Section 17. Any city or town clerk or any person duly authorized by the director to issue licenses at their place of business located outside the commonwealth, provided such persons are duly bonded, issuing any license under authority of any provision of this chapter may, except as otherwise provided by law, retain for his own use fifty cents from the fee for each such license; provided, however, that if no fee is required to be paid for the issuance of a license, the issuing officer shall make no charge for the issuance thereof nor retain any part of the fee therefor, as the case may be.