Ulster County, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)
Key Facts
- License required from
- Dept. of Health
- License term
- Expires each Dec. 31
- School buffer
- 1,000 ft for new licenses
- Penalty
- $250-$1,000 civil fine
- Effective
- January 1, 2016
Summary
Ulster County requires every tobacco retailer to hold a Department of Health license, renewed annually, with new stores barred within 1,000 feet of a school.
Effective January 1, 2016, no person shall sell, offer for sale, or permit the sale of tobacco products to consumers in Ulster County, without possessing a valid tobacco retail license issued by the Ulster County Department of Health. A tobacco retail license is not required for a wholesale dealer who sells tobacco products to retail dealers for the purpose of resale only and does not sell any tobacco products directly to consumers.
B. All tobacco retail licenses issued pursuant to this article are nontransferable and nonassignable and are valid only for the applicant and the specific address indicated on the tobacco retail license. A separate tobacco retail license is required for each address at which tobacco products are sold or offered for sale.
C. All tobacco retail licenses issued pursuant to this article are valid for no more than one year and expire on the next occurring December 31 following the effective date of the tobacco retail license. As set forth in § 301-16, a tobacco retail license may be revoked by the Department prior to its expiration date for cause.
D. No tobacco retail licenses shall be issued to an applicant who does not have a fixed, permanent retail location.
E.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4818905; v25 updated 2025-11-18; through 11-18-2025).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 301-11 makes it unlawful to sell or offer tobacco products in Ulster County without a nontransferable retail license from the Ulster County Department of Health, effective January 1, 2016. Licenses run for a single calendar year, expiring every December 31, and each address needs its own license. Outside the article's first year, the Department will not issue a new license to an establishment within 1,000 feet of a school property line, though retailers who already held a license there keep it on renewal. Applicants who miss the filing deadline, or whose license lapses, may not legally sell tobacco products until the Commissioner grants a new one under § 301-13.
Violations & Fines
Selling tobacco without a valid license, or without displaying it, draws suspension, revocation, and civil penalties up to $1,000 per repeat violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county license to sell cigarettes in Ulster County?
Can a new tobacco retailer open near a school?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ulster County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Ulster County to another location·View the New York business licensing & operations overview
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