In addition to the fees required under Article 16 (commencing with Section 55861) of Chapter 6 and Article 17 (commencing with Section 56571) of Chapter 7, each principal applicant for a license, or for the renewal of a license, under Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 55401) or Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 56101) shall pay to the director an annual fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) which shall be paid before the director issues or renews any such license. If any person is found to be operating a business without the license required by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 55401) or Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 56101), that person shall pay to the director double the amount of the annual fee. All the fees collected pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in the products fund. The director may establish a lower annual fee if he or she finds it to be sufficient to defray the costs in carrying out this chapter.
This chapter does not apply to any licensee who pays to the seller, at the time of obtaining title, possession, or control, or at the time of contracting for the title, possession, or control, of any farm product, the full agreed purchase price of the farm product in coin or currency, lawful money of the United States, or to any licensee who purchases livestock and is bonded under the federal Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 181, et seq.).