Bulloch County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

Zoning Ordinance Section 1446 treats tobacco shops, vape shops and hookah lounges as a distinct, spacing-controlled use. No new establishment may locate within one mile of an existing one, measured property line to property line, and none may sit within 300 feet, also measured property line to property line, of a public or private school, family day care home, child-care facility, youth center, community center, recreational facility, park, church or other religious institution, hospital, or other similar use where children regularly gather. The buffer width required around the site is doubled from the district minimum, with an approved fence, wall or berm, and storefronts must carry transparent glass windows allowing views into the establishment from the nearest public right-of-way; temporary or portable structures for offices or storage are prohibited.

The section also carries its own age-access controls: the shop must post clear signage, in a conspicuous spot near each public entrance, stating minors may not enter unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and it is unlawful to fail to display or maintain that signage. Except in a hookah lounge, no indoor smoking is permitted at any time, and no sales may be solicited or conducted on the premises to a person under the age of 21. Because a mile-radius spacing rule applies, a new applicant in a growing corridor near the Hyundai Metaplant or along the Statesboro bypass needs to confirm no existing tobacco, vape or hookah establishment already sits within that one-mile radius before pursuing a site.