Tobacco Retailers

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

Unincorporated Sonoma County

Chapter 32A Licensure of Tobacco Retailers

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

Sonoma

Title 7 Health and Welfare, Chapter 7.25 Regulating the Manner of Sale of Tobacco Products

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.

CDTFA Cannabis Special Notice

Source: California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

STAKE (Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement) Act is an important piece of legislation that specifies who retailers can sell tobacco to. In the state of California, it is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 years. Training videos are available for a better understanding of the Act, and how to implement and adhere to the rules in your retail environment.

Training: Responsible Beverage Service
Source: Sonoma County Department of Health Services.