Licensure of business organizations; qualifying agents.

(1) If an individual proposes to engage in consulting or contracting in that individual’s own name, the license may be issued only to that individual.

(2)(a) If the applicant proposes to engage in consulting or contracting as a partnership, corporation, business trust, or other legal entity, or in any name other than the applicant’s legal name, the legal entity must apply for licensure through a qualifying agent or the individual applicant must apply for licensure under the fictitious name.

(b) The application must state the name of the partnership and of each of its partners, the name of the corporation and of each of its officers and directors and the name of each of its stockholders who is also an officer or director, the name of the business trust and of each of its trustees, or the name of such other legal entity and of each of its members.

1. The application for primary qualifying agent must include an affidavit on a form provided by the department attesting that the applicant’s signature is required on all checks, drafts, or payments, regardless of the form of payment, made by the entity, and that the applicant has final approval authority for all construction work performed by the entity.

2. The application for financially responsible officer must include an affidavit on a form provided by the department attesting that the applicant’s signature is required on all checks, drafts, or payments, regardless of the form of payment, made by the entity, and that the applicant has authority to act for the business organization in all financial matters.

3. The application for secondary qualifying agent must include an affidavit on a form provided by the department attesting that the applicant has authority to supervise all construction work performed by the entity as provided in s. 489.1195(2).

(c) As a prerequisite to the issuance of a license under this section, the applicant shall submit the following:

1. An affidavit on a form provided by the department attesting that the applicant has obtained workers’ compensation insurance as required by chapter 440, public liability insurance, and property damage insurance, in amounts determined by department rule. The department shall establish by rule a procedure to verify the accuracy of such affidavits based upon a random sample method.

2. Evidence of financial responsibility. The department shall adopt rules to determine financial responsibility which must specify grounds on which the department may deny licensure. Such criteria must include, but are not limited to, credit history.

(d) A joint venture, including a joint venture composed of qualified business organizations, is itself a separate and distinct organization that must be qualified in accordance with department rules.

(e) The license, when issued upon application of a business organization, must be in the name of the business organization, and the name of the qualifying agent must be noted thereon. If there is a change in any information that is required to be stated on the application, the business organization shall, within 45 days after such change occurs, mail the correct information to the department.

(f) The applicant must furnish evidence of statutory compliance if a fictitious name is used, the provisions of s. 865.09(7) notwithstanding.

(3) The qualifying agent shall be licensed under this chapter in order for the business organization to be licensed in the category of the business conducted for which the qualifying agent is licensed. If any qualifying agent ceases to be affiliated with such business organization, the agent shall so inform the department. In addition, if such qualifying agent is the only licensed individual affiliated with the business organization, the business organization shall notify the department of the termination of the qualifying agent and shall have 60 days from the termination of the qualifying agent’s affiliation with the business organization in which to employ another qualifying agent. The business organization may not engage in consulting or contracting until a qualifying agent is employed, unless the department has granted a temporary nonrenewable license to the financially responsible officer, the president, the sole proprietor, a partner, or, in the case of a limited partnership, the general partner, who assumes all responsibilities of a primary qualifying agent for the entity. This temporary license shall only allow the entity to proceed with incomplete contracts.

(4)(a) The qualifying agent shall inform the department in writing if the agent proposes to engage in consulting or contracting in the agent’s own name or in affiliation with another business organization, and the agent or the new business organization shall supply the same information to the department as is required of initial applicants under this chapter.

(b) Upon a favorable determination by the department, after investigation of the financial responsibility, credit, and business reputation of the qualifying agent and the new business organization, the department shall issue, without any examination, a new license in the business organization’s name, and the name of the qualifying agent shall be noted thereon.

(5)(a) Each asbestos consultant or contractor shall affix the consultant’s or contractor’s signature and license number to each construction document, plan, or any other document prepared or approved for use by the licensee which is related to any asbestos abatement project and filed for public record with any governmental agency, and to any offer, bid, or contract submitted to a client.

(b) The license number of each consultant or contractor shall appear in any printed matter or any newspaper, airwave transmission, phone directory, or other advertising medium offering or related to asbestos consulting or contracting, as provided by department rule.

(6) Each qualifying agent shall pay the department an amount equal to the original fee for licensure of a new business organization. If the qualifying agent for a business organization desires to qualify additional business organizations, the department shall require the agent to present evidence of supervisory ability and financial responsibility of each such organization. Allowing a licensee to qualify more than one business organization shall be conditioned upon the licensee showing that the licensee has both the capacity and intent to adequately supervise each business organization. The department shall not limit the number of business organizations which the licensee may qualify except upon the licensee’s failure to provide such information as is required under this subsection or upon a finding that such information or evidence as is supplied is incomplete or unpersuasive in showing the licensee’s capacity and intent to comply with the requirements of this subsection. A qualification for an additional business organization may be revoked or suspended upon a finding by the department that the licensee has failed in the licensee’s responsibility to adequately supervise the operations of the business organization. Failure to adequately supervise the operations of a business organization shall be grounds for denial to qualify additional business organizations.

(7) If a business organization or any of its partners, officers, directors, trustees, or members is disciplined, other than by citation, for violating s. 469.009(2), the department may, on that basis alone, deny issuance, or issue with conditions, a license to a business organization, financially responsible officer, or qualifying agent.