Laws, Regulations, and Annotations
Lawguide Search
Business Taxes Law Guide—Revision 2025
Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act
Business and Professions Code
Division 8.6. Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003
Chapter 2. License for Retailers of Cigarettes and Tobacco Products
Section 22973
22973. Application for license. (a) An application for a retailer license, as defined in Section 22972, shall be filed in a form and manner prescribed by the department and shall include the following:
(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the applicant.
(2) The business name, address, and telephone number of each retail location. For applicants who control more than one retail location, an address for receipt of correspondence or notices from the department, such as a headquarters or corporate office of the retailer, shall also be included on the application and listed on the license. Citations issued to licensees shall be forwarded to all addressees on the license.
(3) A statement by the applicant affirming that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony and has not violated and will not violate or cause or permit to be violated any of the provisions of this division or any rule of the department applicable to the applicant or pertaining to the manufacture, sale, or distribution of cigarettes or tobacco products. If the applicant is unable to affirm this statement, the application shall contain a statement by the applicant of the nature of any violation or the reasons that will prevent the applicant from complying with the requirements with respect to the statement.
(4) If any other licenses or permits have been issued by the department or the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to the applicant, the license or permit number of those licenses or permits then in effect.
(5) A statement by the applicant that the contents of the application are complete, true, and correct. Any person who signs a statement pursuant to this subdivision that asserts the truth of any material matter that they know to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to one year in the county jail, or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both the imprisonment and the fine.
(6) The signature of the applicant.
(7) Any other information the department may require.
(b) The department may investigate to determine the truthfulness and completeness of the information provided in the application. The department may issue a retailer license without further investigation to an applicant for a retail location if the applicant holds a valid license from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for that same location.
(c) The department shall provide electronic means for applicants to download and submit applications.
(d) (1) Each application for a retailer license filed on or after June 9, 2016, and before July 1, 2026, shall be accompanied with a fee of two hundred sixty-five dollars ($265) per retail location. An applicant that owns or controls more than one retail location shall obtain a separate license for each retail location, but may submit a single application for those licenses with an application license fee of two hundred sixty-five dollars ($265) per location. The fee shall be for the period provided in subdivision (d) of Section 22972 and shall not be prorated.
(2) Each application for a retailer license filed on or after July 1, 2026, shall be accompanied with a fee of four hundred fifty dollars ($450) per retail location and shall not be prorated.
(e) Every retailer shall file an application for renewal of the retailer license in the form and manner prescribed by the department and shall be accompanied with the applicable fee, as follows:
(1) Each application for renewal of the retailer license filed on or after January 1, 2017, and before July 1, 2026, shall be accompanied with a fee of two hundred sixty-five dollars ($265) per retail location.
(2) Each application for renewal of the retailer license filed on or after July 1, 2026, shall be accompanied with a fee of four hundred fifty dollars ($450) per retail location.
(f) The department may, by regulation, adjust the license application fee amount set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) and the renewal license fee amount set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) to an amount not to exceed six hundred dollars ($600) per retail location to maintain the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Compliance Fund at a level that is no more than necessary to cover the reasonable costs of the department to administer this division.
History—Stats. 2007, Ch. 654 (SB 625), in effect January 1, 2008, added the second sentence to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). Stats. 2016, Ch. 6x2 (ABx11), in effect June 9, 2016, deleted paragraph designation (1), deleted "one-time license" after "A", substituted "two hundred sixty-five dollars ($265) for "one hundred dollars ($100)" after "fee of" throughout, substitute "an application" for "a one-time" after "those licenses with", and deleted paragraph (2), in subdivision (d); added subdivisions (e) and (f). Stats. 2016, Ch. 699 (AB 2770), in effect January 1, 2017, added the last sentence to subdivision (d); substituted "For calendar year beginning" for "Beginning" after "on and after January 1, 2019" in subdivision (e); deleted subdivision (f). Stats. 2025, Ch. 269 (AB 573), in effect January 1, 2026, substituted "department" for "board" throughout; substituted "retailer license … Section 22972" for "license" after "application for a" and "in a form and manner" for "on or … a form" after "shall be filed" in subdivision (a); substituted "they know" for "he or she knows" after "material matter that" in paragraph (a)(5); added "retailer" after "may issue a" in the second sentence of subdivision (b); redesignated former subdivision (d) as paragraph (d)(1); added paragraph (d)(2); substituted "Each application … be accompanied with a" for "A" before "fee of" and "per retail location." for "shall be … application." after "($265)" in the first sentence of paragraph (d)(1); substituted "Every" for "Beginning on … every" before "retailer shall" and "in the form … as follows:" for "prescribed in Section … by the board." after "license" in subdivision (e); added "retailer" after "renewal of the" in subdivision (e); added paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2), and subdivision (f).