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Information for Tobacco and/or Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealers
License Lottery
April 1, 2024: 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 Tobacco Retail Dealer Licenses
- Manhattan Community District 9: 6 available licenses
- Manhattan Community District 10: 8 available licenses
- Manhattan Community District 11: 8 available licenses
- Manhattan Community District 12: 26 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 1: 22 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 2: 2 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 3: 10 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 4: 13 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 5: 11 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 6: 2 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 9: 24 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 12: 2 available licenses
- Brooklyn Community District 1: 6 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 2: 7 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 3: 24 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 4: 9 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 5: 34 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 8: 13 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 9: 7 available license
- Brooklyn Community District 13: 2 available licenses
- Brooklyn Community District 14: 6 available licenses
- Brooklyn Community District 16: 18 available licenses
- Brooklyn Community District 17: 5 available licenses
- Queens Community District 12: 15 available licenses
- DCWP determined that the following Community Districts have available Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer Licenses
- Manhattan Community District 10: 5 available licenses
- Manhattan Community District 12: 3 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 1: 3 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 3: 2 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 4: 4 available licenses
- Bronx Community District 7: 6 available licenses
- Brooklyn Community District 5: 4 available licenses
- Brooklyn Community District 16: 1 available licenses
DCWP will only accept Lottery Application Forms between May 1, 2024 and 5 p.m. on May 31, 2024 for the available Tobacco Retail Dealer licenses and Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer licenses in the identified Community Districts. Lottery Application Forms submitted after the Application Period will not be considered.
Lottery Application Form Submission Guidelines:
- DCWP will only accept the DCWP-approved Lottery Application Form
- All Lottery Application Forms must be completed and submitted by 5:00 p.m. on May 31, 2024
- DCWP will accept only one Lottery Application Form per applicant in a particular Community District. Look up a Community District based on a business address.
- If both licenses are available in your Community District, you must submit separate lottery applications.
- DCWP will accept only one Lottery Application Form per business address.
- You can submit the Lottery Application Form even if you are not currently operating a business in a Community District with available licenses. If you are randomly selected to apply for an available license in a Community District, you must operate a business in that Community District by the deadline to submit a complete Tobacco Retail Dealer license or Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer license application.
- Submit your Lottery Application Form in ONE of the following ways only:
- Online (recommended):
- Login to DCWP Online Services to submit the Lottery Application Form: Available Tobacco Retail Dealer License.
- Login to DCWP Online Services to submit the Lottery Application Form: Available Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer License.
Note: If you do not have a DCWP online account, create an account and link your business.
- In person by appointment* only at:
- DCWP Licensing Center, 42 Broadway, Lobby, New York, NY 10004 OR
- NYC Small Business Support Center, 90-27 Sutphin Blvd., 4th floor, Jamaica, NY 11435
*To schedule an appointment, email LicensingAppointments@dcwp.nyc.gov or call (212) 436-0441 (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.).
- Online (recommended):
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.
Tobacco Sales Training Program Affirmation Form
If your business received a violation for selling cigarettes, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, or other prohibited products to a person under 21, your business will receive:
- 2 points on your New York State retail dealer’s record OR
- 1 point on your New York State retail dealer’s record if the employee who made the illegal sale held a valid certificate of completion of a New York State Certified Tobacco Sales Training course.
Please complete and submit this Tobacco Sales Training Program Affirmation Form, which will be reviewed by DCWP.
Inspection Checklists
Read Inspection Checklist: Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealers.
Read Inspection Checklist: Tobacco Retail Dealers.