Yolo County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required by
- Sec. 6-15.03(a)
- Covers vapes/e-cigs
- Yes, Sec. 6-15.02(o)(2)
- Eligible locations
- ~22 grandfathered sites, Sec. 6-15.04(a)
- New permits
- None issued after May 1, 2017 cutoff
- First unpermitted-sale lockout
- 30 days minimum, Sec. 6-15.15
Summary
Yolo County Code Sec. 6-15.03(a) requires a Tobacco Retailer's Permit before selling any tobacco product, a term Sec. 6-15.02(o) expressly defines to include electronic smoking devices such as e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-hookahs. Sec. 6-15.04 caps permits to a fixed list of about 22 grandfathered locations; no new licenses may otherwise be issued.
It shall be unlawful for any person to act as a Tobacco Retailer or a Proprietor in the county without first obtaining and maintaining a valid Tobacco Retailer's Permit pursuant to this Chapter. Tobacco retailing without a valid Tobacco Retailer's Permit is a nuisance as a matter of law.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 15 (Tobacco Retailer Permit), originally adopted by Ord. 1350 in 2006, defines a Tobacco Product in Sec. 02(o) to reach any electronic smoking device and any substance aerosolized or vaporized by it, whether or not it contains nicotine, plus components like mouthpieces and cartridges. Sec. 04(a) lists specific eligible retailers by name and address (such as Zamora Mini Market, Pilot Travel Center #168, and Esparto Supermarket) and any other retailer legally selling tobacco as of May 1, 2017; no location outside that list, or added after that date, may receive a permit.
An existing permit renews under Sec. 04(b) only if it was never permanently revoked, tobacco sales have not stopped for 60 consecutive days or more, the licensee has not substantially changed the premises or operation, and the licensee still complies with other laws including zoning and building codes. Applications go to the Department of Health and Human Services and must disclose the Proprietor's name and address and any prior violations within the past six years, per Sec. 05. The Department must issue the permit under Sec.
07 unless it finds grounds for denial, including that the location or activity is unlawful under the zoning code or that the application seeks authorization for a prohibited use such as mobile vending. Revocation under Sec. 13 follows an escalating lockout: a first violation within any 60-month period bars a new permit for 10 days, a second bars it for 90 days, a third bars it for one year, and a fourth or more bars it for five years.
Violations & Fines
Tobacco retailing without a valid permit is declared a nuisance as a matter of law under Sec. 6-15.03(a). Under Sec. 6-15.15, a first violation at a location within any 60-month period blocks a new permit there for at least 30 days, a second blocks it for at least 90 days, and a third or subsequent violation blocks it for at least five years; products and paraphernalia sold in violation are subject to seizure and, after notice and an opportunity to respond, forfeiture and destruction under Sec. 6-15.15(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new store get a tobacco or vape retail permit in unincorporated Yolo County?
Does the tobacco permit requirement cover vape shops and e-cigarettes?
What happens if my tobacco retailer permit is revoked twice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
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