation required to be licensed pursuant to G.S. 74D-2(a) shall upload an application for a company business license on a form on the website provided by the Board. A sole proprietorship that is owned and operated by an individual holding a current alarm systems business license shall be exempt from this Rule. This application form shall include such information as the firm, association, or corporation name; the address of its principal office within the State; all past convictions for criminal offenses of any company director or officer; information concerning the past revocation, suspension, or denial of a business or professional license to any director or officer; a list of all directors and officers of the firm, association, or corporation; a list of all persons, firms, associations, corporations, or other entities owning 10 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of stock; and the name and address of the qualifying agent.

(b)  In addition to the items required in Paragraph (a) of this Rule, an out-of-state company shall file with its license application form a copy of its certificate of authority to transact business in this state issued by the North Carolina Secretary of State, in accordance with G.S. 55-15-01, and a consent to service of process and pleadings that is authenticated by its company seal and accompanied by a duly-certified copy of the resolution of the board of directors authorizing the proper officer or officers to execute this consent.

(c)  After filing a completed online application with the Board, the Board shall conduct a background investigation to ascertain if the qualifying agent is in a management position. The Board shall also determine if the directors or officers have the requisite good moral character as defined in G.S. 74D-6(3). It shall be prima facie evidence of good moral character if a director or officer has not been convicted by any local, State, federal, or military court of any crime involving the use, carrying, or possession of a firearm; conviction of any crime involving the use, possession, sale, manufacture, distribution, or transportation of a controlled substance, drug, narcotic, or alcoholic beverage; conviction of a crime involving assault or an act of violence; conviction of a crime involving breaking or entering, burglary, larceny, or any offense involving moral turpitude; or does not have a history of addiction to alcohol or a narcotic drug. For the purposes of this Section, "conviction" means and includes the entry of a plea of guilty, no contest, or a verdict rendered in open court by a judge or jury.

(d)  Upon completion of the background investigation, a company business license shall be issued if all requirements of this Rule are met. A company business license issued by the Board shall be displayed at the principal place of business within North Carolina.

(e)  The company business license shall be issued only to a corporation and shall not be construed to extend to a licensing of its directors, officers, or employees.

(f)  The issuance of the company business license is issued to the firm, association, or corporation in addition to the license issued to the qualifying agent. The qualifying agent for the firm, association, or corporation that has been issued the company business license shall be responsible for assuring compliance with G.S. 74D.

(g)  Within 90 days of the death of a licensee, the existing qualifying agent or a newly designated replacement qualifying agent for the company may submit a written request to the Board, asking that the deceased licensee's license number remain on company advertisements. The Board shall permit the use of the deceased licensee's license number only if the current qualifying agent's license number is printed adjacent to and in the same size print as the deceased licensee's license number.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 74D-2(a); 74D-5;

Eff. November 1, 1993;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2005; March 1, 1995;

Transferred and Recodified from 12 NCAC 11 .0209 Eff. July 1, 2015;

Readopted Eff. June 1, 2018;

Amended Eff. September 1, 2019.