Schenectady, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

Article II of the Nuisances chapter, Business Certificates of Use, was amended February 13, 2023 by Ordinance No. 2023-01 to add CANNABIS OR TOBACCO RETAIL AND CONSUMPTION to the list of BUSINESS types the article covers, alongside banquet facilities, bars, convenience stores, drugstores, private clubs and secondhand dealer stores. Section 183-4 defines the covered business as any premises where cannabis, cannabinoid, nicotine or tobacco products, or related paraphernalia, are sold for on-site consumption or are the primary source of retail income, expressly naming smoke shops, vape shops, hookah lounges and consumption lounges.

Section 183-5 then bars operating or maintaining any such business without first obtaining a certificate of use for that specific location. The application, filed with the Building Inspector under § 183-6, must identify every owner and operator with contact information, show at least $500,000 in liability insurance, disclose all bank accounts used in the business, and supply two references, among other items. Before issuing the certificate, § 183-7 requires the Zoning Officer to confirm the location complies with the Zoning Ordinance, and lets the Building Inspector and Fire Chief inspect the premises for code compliance.