Tobacco Retailers
Sonoma County Adopts Nitrous Oxide Ordinance
Sonoma County has adopted an ordinance restricting the retail sale and distribution of nitrous oxide for personal use, effective October 15, 2026. The County has notified tobacco retailers about the new requirements and provided information to help businesses understand the ordinance and prepare for implementation.
Read the Retailer Notification Letter for more information about the ordinance and its requirements.
Read the Ordinance: View the full text of Sonoma County’s nitrous oxide ordinance, effective October 15, 2026.
Previous Nitrous Oxide Retailer Guidance
Earlier letters and guidance provided to retailers about nitrous oxide sales under existing California law.
June 16, 2026
Sonoma County provides guidance on California law governing the retail sale of nitrous oxide products, including factors that may be considered in determining whether a sale is lawful.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Sales: Letter to Retailers (PDF)
March 11, 2026
Kratom
**Important Notice to All Tobacco Retailers: Sale of Kratom Products Prohibited**
Kratom Notice Sent to Retailers (English) »
Sonoma County Kratom Fact Sheet (English)»
CDPH News Release: Kratom Products Illegal in California »
Aviso sobre el kratom enviado a establecimientos minoristas (Español)»
Hoja informativa sobre el kratom del Condado de Sonoma (Español)»
Tobacco Retail License
A local tobacco retail license is required to sell tobacco products in most jurisdictions in Sonoma County. Impact Sonoma of the Department of Health Services administers tobacco retail licenses for
- Unincorporated Sonoma County
- Petaluma
- Santa Rosa
- Windsor
In addition, a Tobacco Retail License is required in Healdsburg, Sebastopol, and the City of Sonoma. Contact those cities directly with any questions about tobacco retail license eligibility and renewal. Currently, the cities of Cloverdale, Cotati and Rohnert Park do not require a Tobacco Retail License but have laws pertaining to the sale of tobacco products. Contact those City Planning Departments for specific requirements.
To confirm license eligibility, please contact Carley Moore, Tobacco Compliance & Enforcement at (707) 565-6680, or impact.sonoma@sonomacounty.gov for more information.
What Counts as a Tobacco Product (For Retailers)
This short video explains what counts as a tobacco product under California law, including vapes, accessories, and key exceptions.
¿Qué es un producto de tabaco?
Este video breve explica qué se considera un producto de tabaco bajo la ley de California, incluyendo vapeadores, accesorios y excepciones clave para minoristas.
See State, County & Local Regulations for information on the jurisdiction in which you plan to open your business
Healdsburg
Title 8 Health and Safety - Chapter 8.26 Tobacco Retailers
Petaluma
Overview of Petaluma Tobacco Retail License
Regulation of Retail Tobacco Sales Chapter 8.21
Rohnert Park
Title 8 Health and Safety - Prohibition of Head Shops, Hookah Bars, Tobacco Vending Machines and Self-Service Displays
Chapter 6-20 Regulation of Retail Tobacco Sales
Chapter 9-20 Smoking Regulations
Sebastopol
Title 8, Health & Safety, Chapter 8.06 Tobacco Retail Licensing
Windsor
TITLE III CHAPTER 11. - REGULATING THE SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND PARAPHERNALIA
California Tobacco Retailing Laws
Tobacco Control Laws that affect California Retail Businesses 2022
Source: California Department of Public Health.
CDTFA Sales of Cigarettes and Tobacco Products in California, License Requirements for Retailers
Source: California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
California Tobacco Control Branch: California Prohibits Retailers from Selling Flavored Tobacco Products
Source: California Department of Public Health.
Training: Responsible Beverage Service
Source: Sonoma County Department of Health Services.
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