Missouri Tobacco 21 Minimum Sales Age

RSMo 407.927 sets 21 as the minimum age for purchasing or possessing tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products in Missouri. Retailers must request government-issued photo identification from any purchaser who appears under 30 years old. The statute applies to brick-and-mortar retailers, vending operators, and remote sellers. Penalties scale with repeat violations, and persistent noncompliance can result in suspension of state retail authorization. The age threshold supersedes the prior age of 18 in older Missouri statutes and harmonizes with the 2019 federal Tobacco 21 amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Local jurisdictions may not lower the age and have limited room to add layered restrictions.

Underage sales bring fines starting at $25 and escalating with repeat offenses. Persistent violations may suspend the retailer's authority to sell tobacco and trigger federal enforcement under FDA Tobacco 21 rules.