61-4-125. Wholesaler's license. (1) (a) The department is authorized to issue a wholesaler's license to any person whom it determines is qualified to hold a license under the provisions of this section.
     (b) A wholesaler is authorized to sell used motor vehicles, used recreational vehicles, trailers, motorcycles, quadricycles, or special mobile equipment. However, a wholesaler may sell a vehicle only to a dealer, an auto auction, or another wholesaler. Retail sale of vehicles by a wholesaler is not allowed.
     (c) A wholesaler's license issued by the department has a term of 1 calendar year, commencing on or after January 1 in the year of issue and expiring on December 31 of the same year.
     (d) The department shall design and issue wholesaler demonstrator plates of a similar sequence to demonstrator plates issued to dealers but that conspicuously display the term "wholesaler" or the abbreviation "W".
     (2) To qualify for a wholesaler's license, an applicant shall submit a completed application, in a form prescribed by the department, that provides the following:
     (a) the name under which the applicant intends to conduct business and the name, address, date of birth, and social security number of any person who possesses or will possess an ownership interest in the business for which the license is sought. If the applicant is a corporation, the personal information required in this subsection (2)(a) must be provided for each corporate officer and the person designated by the corporation to manage or oversee the dealership.
     (b) for each person subject to the provisions of subsection (2)(a), information concerning whether the person has:
     (i) an ownership interest in a vehicle dealership or wholesaler business in Montana or another jurisdiction and, if so, the name and address of each dealership or wholesaler; and
     (ii) been found guilty of, or pleaded guilty to, a felony in this or any other jurisdiction and, if so, shall provide a summary of the conduct resulting in the felony charge, including the dates of the conduct and any judicial proceeding pertaining to the conduct and the name and address of any court in which the matter was heard;
     (c) the name, address, and telephone number of the insurance carrier from whom the applicant has acquired garage liability insurance, naming the department as a certificate holder under the policy, and the name, address, and telephone number of the local insurance agent for the carrier and the applicant's policy number. The insurance must cover any vehicle bearing a wholesaler demonstrator plate that is offered for demonstration or loan to, or otherwise operated by, a customer in the regular course of the applicant's business and must be for a minimum of 1 year.
     (d) the street address of the permanent nonresidential building or office where business records will be kept and will be made available for inspection by the department; and
     (e) a bond of $35,000 filed with the department on behalf of the applicant. The bond must be conditioned that the applicant shall conduct business in accordance with the requirements of the law. The bond must be approved by the department and subject to annual renewal.
     (3) The application fee for a wholesaler's license is $5, and the license fee is $25. Both fees must accompany an original or renewal wholesaler's license application.
     (4) Wholesalers may not be issued or use dealer plates, as provided in 61-4-102. However, a wholesaler may be issued and is authorized to display and use a wholesaler demonstrator plate on any type of vehicle that a wholesaler is authorized to sell. The fee for a wholesaler demonstrator plate is $3. To the extent not inconsistent with this section, use of wholesaler demonstrator plates is otherwise governed by 61-4-129.
     (5) (a) A wholesaler's license must be renewed annually, and application for renewal must be filed on or before December 31 of the expiring license term.
     (b) To qualify for renewal of a wholesaler's license, a wholesaler shall submit a completed application, in a form prescribed by the department, updating prior submitted information, as originally supplied under subsection (2).
     (c) Additionally, the wholesaler shall certify, under penalty of law, that 12 or more vehicles of the type authorized under the license were sold by the wholesaler to a dealer, auto auction, or another wholesaler during the expiring license term. A wholesaler who was licensed for less than a full calendar year in the expiring term shall certify, under penalty of law, to the sale of an average of at least one vehicle a calendar month, or portion of a calendar month, during which the expiring license was in effect.
     (d) A wholesaler who fails to meet the sales requirements for license renewal under this section is not eligible for license renewal and may not submit an application for another wholesaler's license or a used motor vehicle dealer's license for a period of 12 months from the expiration of the wholesaler's most recent license term.
     (6) A wholesaler whose completed renewal application has been received by the department on or before December 31 of the expiring license term may, if necessary, operate the business and display wholesaler demonstrator plates under the expired license through the last day of February of the following year.

     History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 409, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 201, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 385, L. 2001.