KRS §438.305 sets Kentucky's minimum tobacco purchase age at 21 statewide. Lexington tobacco retailers must hold a Kentucky Department of Revenue tobacco license and an LFUCG business license. Retailers near UK campus face heightened compliance-check scrutiny.
Kentucky's Tobacco 21 statute under KRS §438.305 prohibits the sale of cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco products to anyone under 21 years old, aligning with the federal Tobacco 21 Act. Lexington tobacco retailers must hold a Kentucky Department of Revenue tobacco license and an LFUCG business license under Chapter 13. Lexington-Fayette County Health Department conducts compliance checks, especially at retailers near University of Kentucky campus and high schools. Violations escalate to license suspension or revocation. Flavor bans on vapes have not been enacted at the state or LFUCG level.
Selling tobacco to anyone under 21 brings citations, fines, and potential license suspension; repeat offenses can trigger revocation by Kentucky Revenue Department.
See how Lexington's tobacco retail license rules stack up against other locations.
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