(a) Every producer, manufacturer, distributor, or sales outlet selling, offering for sale, exposing for sale, distributing, or storing biologicals shall register with and obtain a permit from the department prior to engaging in such activities. No person, firm, or partnership shall engage in any such activities without a permit or while its permit is suspended or revoked. The registration and application for a permit shall be made on a form prescribed by the Commissioner. Upon compliance with this chapter, the applicant shall be issued a permit by the Commissioner for all biological products manufactured, distributed, or sold by the applicant. A previous violation of the law or any regulation of the department by the applicant shall constitute just cause for refusal of a permit.

(b) This chapter shall not apply to any department of the federal or state government, any county board of health, any joint city-county board of health, any licensed graduate veterinarian whose primary use of biologicals is in his practice, or any retail establishment which purchases prepackaged biologicals not under its private label from a producer, manufacturer, distributor, or sales outlet registered under this chapter for sale to the general public only. Retail establishments which sell biologicals received from producers, manufacturers, and distributors, none of which are registered under this chapter, must obtain a separate permit for the biologicals obtained from each nonregistered source.

(c) Permits issued under this Code section shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the business.

(d) Any violation of this Code section shall constitute a misdemeanor.