The City of Vallejo has recently enacted the Tobacco Retail Licensing Ordinance, mandating that all tobacco retailers obtain a license from the City.
Purpose and Penalties
This ordinance aims to strictly regulate the number of tobacco retailers within the city, prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, and prevent the sale of tobacco products to minors. The ordinance also provides the enforcement tools needed by the City’s staff to ensure the tobacco retailers’ compliance.
The ordinance — addressing tobacco retail matters and repealing some restrictions on accessibility of tobacco products — passed 5-2 in November of 2024, with then-Vice Mayor Mina Loera-Diaz and JR Matulac opposing.
Key Changes and Compliance
The ordinance passed, however, with some changes to the language. Added to the ordinance is language focusing on business owners with three violations in one year. Also, the transferability of selling a business to another owner or stranger outside the immediate family lasts until Jan 1, 2032 (however transfers last forever within family). Also stricken from the language was the use of the word co-inhabitants, with then-Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell saying “that could be anybody, that could be a roommate.”
The fine for a violation could be anywhere from $250 to $1,000 according to Vallejo City Staff.
The adoption of the possible smoking ordinance aims “to protect the public health, safety and general welfare and to guarantee the right of nonsmokers, especially children, to breathe smoke-free air and to recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air has priority over the desire to smoke; and to reduce addiction to tobacco products by children and teenagers.”
The ordinance also addressed tobacco retail matters and added Chapter 5.10 to the Vallejo Municipal Code relating to tobacco retail licensing and amends previous chapters relating to tobacco retailers and use permit requirements, and repeals Chapter 7.69 relating to restrictions on accessibility of tobacco products, including modifications directed by the council.
Licensing and Next Steps
According to a news release by the City of Vallejo on Monday morning, the application and processing window for the ordinance has officially closed. The City of Vallejo Planning Division has completed its review and processing of all submitted applications. A total of 71 licenses have been issued to eligible retailers. With the licensing phase now concluded, the City will begin transitioning to the next phase, which includes enforcement of the ordinance (this will be primarily focused on those operating without a license) and inspection of existing license holders to ensure continued compliance with all applicable local regulations.
