(35 ILCS 635/22)

Sec. 22. Certificates. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in business as a telecommunications retailer in this State within the meaning of this Act without first having obtained a certificate of registration to do so from the Department. Application for the certificate shall be made to the Department in a form prescribed and furnished by the Department. Each applicant for a certificate shall furnish to the Department on a form prescribed by the Department and signed by the applicant under penalties of perjury, the following information:

(1) The name of the applicant.

(2) The address of the location at which the applicant proposes to engage in business as a telecommunications retailer in this State.

(3) Other information the Department may reasonably require.

The Department, upon receipt of an application in proper form, shall issue to the applicant a certificate, in a form prescribed by the Department, which shall permit the applicant to whom it is issued to engage in business as a telecommunications retailer at the place shown on his or her application. No certificate issued under this Act is transferable or assignable. No certificate shall be issued to any person who is in default to the State of Illinois for moneys due under this Act or any other tax Act administered by the Department. Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Department under this Section may, within 20 days after notice of such decision, protest and request a hearing, whereupon the Department shall give notice to such person of the time and place fixed for such hearing and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the provisions of this Act and then issue its final administrative decision in the matter to such person. In the absence of such a protest within 20 days, the Department's decision shall become final without any further determination being made or notice given.

The Department may, in its discretion, upon application, authorize the payment of the fees imposed under this Act by any telecommunications retailer not otherwise subject to the fees imposed under this Act who, to the satisfaction of the Department, furnishes adequate security to ensure payment of the fees. The telecommunications retailer shall be issued, without charge, a certificate to remit the fees. When so authorized, it shall be the duty of the telecommunications retailer to remit the fees imposed upon the gross charges charged by the telecommunications retailer to service addresses in this State for telecommunications in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as a telecommunications retailer operating within this State.

(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)