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

Monterey County Code Chapter 7.80 applies only in the unincorporated area of the county; incorporated cities like Salinas, Monterey and Seaside license tobacco sales under their own codes. Any person who is or intends to become a tobacco retailer must obtain a license for each fixed location before retailing tobacco (MCC § 7.80.030); licenses cannot authorize sales from vehicles, on foot, or at flea markets and farmers' markets (§ 7.80.040(A)-(B)). The Health Officer issues a license once a complete application and the Board of Supervisors' resolution-set license fee are received, unless the application is incomplete, the location or proprietor is under suspension or revocation, or the applicant violated a tobacco law within the preceding twelve months (§ 7.80.060(A)).

Licenses run on the county fiscal year, July 1 through June 30, and must be renewed at least thirty days before expiration (§ 7.80.070). A license cannot be transferred between owners or locations; a change in proprietor requires a new license, and prior violations stay attached to the location unless the new owner proves an arm's-length sale (§ 7.80.080). The Health Department and any law enforcement officer may run unannounced compliance checks, including youth decoy operations (§ 7.80.090). Beyond licensing, § 7.80.040(G) makes it a violation for a retailer or its agents to sell, offer for sale, or possess with intent to sell any flavored tobacco product, with a rebuttable presumption of intent to sell if four or more flavored products are on hand.

Section 7.80.040(H) separately bans selling or offering for sale, or possessing with intent to sell, any single-use electronic cigarette, defined to include single-use e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, vape pens and e-hookahs sold with nicotine.