Santa Clara County's Tobacco Retail License ordinance NS-300.789, among California's strongest, requires every tobacco and vape retailer in unincorporated areas to hold an annual license, caps density, and bans new tobacco retail near schools.
Ordinance NS-300.789 requires every retailer selling tobacco, vape, hookah, or related products in unincorporated Santa Clara County to obtain an annual Tobacco Retail License from the Public Health Department. The ordinance caps total retailers, prohibits new tobacco retail within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, and other tobacco retailers, and bans tobacco sales at pharmacies. Pricing minimums and pack-size minimums for cigars apply. Compliance checks using underage decoys are routine; selling to anyone under 21 (federal Tobacco 21) triggers license suspension. The county pioneered restrictions later adopted by other CA jurisdictions and the state. License revocation forfeits the slot.
Selling without a license, sales to anyone under 21, locating within 1,000 feet of a school or another retailer, pharmacy tobacco sales, or violating density caps trigger fines and progressive license suspension or revocation.
See how Palo Alto's tobacco retail license rules stack up against other locations.
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