G.S. 113-270.1

Article 21.

Licenses and Permits Issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission.

§ 113-270.1. License agents.

(a) The Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule provide for the appointment of persons as license agents to sell licenses and permits that the Commission is authorized to issue by this Subchapter or by any other provisions of law. To facilitate the convenience of the public, the efficiency of administration, the need to keep statistics and records affecting the conservation of wildlife resources, boating, water safety, and other matters within the jurisdiction of the Wildlife Resources Commission, and the need to issue licenses and permits containing special restrictions, the Wildlife Resources Commission may issue licenses and permits in any particular category through:

(1) License agents.

(1a) A contracted licensing system vendor.

(2) The Wildlife Resources Commission's headquarters.

(3) Employees of the Wildlife Resources Commission.

(4) Two or more such sources simultaneously.

(a1) When there are substantial reasons for differing treatment, the Wildlife Resources Commission may issue a type of license or permit by one method in one locality and by another method in another locality.

(b) License agents may charge a fee of up to four dollars ($4.00) per transaction for licenses, applications, or permits processed by the agent. The Commission may charge a fee of up to four dollars ($4.00) per transaction for licenses, permits, and applications sold online or by other electronic means or directly to the public. This fee is in addition to any transaction fee charged by a contracted licensing system vendor.

(b1) When licenses or permits are to be issued by license agents as provided by subsection (a) of this section, the Wildlife Resources Commission may adopt rules to provide for any of the following:

(1) Qualifications of the license agents.

(2) Duties of the license agents.

(3) Methods and procedures to ensure accountability and security for proceeds and unissued licenses and permits.

(4) Types and amounts of evidence that a license agent must submit to relieve the agent of responsibility for losses due to occurrences beyond the control of the agent.

(5) Any other reasonable requirement or condition that the Wildlife Resources Commission deems necessary to expedite and control the issuance of licenses and permits by license agents.

(b2) The Wildlife Resources Commission may adopt rules to authorize the Executive Director to take any of the following actions related to license agents:

(1) Select and appoint license agents in areas most convenient for the sale of licenses and permits.

(2) Limit the number of license agents in an area if necessary for efficiency of operation.

(3) Require prompt and accurate reporting and remittance of public funds or documents by license agents.

(4) Conduct periodic and special audits of accounts.

(5) Suspend or terminate the authorization of any license agent found to be noncompliant with rules adopted by the Wildlife Resources Commission or when State funds or property are reasonably believed to be in jeopardy.

(6) Require the immediate surrender of all equipment, forms, licenses, permits, records, and State funds and property, issued by or belonging to the Wildlife Resources Commission, in the event of the termination of a license agent.

(b3) The Wildlife Resources Commission is exempt from the contested case provisions of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes with respect to determinations of whether to authorize or terminate the authority of a person to sell licenses and permits as a license agent of the Wildlife Resources Commission.

(b4) If any check or bank account draft of any license agent for the issuance of licenses or permits is returned by the banking facility upon which the same is drawn for lack of funds, the license agent is liable to the Commission or contracted licensing system vendor for a penalty of five percent (5%) of the amount of the check or bank account draft, but in no event shall the penalty be less than five dollars ($5.00) or more than two hundred dollars ($200.00). License agents shall be assessed a penalty of twenty-five percent (25%) of their issuing fee on all remittances to the Commission or contracted licensing system vendor after the fifteenth day of the month immediately following the month of sale.

(b5) A contracted licensing system vendor may charge a fee of:

(1) Up to three dollars ($3.00) per transaction for licenses, permits, applications, or merchandise sold online or by other electronic means.

(2) Up to one dollar ($1.00) per transaction for licenses, permits, applications, or merchandise sold by a license agent or directly through the Commission.

(3) Up to five dollars ($5.00) per transaction for licenses, permits, applications, or merchandise sold through the contracted licensing system vendor call center.

(b6) Neither the Commission nor a contracted licensing system vendor shall charge a fee for federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification, big game harvest report cards for lifetime license holders, exempt landowners, persons of less than 16 years of age, or for any other license transactions for which there is no charge authorized by applicable law.

(d) It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for a license agent to do any of the following:

(1) Withhold or misappropriate funds from the sale of licenses or permits.

(2) Falsify records of licenses or permits sold.

(3) Willfully and knowingly assist or allow a person to obtain a license or permit for which the person is ineligible.

(4) Willfully issue a backdated license or permit.

(5) Willfully include false information or omit material information on records, licenses, or permits regarding either:

a. A person's entitlement to a particular license or permit.

b. The applicability or term of a particular license or permit.

(6) Charge or accept any additional fee, remuneration, or other item of value in association with any activity set out in subdivisions (1) through (5) of this subsection.

(e) through (j) Repealed by Session Laws 2005-455, s. 3.2. See notes for contingent effective date. (1961, c. 352, ss. 4, 9; 1979, c. 830, s. 1; 1985, c. 791, s. 34; 1987, c. 827, s. 98; 1993, c. 539, ss. 852, 853; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2005-455, s. 3.2; 2013-283, s. 15; 2022-74, s. 15.3(d).)