Upland, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)
Key Facts
- CUP zones
- C/R-MU, B/R-MU, C/O-MU, CI/MU, NC, HC, RC
- Approval authority
- Planning Commission
- Spacing factor
- within 2,000 ft of another smoke shop
- Minimum sale age
- 18 or higher state minimum
- Vending/self-service sales
- prohibited
Summary
Smoke shops selling tobacco, vape, and e-cigarette products in Upland need a conditional use permit approved by the Planning Commission in specified commercial zones under Zoning Ordinance Chapter 17.42.5, on top of the state tobacco retailer license. No on-site use is allowed, self-service or vending-machine sales are banned, and sales to anyone under 18 are prohibited.
Smoke shops require a conditional use permit in the C/R-MU, B/R-MU, C/O-MU, CI/MU, NC, HC, and RC zones, which is a discretionary action approved by the Planning Commission. ... Each smoke shop shall hold a valid California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Retailer's License issued by the State Board of Equalization, in accordance with State law, and shall be prominently displayed in a publicly visible location at the establishment. ... There shall be no self-service display or sales, including vending machines, of tobacco or tobacco paraphernalia. ... No on-premises use of tobacco products shall be permitted at any time.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
5 (Smoke Shops) sets Upland's local licensing-and-zoning control on tobacco and vape retail. ' The CUP is processed under Part 5 (Land Use and Development Approval Procedures) of the Zoning Ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Operating a smoke shop without the required conditional use permit, or violating any CUP condition, is a Zoning Ordinance violation subject to the City's standard land-use enforcement remedies. Section 17.42.5.050(A) ties operation directly to 'all of the conditions of the conditional use permit that authorizes its operation,' so breaching self-service, on-premises-use, age-verification, or state-license-display requirements risks CUP revocation through the Planning Commission's discretionary review process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a vape shop open anywhere in Upland?
Does Upland consider how many smoke shops are already nearby?
Can customers use tobacco or vape products inside an Upland smoke shop?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
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