(a) Upon receipt of an application for the issuance or renewal of a license, the Commissioner may investigate the applicant for compliance with all applicable provisions of this Code and applicable rules.
(b) As part of the investigation prescribed by subsection (a), every applicant shall: (1) submit to a criminal background check as defined by Section 9-104-010; (2) submit to additional checks as the Commissioner sets forth in rules; and (3) provide photos of the applicant as required by the Commissioner. Applicants shall be responsible for the costs of the criminal background check, any additional checks, and photos.
(c) As part of the application process, fees sufficient to cover the costs of processing the requirements of subsection (b) shall be assessed in addition to the license fees set forth in Section 9-104-030 of this chapter. The fees will be assessed regardless of whether the license applied for is issued or denied. The amount of the fees shall be as set forth by rules promulgated by the Commissioner.
(d) The Commissioner may deny a license to an applicant who submits an application or any information or document that includes an omission or misstatement of material fact, or false information.
(e) After investigating an applicant as provided in subsection (a) and this section, the Commissioner has the authority to deny a license if the applicant does not meet the requirements for the issuance or renewal of a license. Such investigation may include, but is not limited to, a review of the applicant's application, criminal record, driving record, complaint history, and any other information that may be reasonably relied upon to issue a license.
(f) If an application for the issuance or renewal of a public chauffeur license is denied, the applicant may, within 10 days of the mailing of the notice of denial, make written demand upon the Commissioner for a hearing. Upon receipt of a timely written demand for a hearing, the Department shall within 30 days conduct a hearing. If at such a hearing the applicant establishes through competent evidence that the denial was based upon incorrect findings, the Commissioner shall issue the license. If at such a hearing the denial is found to have been based upon correct findings, the denial shall become final. After entry of a final denial, the applicant shall be ineligible to make a new application for a period of 12 months.
(Added Coun. J. 3-16-16, p. 20056, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. IX, § 3)