(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the attorney general shall issue a certificate of registration or registration renewal as a telephone solicitor to any applicant or registrant that submits a completed application for the certificate, as specified under section 4719.02 of the Revised Code, and pays, as applicable, the registration fee or renewal fee prescribed pursuant to rule of the attorney general adopted under section 4719.10 of the Revised Code. All fees collected under this division shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the telemarketing fraud enforcement fund created in section 4719.17 of the Revised Code. The certificate of registration or registration renewal shall expire one year after the date on which it is issued.

(B) After an adjudication conducted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, the attorney general may, except as provided in division (C) of this section, deny a certificate of registration or registration renewal or may suspend or revoke a certificate if the attorney general finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that any of the following conditions apply:

(1) The applicant or registrant obtained a certificate of registration or registration renewal through any false or fraudulent representation or made any material misrepresentation in any registration application.

(2) The applicant or registrant made false promises through advertising or other means or engaged in a continued course of misrepresentations.

(3) The applicant or registrant violated any provision of Chapter 1345. or sections 4719.01 to 4719.18 of the Revised Code or a rule adopted under that chapter or those sections.

(4) In a court of competent jurisdiction of this state or any other state or of the United States, the applicant or registrant was convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or entered a plea of no contest for a felony, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, racketeering, a violation of federal or state securities law, or a theft offense as defined in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code or in a similar law of any other state or of the United States, or failed to notify the attorney general of any conviction of that type as required under division (H) of section 4719.08 of the Revised Code.

(5) The applicant or registrant engaged in conduct that constituted improper, fraudulent, or dishonest dealings.

(C) The attorney general shall not refuse to issue a certificate to an applicant because of a conviction of or plea of guilty to a criminal offense unless the refusal is in accordance with section 9.79 of the Revised Code.