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initial and each renewal distributor's license shall be $250. The purpose of such initial and renewal annual license fees fee is to defray the cost, to the Department, of serializing cigarette tax stamps. The applicant for license shall pay such fee to the Department at the time of submitting the application for license to the Department. Through June 30, 2027, suchSuch applicant shall file, with the his application, a joint and several bond. Such bond shall be executed to the Department of Revenue, with good and sufficient surety or sureties residing or licensed to do business within the State of Illinois, in the amount of $2,500, conditioned upon the true and faithful compliance by the licensee with all of the provisions of this Act. Such bond, or a reissue thereof, or a substitute therefor, shall be kept in effect during the entire period covered by the license. Beginning July 1, 2027, applicants are no longer required to file a bond with their application. The Department shall discharge any surety and shall release and return any bond provided to it by a taxpayer under this Section within 90 days after July 1, 2027, provided that the taxpayer is not delinquent or deficient in the payment of tax liability. A separate application for license shall be made and , a separate annual license fee paid, and a separate bond filed, for each place of business at or from which the applicant proposes to act as a distributor under this Section Act and for which the applicant is not required to procure a license or SB3019 Enrolled LRB104 20255 HLH 33706 b Public Act 104-0468