Fresno, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

Fresno created its Smoke Shop ordinance to amortize existing stores and cap new ones: Section 15-2761 allows up to seven Smoke Shops per City Council District. Any Smoke Shop opened after the ordinance's effective date needs a Conditional Use Permit under Section 15-2761(D), issued through a public-notice and, when applications exceed open slots, a lottery process -- a 10-day newspaper notice, a 60-day application window, and a lottery within 120 days of that window closing. Every location needs its own Business License under Chapter 7; sharing one license or CUP across locations is not allowed.

Location restrictions in Section 15-2761(F) keep new Smoke Shops at least 1,000 feet from another Smoke Shop and at least 1,000 feet from a public park, playground, youth facility, licensed school, or drug and alcohol treatment facility. Existing Smoke Shops that predate the ordinance get an 18-month amortization period under Section 15-2761(C) to either win a CUP or close, with a path to request more time from the Director if they can show the amortization period doesn't cover their investment. Operational rules in Section 15-2761(G) require color video surveillance with at least three interior cameras and 14 days of stored footage, ban vending-machine sales, cap in-store paraphernalia display at 25% of floor area, limit window advertising to 5% of glazed area near sensitive uses, and require posted STAKE Act warning signs.

Selling cannabis, drug paraphernalia, nitrous oxide, or flavored tobacco triggers immediate Conditional Use Permit revocation proceedings under Section 15-5016. Repeated nuisance activity -- drug sales, loitering, prostitution, public intoxication -- can get an operator's right to run a Smoke Shop suspended for 30 days under Section 10-609 until the City Manager confirms the problem is fixed.