Chino, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Chino Municipal Code § 20.21.320
- Residential buffer
- 200 feet from residential zone
- School buffer
- 1,000 feet from any school
- Minimum patron age
- 21 years old
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 2010-05, amended 2016, 2017
Summary
Chino zones vape lounges, defined as businesses where patrons smoke and purchase vapor products and e-cigarettes, at least 200 feet from residential zones and 1,000 feet from schools, bars cover charges and alcohol, and limits patrons to age 21 and up.
Cigar lounges, vape lounges, and hookah bars shall comply with the following regulations:A.Distance from residential zone. Cigar lounges, vape lounges, and hookah bars shall be at least two hundred feet from the boundary of any residential zone or property.B.Distance from schools...at least one thousand feet from any public or private school...F.Age of patrons. All patrons of cigar lounges, vape lounges, or hookah bars shall be at least twenty-one years. Vape lounge. An establishment where patrons can smoke and purchase vapor products and e-cigarettes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Chino Municipal Code § 20.21.320 regulates vape lounges together with cigar lounges and hookah bars. The zoning glossary at § 20.24.020 defines a vape lounge as 'an establishment where patrons can smoke and purchase vapor products and e-cigarettes.' Such a business must locate at least two hundred feet from the boundary of any residential zone and at least one thousand feet from any public or private school. No admission charge or ticket sales are allowed, alcohol sale or consumption is prohibited on-site, and all patrons must be at least twenty-one years old. The business must be owner-operated or otherwise exempt from California's workplace smoking ban under Labor Code § 6404.5. Adopted by Ord. 2010-05, amended by Ord. 2016-005 and Ord. 2017-009.
Violations & Fines
Operating a vape lounge within 200 feet of a residential zone or 1,000 feet of a school, charging admission, serving alcohol, or admitting patrons under 21 violates § 20.21.320.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a vape lounge locate in Chino?
Does Chino's code treat a vape retail shop as a 'vape lounge'?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Tobacco Retail License in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle tobacco retail license.