Ocala, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

Article III of Chapter 15 does not require a tobacco or vape retail license from the City of Ocala; its stated intent under § 15-61 is to keep tobacco products, electronic cigarettes and liquid nicotine away from anyone under 18 by controlling how they are marketed and placed, without prohibiting otherwise lawful sales regulated under F.S. ch. 569. To do that, § 15-63(a) bans self-service merchandising, meaning open racks, shelves, counters or kiosks the public can reach without a clerk, unless the premises itself already bars anyone under 18.

Section 15-63(b) separately bans selling or offering to sell any tobacco product, e-cigarette or liquid nicotine to a person under 18, and § 15-63(c) bars placing any of those products in an open display unit unless it is inaccessible to customers. Section 15-64 layers on a use restriction: e-cigarette use is prohibited everywhere smoking is already banned under Florida's Clean Indoor Air Act, and no person under 18 may use, buy, sell or possess tobacco products, e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine anywhere in the city. The Ocala Police Department enforces the article under § 15-65(a); as a backup, the city attorney may instead file a civil action seeking an injunction or a receiver, and the city can recover its costs and attorney's fees if it wins that action.

Definitions in § 15-62 sweep broadly, covering any electronic device with a mouthpiece, heating element, battery and circuit that vaporizes liquid nicotine, whatever brand name it is sold under, so vape shops cannot avoid the self-service and minors bans by rebranding their product line.