Penn Hills, PA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 1,200 feet from schools, churches, parks
- Minimum age
- 21 years old
- Hours restriction
- Closed 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Seating
- Indoor only, no outdoor seating
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Code Enforcement
Summary
Hookah bars and lounges in Penn Hills need a 1,200-foot buffer from schools, churches, parks and other hookah lounges, indoor-only seating, and a revocable municipal occupancy permit.
Each hookah bar shall be located no closer than 1,200 feet from structure to structure of any other hookah bar/lounge, a sexually oriented business, a church/place of worship, archery or shooting ranges, public park, recreation facility, daycare center, nursery school, public library, a public, parochial, or private pre-elementary, elementary or secondary school. All hookah bar/lounge activities shall take place indoors and no outdoor seating is permitted.
(2) Hours of Operation. Hookah bars shall not be permitted to operate within the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
(3) Alcoholic Beverages. Alcoholic beverages shall not be permitted to be brought onto the premises for on-premises consumption. The sale and service of alcohol shall comply with all Federal, Commonwealth, and local laws.
(4) Ventilation. Any establishment that will allow any sort of smoking on site shall provide adequate ventilation. The requirements imposed by the Penn Hills Fire Department may be more comprehensive than current building codes to prevent negative health and nuisance impacts on neighboring properties, including a requirement for a separate system to prevent smoke and vapors from migrating to adjoining suites or buildings. The ventilation shall, at a minimum, prevent smoke and vapors from migrating into adjacent buildings and/or suites and to outdoor public areas. A mechanical exhaust hood system shall be required if an establishment heats coals indoors.
(5)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4434863; v5 updated 2025-07-21; through 07-21-2025).
Full Breakdown
Penn Hills' Zoning Code treats hookah bars and lounges as a conditional use under Chapter 1280. Each location must sit at least 1,200 feet from any other hookah lounge, sexually oriented business, church, shooting range, park, daycare center, library, or school, with all smoking confined indoors and no outdoor seating. Hours are restricted, no operation between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., alcohol is barred from the premises, patrons must be 21 or older, and windows can't be covered so the interior stays visible from outside. The Department of Code Enforcement can revoke the occupancy permit for false applications, drug activity, or unpermitted uses, with a one-year wait before reapplying.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a valid occupancy permit, allowing outdoor smoking, admitting anyone under 21, or violating the 1,200-foot buffer can bring a citation and permit revocation for one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a hookah lounge open near a school in Penn Hills?
Are minors allowed inside a Penn Hills hookah bar?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Penn Hills
Compare Penn Hills to another location·View the Pennsylvania business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Tobacco Retail License in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Allegheny County handle tobacco retail license.