Tobacco Retailers

Tobacco retailers in unincorporated areas of Sonoma County, Town of Windsor and City of Petaluma must obtain an annual Tobacco Retail License (TRL) from the Sonoma County Department of Health Services in order to sell tobacco products.

Tobacco Retailer License Renewal

Tobacco retailers in the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County, the Town of Windsor, and the City of Petaluma must obtain an annual Tobacco Retail License (TRL) from the Sonoma County Department of Health Services in order to sell tobacco products.

Applications and fees are due each year by July 1. The renewal period for Tobacco Retail Licenses for 2023-2024 is now closed. If you have any questions regarding this process, then please contact 707-565-6680.

Overview of Petaluma Tobacco Retail License

Solicitud en línea para el minorista de tabaco - Español (currently unavailable)

Other cities that have TRLs that are managed by those cities and not the Department of Health Services include: Sebastopol, Sonoma and Healdsburg. Please contact those cities directly with any questions about license renewal.

Frequently Asked Questions

California's New Flavored Tobacco Law

Attention Retailers

On November 8, 2022, California voters upheld the state law, Senate Bill (SB) 793 (Chapter 34, Statutes of 2020), prohibiting tobacco retailers from selling most flavored tobacco products. The law is effective contingent upon certification of the vote. Please visit the Secretary of State's website for more information.

What is the law?

The state law prohibits the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes, as well as tobacco product flavor enhancers in retail locations, including stores and vending machines, in California. (Health and Safety Code Section 104559.5)

For more information from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), please visit the CDPH website.

Local Tobacco Retail Licensing and Regulations

Prospective tobacco retailer licensees should consult with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services Tobacco Education program before applying for a state tobacco retailer license, to determine how to comply with local licensing requirements.

Many local jurisdictions have policies that cap the number or restrict the density of tobacco retailers. This could potentially result in the California Board of Equalization (BOE) issuing a state tobacco retailer license to a retailer, but that retailer being denied a local tobacco retail license.

Should this occur, the licensee should contact the BOE helpline at (800) 400-7115 to discuss their options. Each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.