Kentucky Statewide Rule
Kentucky Tobacco 21 Minimum Sales Age Law
Key Facts
- Minimum Sales Age
- Minimum sales age is 21 statewide
- Id Required For
- ID required for buyers under 30
- First Offense Fine
- First offense fine starts at $100
- Applies To Tobacco
- Applies to tobacco, vapor, nicotine products
- Enforced Under Krs
- Enforced under KRS 438.337
Summary
Kentucky prohibits the sale of tobacco, vapor, and alternative nicotine products to anyone under 21. The law conforms to federal Tobacco 21 standards and applies to all retail outlets statewide.
438.310 Sale of tobacco products or alternative nicotine products to persons under age 21 prohibited - Penalties. (1) A person shall not sell or cause to be sold any tobacco product or alternative nicotine product at retail to any person under the age of twenty-one (21), or solicit any person under the age of twenty-one (21) to purchase any tobacco product or alternative nicotine product at retail.
Full Breakdown
KRS 438.310 makes it unlawful for any person to sell, give, or furnish tobacco, alternative nicotine, or vapor products to a person under 21 years of age. Retailers must require government-issued identification for any purchaser appearing under 30 (KRS 438.330). Penalties for retailers and clerks include civil fines starting at $100 for a first offense and increasing for subsequent violations (KRS 438.337). The law applies uniformly statewide and supersedes most prior local age rules.
Violations & Penalties
Sales to persons under 21 are punishable by escalating civil fines under KRS 438.337, and clerks and retailers may face additional administrative penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Kentucky retailer sell to 18-year-olds?
What ID must clerks verify?
Sources
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