# § 5713. Permit
**(a)** **Issuance** A person shall not engage in business as a manufacturer or importer of tobacco products or processed tobacco or as an export warehouse proprietor without a permit to engage in such business. Such permit, conditioned upon compliance with this chapter and regulations issued thereunder, shall be issued in such form and in such manner as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe, to every person properly qualified under sections 5711 and 5712. A new permit may be required at such other time as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe.
**(b)** **Suspension or revocation**
**(1)** **Show cause hearing** If the Secretary has reason to believe that any person holding a permit—
the Secretary shall issue an order, stating the facts charged, citing such person to show cause why his permit should not be suspended or revoked.
**(A)** has not in good faith complied with this chapter, or with any other provision of this title involving intent to defraud,
**(B)** has violated the conditions of such permit,
**(C)** has failed to disclose any material information required or made any material false statement in the application for such permit,
**(D)** has failed to maintain his premises in such manner as to protect the revenue,
**(E)** is, by reason of previous or current legal proceedings involving a felony violation of any other provision of Federal criminal law relating to tobacco products, processed tobacco, cigarette paper, or cigarette tubes, not likely to maintain operations in compliance with this chapter, or
**(F)** has been convicted of a felony violation of any provision of Federal or State criminal law relating to tobacco products, processed tobacco, cigarette paper, or cigarette tubes,
**(2)** **Action following hearing** If, after hearing, the Secretary finds that such person has not shown cause why his permit should not be suspended or revoked, such permit shall be suspended for such period as the Secretary deems proper or shall be revoked.
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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 712; Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 202, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1421; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 105–33, title IX, § 9302(h)(2)(A), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 674; Pub. L. 111–3, title VII, § 702(a)(1)(B), (b)(2), Feb. 4, 2009, 123 Stat. 108, 109.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2009—Subsec. (a). , inserted “or processed tobacco” after “tobacco products”.
Subsec. (b). , amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “If the Secretary has reason to believe that any person holding a permit has not in good faith complied with this chapter, or with any other provision of this title involving intent to defraud, or has violated the conditions of such permit, or has failed to disclose any material information required or made any material false statement in the application for such permit, or has failed to maintain his premises in such manner as to protect the revenue, the Secretary shall issue an order, stating the facts charged, citing such person to show cause why his permit should not be suspended or revoked. If, after hearing, the Secretary finds that such person has not in good faith complied with this chapter or with any other provision of this title involving intent to defraud, has violated the conditions of such permit, has failed to disclose any material information required or made any material false statement in the application therefor, or has failed to maintain his premises in such manner as to protect the revenue, such permit shall be suspended for such period as the Secretary deems proper or shall be revoked.”
1997—Subsec. (a). inserted “or importer” after “manufacturer”.
1976— struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing.
1958—Subsec. (a). substituted “manufacturer of tobacco products” for “manufacturer of articles”, included export warehouse proprietors, and struck out provisions which related to dealers in tobacco materials.
Subsecs. (b), (c). redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) that required permits to be posted.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2009 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Amendment by applicable to articles removed, as defined in , after , with transition rule, see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1958 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .