Waukegan, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

Any retailer that wants to sell cigars, cigarettes, cigarette papers, or wrappers in Waukegan must first obtain a sales license under § 14-411, part of Division 2 of the Cigars, Cigarettes and Tobacco article. Section 14-412 requires the application to identify the applicant and sales location and to include evidence that the applicant, or the person running the business if it is a firm or corporation, is of good character and a suitable person to be trusted with selling tobacco. 00-per-year license, with a responsible person in charge of the machine subject to penalty for illegal sales from it.

Once licensed, a retailer is subject to inspection under § 14-396, which lets the licensing official examine the premises and demand product samples for analysis to confirm compliance with state and city law. Separately, § 14-398 bars selling, giving away, or delivering tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or electronic cigarettes, including vape pens, to anyone under 21, requires posted age-restriction signage, and mandates that any vending machine dispensing these products have a locking device controlling access by underage buyers. 00 per offense, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately.