Information for Tobacco and/or Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealers

License Lottery

The November 2022 Tobacco Retail Dealer License Lottery application deadline ended on November 30, 2022. If your business was randomly selected to apply for a Tobacco Retail Dealer license, you must submit a complete license application within 65 days of receiving DCWP’s offer to apply. Receiving an offer to apply does not mean you are automatically licensed.

By law, the City can only issue new Tobacco Retail Dealer licenses when the number of current Tobacco Retail Dealer licenses has fallen below the Community District cap. Each year, DCWP conducts a review to determine if there are available Tobacco Retail Dealer licenses in each Community District. Every April and October, DCWP will publish a notice in The City Record confirming if Tobacco Retail Dealer licenses are available in any Community District and the process to apply for the Tobacco Retail Dealer License Lottery. DCWP will also post this information on this page.

Community District Caps

Community district caps for Tobacco Retail Dealer licenses took effect February 24, 2018. Community district caps for Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer licenses took effect April 26, 2018. For a list of the current community district caps, visit NYC Open Data at opendata.cityofnewyork.us and search “tobacco retail dealer.”.

Tobacco and E-cigarette Control Laws

As of July 1, 2020, tobacco and e-cigarette retail stores in New York City are only allowed to sell products with specific flavors.

• Stores with an e-cigarette license may sell e-cigarettes or e-liquids/liquid nicotine that are tobacco-flavored or unflavored. This includes all disposable, refillable and tank-based vaping products.
• Stores with a tobacco license may sell cigarettes with tobacco or menthol flavors. They may also sell other tobacco products that are unflavored or are tobacco-, menthol-, mint- or wintergreen-flavored.

Learn more including FAQs by visiting the NYC Department of Health at nyc.gov/health.

Local Law 191 of 2017

As of April 14, 2018, it is illegal to sell non-tobacco shisha, herbal cigarettes, rolling papers, and other smoking-related paraphernalia to individuals under 21 years of age in New York City. Download Age Restriction Sign.

Inspection Checklists

Read Inspection Checklist: Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealers.

Read Inspection Checklist: Tobacco Retail Dealers.