The State Fire Marshal may issue and renew licenses for the manufacture, import, export, sale, and use of all fireworks and pyrotechnic devices in this state.

Any person who desires to manufacture, import, export, sell or use fireworks, shall first make written application for a license to the State Fire Marshal on forms provided by him. Such application shall be accompanied by the annual license fee as prescribed in this chapter.

The application for a license shall be signed by the applicant. If the application is made by a partnership, it shall be signed by each partner of the partnership. If the application is made by a corporation, it shall be signed by an officer of the corporation and bear the corporation’s seal.

The authorization to engage in the particular act or acts conferred by a license to a person shall extend to salesmen or other employees of such person who are registered with the State Fire Marshal. The sales personnel and other employees of licensed retailers, however, need not be registered with the State Fire Marshal. No person under the age of 18 shall sell, or handle for sale, any classification of fireworks.

Any applicant may withdraw his application for a license or renewal of a license and the State Fire Marshal may allow the withdrawal when he has determined that it is in the best interest of public safety or the administration of this part.

The suspension, expiration, or forfeiture by operation of law of a license issued by the State Fire Marshal, or its suspension, forfeiture, or cancellation by order of the State Fire Marshal or by a court of law, or its surrender to the State Fire Marshal shall not, during any period in which it may be renewed, restored, reissued, or reinstated, deprive the State Fire Marshal of his authority to institute or continue disciplinary action against the licensee upon any ground provided by law, or to enter an order suspending or revoking a license or otherwise taking disciplinary action against the licensee on any such ground.

A written report by the State Fire Marshal, any of his deputies, or salaried assistants, or by the chief of any city or county fire department or fire protection district or their authorized representatives, disclosing that the applicant for a license or for renewal of a license does not meet, or the premises for which the license is required do not meet, the qualifications or conditions for such license as required by this part or regulations adopted pursuant to this part, may constitute grounds for denial of any application for the license or renewal of the license.

The State Fire Marshal may deny, without hearing, an application for a license or renewal of a license, if within one year prior to the date of application, the State Fire Marshal has denied or revoked a license after proceedings conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code for the same applicant on the ground of violation of this part.

The application for any license shall become void when any of the following occurs:

The State Fire Marshal may deny or revoke any license issued pursuant to this part if the State Fire Marshal finds any of the following conditions has occurred:

The State Fire Marshal may, upon three days notice, suspend any license for a period not exceeding 30 days pending investigation of any violation of the provisions of this part.

Any applicant who has been denied a license or renewal of a license, or any licensee who has had a license suspended, shall be entitled to a hearing in accordance with the provisions of this part.

Except where otherwise provided in this part, all hearings under this part shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Reports on fireworks transactions or the payment of license fees or penalties required by this part shall be deemed to have been made or paid at the time they are filed with, or paid to, the State Fire Marshal, or, if sent by mail, on the date shown by the United States postmark on the envelope containing the report or payment.

Except as otherwise provided in Section 12599, on and after July 1, 1974, the original and annual license fee shall be for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year, or for the remaining portion of such fiscal year if the license is issued after the beginning of that fiscal year.

Any person or organization may obtain any license required by this part between January 1, 1974, and June 30, 1974, to be effective for that period only.

Application for renewal of a license shall be made during the license renewal period in the current license year in order to renew a license for the next following license year. The license renewal period shall begin on January 1 and end May 1 preceding the license year for which renewal is requested. A penalty of 50 percent of the basic license fee shall be assessed in all cases where the renewal fees are not paid on or before May 1, preceding the license year for which renewal is requested. This section shall not apply to retail sales licenses.

Every licensee who fails to renew his or her license by the time the license expires shall surrender the license to the State Fire Marshal within 10 days after the license expires.

A retail license shall authorize a retail sale of safe and sane fireworks within this state only during the period of 12 noon on the 28th of June through 12 noon on the 6th of July of the same calendar year and such license shall expire at the end of such period. No retail license shall be issued for the license period defined in this section unless the application for such license is received by the State Fire Marshal on or before June 15 preceding the license period. A new retail sales license shall be required annually for the period specified in this section.

Except as provided in Section 12583, the authority to perform any acts permitted by a license issued under this part shall be limited to the licensee and shall not be transferable.