(a) Upon the filing of the application and information required by this Article, the applicant shall pay a nonrefundable fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000), and no permit may be issued until this fee is paid. Fees collected under this subsection shall be credited to the Insurance Regulatory Fund created under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-6-25.

(b) Each permit shall state the name of the applicant, his place of business, and the nature and kind of business in which he is engaged. The Commissioner shall assign to the permit a serial number for each year, and each permit shall be for a period of one year, beginning with July 1 and ending with June 30 of the following year.

(c) A permit is assignable or transferable only if the assignee or transferee qualifies under the provisions of this Article. Upon any change in ownership of a permittee, if a sole proprietorship or partnership, or upon a change in ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the shares or voting rights of a corporate permittee, a permit issued to a permittee is void unless within 30 days of the change of ownership the new owner or owners have satisfied the Commissioner that he or they qualify for a permit under this Article, and he or they maintain a bond in accordance with and in the amount required for a renewal bond under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-70-20. (1931, c. 217, s. 4; 1979, c. 835; 1983, c. 790, s. 10; 1989, c. 441, s. 8; 1991, c. 721, s. 3; 2009-451, s. 21.5(a); 2011-330, s. 47(a).)