The County of Kern recently passed a Tobacco Retailer’s Permit Ordinance requiring all merchants, located in the unincorporated area of the county and incorporated cities that have adopted the ordinance, who sell tobacco, tobacco products, or tobacco paraphernalia to obtain and maintain a valid Tobacco Retailer’s Permit issued by the Kern County Environmental Health Services Department.

The intent of this ordinance is to encourage responsible tobacco retailing and to discourage the violations of federal, state and local tobacco laws, especially those laws that forbid the sale and distribution of tobacco products to minors. The Kern County Environmental Health Services Department is the lead agency and is responsible for the administration, oversight, and enforcement of this new ordinance.

The permit requirement is in addition to the existing State of California tobacco retailing license, regular city business license and Environmental Health Permit.