Administrative remedies; penalties.

(1) The department may enter an order doing one or more of the following if the department finds that a mover or moving broker, or a person employed or contracted by a mover or moving broker, has violated or is operating in violation of this chapter or the rules or orders issued pursuant to this chapter:

(a) Issuing a notice of noncompliance under s. 120.695.

(b) Imposing an administrative fine in the Class II category pursuant to s. 570.971 for each act or omission. However, the department must impose an administrative fine in the Class IV category for each violation of s. 507.07(10) if the department does not seek a civil penalty for the same offense.

(c) Directing that the person cease and desist specified activities.

(d) Refusing to register or revoking or suspending a registration.

(e) Placing the registrant on probation, subject to the conditions specified by the department.

(2) The department, upon notification and subsequent written verification by a law enforcement agency, a court, a state attorney, or the Department of Law Enforcement, must immediately suspend a registration or the processing of an application for a registration if the registrant, applicant, or officer or director of the registrant or applicant is formally charged with a crime involving fraud, theft, larceny, embezzlement, or fraudulent conversion or misappropriation of property or a crime arising from conduct during a movement of household goods until final disposition of the case or removal or resignation of that officer or director.

(3) The administrative proceedings that could result in the entry of an order imposing any of the penalties specified in subsection (1) or subsection (2) are governed by chapter 120.

(4) The department may adopt rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this chapter.