Memphis tobacco retailers must hold a Tennessee Department of Revenue tobacco license and remit Shelby County tobacco tax. The city issues a standard business license under Chapter 9 — no separate flavor or vape ordinance applies because state law preempts local tobacco regulation.
Tennessee Code Title 67 Chapter 4 Part 10 governs tobacco taxation and licensing statewide; Memphis has no authority to impose flavor bans, density caps, or buffer zones on tobacco shops beyond zoning rules in the Memphis-Shelby Unified Development Code. Retailers selling cigarettes, cigars, or vapor products need a state distributor or wholesaler license plus a Memphis general business license under Memphis Code Chapter 9. Age 21 federal Tobacco 21 applies; Tennessee adopted T21 in 2020. Shelby County Health enforces clean-indoor-air rules.
Selling tobacco without state license risks $500 daily fines, license revocation, and criminal misdemeanor charges under TCA 67-4-1015.
See how Memphis's tobacco retail license rules stack up against other locations.
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