Sec. 5. (a) Except as provided in section 7 of this chapter, an applicant for an artisan distiller's permit must meet all the following requirements to be eligible for an artisan distiller's permit:
(1) The permit applicant must hold one (1) of the following permits for the six (6) months immediately preceding the date of the application:
(A) A farm winery permit under IC 7.1-3-12.
(B) A brewer's permit issued under IC 7.1-3-2-2(b).
(C) A distiller's permit under IC 7.1-3-7.
(2) The permit applicant may not have more than one (1) violation of this title during the eighteen (18) months immediately preceding the date of the application.
(3) The permit applicant may not have any violation of this title during the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the date of the permit application.
(b) As used in this subsection, "qualifying permit" means a farm winery, brewer's, or distiller's permit under subsection (a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B), or (a)(1)(C) that is required in order to hold an artisan distiller's permit. The same persons must directly or indirectly own and control more than fifty percent (50%) of the entity that holds the qualifying permit and the artisan distiller's permit.