Mendocino County, CA Tobacco & Vaping: Flavored Tobacco Bans (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Mendocino County Code § 6.20.015
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 4474, November 17, 2020
- Products covered
- Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, vapes/ENDS
- Possession threshold
- 4+ flavored units presumed held for sale
- Enforcing agency
- Mendocino County Public Health Department
- Fifth violation penalty
- $20,000 fine, 1-year license revocation
Summary
Mendocino County bans the sale of any flavored tobacco product, including menthol cigarettes and flavored vapes, under Mendocino County Code Section 6.20.015. Retailers found with four or more flavored units face a rebuttable presumption of intent to sell, charged as a license violation carrying escalating fines up to $20,000.
It shall be a violation of this Chapter for any Tobacco Retailer or any of the Tobacco Retailer's agents or employees to Sell or offer for Sale, or to possess with intent to Sell or offer for Sale, any Flavored Tobacco Product. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a Tobacco Retailer in possession of four (4) or more Flavored Tobacco Products, including, but not limited to, individual Flavored Tobacco Products, Packages of Flavored Tobacco Products, or any combination thereof, possesses such Flavored Tobacco Products with intent to Sell or offer for Sale.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
015, enacted by Ordinance No. 4474 on November 17, 2020, and amended by Ordinance No. 4505 in 2022, makes it unlawful for any Tobacco Retailer or the retailer's agents or employees to sell, offer for sale, or possess with intent to sell any Flavored Tobacco Product anywhere in the unincorporated county. The chapter defines Characterizing Flavor broadly to include fruit, menthol, mint, wintergreen, chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, cocoa, dessert, alcoholic beverage, herb, or spice tastes and aromas, and the ban reaches both combustible products and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, meaning vapes and e-cigarettes are covered.
Possession of four or more flavored units, individually or in packages, creates a rebuttable presumption of intent to sell. A retailer's public statements, packaging text or images, or marketing that would lead a consumer to believe a product is flavored also creates a rebuttable presumption that the product is flavored, even without a manufacturer's flavor claim. 090(b) rather than a standalone infraction. 085, coordinated with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
Violations & Fines
A first violation within 36 months draws a letter of reprimand, waived only if the retailer trains staff and files a compliance affidavit within 30 days, or otherwise a $1,000 fine. A second violation costs $2,000 and a 21-day license suspension; a third, $5,000 and 60 days; a fourth, $10,000 and 180 days. A fifth violation within 36 months carries a $20,000 fine and revocation for at least one year, per Section 6.20.090(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mendocino County ban menthol cigarettes too?
Are flavored vapes and e-cigarettes included in the ban?
What happens if a store is caught with flavored tobacco for sale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mendocino County
California rules heatmap·Compare Mendocino County to another location·View the California tobacco & vaping overview
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