Information for Tobacco and/or Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealers

License Lottery

April 3, 2023: By law, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) has conducted a review of Tobacco Retail Dealer and Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer licenses in each Community District to determine if the number of current licenses has fallen below the Community District cap. DCWP determined that the following Community Districts have available licenses:

  • Tobacco Retail Dealer
    • Manhattan Community District 12: 12 available licenses
    • Bronx Community District 1: 17 available licenses
    • Bronx Community District 3: 5 available licenses
    • Bronx Community District 4: 2 available licenses
    • Bronx Community District 9: 8 available licenses
    • Brooklyn Community District 2: 1 available license
    • Brooklyn Community District 3: 11 available licenses
    • Brooklyn Community District 5: 21 available licenses
    • Brooklyn Community District 8: 4 available licenses
    • Brooklyn Community District 16: 9 available licenses
  • Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer
    • Brooklyn Community District 16: 1 available license

The period to apply for the lottery begins Monday, May 1, 2023 and ends Wednesday, May 31, 2023. DCWP must receive your completed lottery application by 5:00 p.m. on May 31, 2023.

Download the Tobacco Retail Dealer License Lottery packet which includes The City Record Notice, Lottery Application Form, and Frequently Asked Questions.

Important:

  • Submit one lottery application per business address and indicate the license for which you are requesting to apply.
  • If both licenses are available in your Community District, you must submit separate lottery applications.
  • If your business is randomly selected to apply for a 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.

Lottery Application Form Submission Guidelines:

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.