Newport News, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)
Key Facts
- School/day center buffer
- 2,000 feet
- Hours allowed
- 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Drive-through service
- not allowed
- Storefront windows
- must be see-through
- Minimum sale age
- 21 years old
Summary
Newport News bars vape shops within 2,000 feet of a school or child day center, sets 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours, and bans drive-through sales and sales to anyone under 21 under City Code § 45-540.
(1)They shall not sell vape products to persons under twenty-one (21) years of age.(2)They shall not be located within two thousand (2,000) linear feet of a child day center, as defined in Va. Code § 22.1-289.02, or a public, private, or parochial school.(3)The windows of such establishments shall not be smoked or mirrored, and shall be see through.(4)The hours of operation shall be limited to 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.(5)They shall not provide a drive-through service.(6)They shall comply with all applicable provisions of the sign ordinance as required by chapter 33.01. All signage associated with this use must conform to the size, placement, illumination, and design standards contained therein and must be appropriately permitted prior to installation or modification as required by chapter 33.01.(7)They shall comply with all applicable requirements and restrictions contained in Chapter 23.2 of Title 59.1 of the Virginia Code, 1950, as amended, pertaining to the retail sale of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, alternative nicotine products, and/or hemp products. (Ord. No. 8107-25, § 3)
Secs. 45-541—45-600. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Section 45-540 keeps vape shops at least 2,000 linear feet from any public, private, or parochial school or licensed child day center. Sales to anyone under 21 are barred, storefront windows can't be smoked or mirrored, hours run 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. only, and drive-through service is prohibited. Shops must also follow the city sign ordinance in chapter 33.01 and the state tobacco-retail rules in Title 59.1, chapter 23.2 of the Virginia Code.
Violations & Fines
Selling to a customer under 21, operating outside the 2,000-foot school buffer, running a drive-through, or staying open past 9:00 p.m. are violations of § 45-540 subject to city enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close can a vape shop be to a school in Newport News?
Can a vape shop have a drive-through in Newport News?
Sources & Official References
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