West Covina, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Tobacco Retail License (2026)

West Covina's tobacco retail license, added by Ord. No. 2206 in 2010, is a police-power measure layered onto the city's standard business license rather than a separate fee-bearing permit; Sec. 14-206(f) confirms there is no additional fee beyond the standard business license cost. Sec. 14-203 makes it unlawful to act as a tobacco retailer at any location without a valid license for that specific address, and separately unlawful to sell tobacco from anywhere other than a fixed location within the city. Applications must be filed by a natural person for each proprietor, signed under penalty of perjury, and the Finance Director must issue the license once the application is complete, fees are paid, and there is no ground for denial under Sec.

14-207. Sec. 14-208 lets the director deny a license for an incomplete or materially false application, or if it's sought by a proprietor whose license was previously suspended or revoked, or for retailing prohibited under any local, state or federal law. Licensees must comply with all tobacco laws, keep a valid business license, and allow enforcement officers onto the premises during business hours under Sec. 14-209, and must display the license prominently under Sec. 14-210. Licenses are nontransferable and expire with the underlying business license under Sec.

14-211 and 14-213. Violations are public nuisances enforceable as infractions, escalating to a misdemeanor on a fourth violation, under Sec. 14-214, and the director may impose administrative fines of $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for a third or later violation within any twelve-month period under Sec. 14-218, with a ten percent monthly penalty plus one percent monthly interest on delinquent fines under Sec. 14-220.