Key Takeaways

  • Beginning January 1, 2026, all Kentucky retailers selling tobacco, nicotine, or vapor products must obtain a state license.
  • Enforcement will include unannounced compliance checks, higher penalties, and potential license revocation.
  • Retail employees remain responsible for verifying age 21+, signing the mandated tobacco statement, and following training protocols.
  • The Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agency oversees licensing administration through multiple specialized divisions.
  • A new online licensing portal for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor retailers is now live

Kentucky Introduces Mandatory Tobacco and Vape Licensing for Retailers Beginning January 2026

Kentucky is moving toward a stricter regulatory environment for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product sales. Effective January 1, 2026, all retail businesses engaged in selling such products must obtain a license from the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). State officials announced the requirement as part of an effort to limit youth access to nicotine products and strengthen compliance across retail operations.

State leadership cited growing concern about youth vaping as a key driver for the initiative. According to the Public Protection Cabinet, the new system provides the enforcement power necessary to better protect minors from harmful nicotine and vapor products.

These changes were instituted under Senate Bill 100, signed into law on March 24, 2025. The statute requires annual licensing for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor retailers and expands enforcement authority, including:

  • Routine and unannounced compliance checks
  • Greater fines and penalties for violations
  • Potential license suspension or criminal consequences for unlicensed sales
  • A dedicated enforcement unit to investigate consumer complaints
  • Allocation of fine revenue toward youth vaping prevention programs

Retailers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure timely processing. Applications are available exclusively through the newly launched ABC Online Licensing Portal for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor retailers:
https://abcportal.ky.gov/BELLEExternal

Kentucky vape license apply

Regulatory Responsibilities for Retailers and Employees

Licensing Requirement

All businesses selling tobacco, nicotine, or vapor products must hold a valid state-issued license starting January 1, 2026.

Responsible Sales Practices

Businesses are expected to:

  • Understand and follow all state and federal tobacco regulations
  • Train employees through established programs such as WeCard and TRUST
  • Ensure no sales are made to individuals under 21

Retail employees must request photo identification whenever they have reason to believe a purchaser is underage. Violations involving sales to minors result in citations issued directly to the employee responsible.

Employee Eligibility

There is no minimum age for employees to sell tobacco products in Kentucky, though businesses must still comply with child labor laws and alcohol control regulations.

Liability for Violations

If a minor is sold tobacco or vapor products, the sales clerk—not the business—is cited for the violation.

Required “Tobacco Statement” for Employees

Under state requirements, retailers must provide employees with a written notice outlining the legal responsibilities tied to selling tobacco, nicotine, or vapor products. Employees must sign a document acknowledging the warning. The mandated language states:

“I understand that under the law of the Commonwealth of Kentucky it is illegal to sell or distribute tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products to persons under the age of twenty-one (21) years and that it is illegal for persons under the age of twenty-one (21) years to purchase tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products.”

A sample version of this tobacco statement is included in official retailer guidance.

Federal Regulation of Tobacco and Vapor Products

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration regulates a wide range of tobacco products, including:

  • Cigarettes
  • Smokeless tobacco
  • Roll-your-own and pipe tobacco
  • Vapor products and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)
  • E-liquids
  • Cigars, cigarillos, and little cigars
  • Hookah tobacco

Retailers are strongly encouraged to review federal training materials and compliance summaries provided by the FDA.

Mandatory Kentucky Tobacco Signage

Kentucky retailers must display state-mandated signage containing the warning that the sale or distribution of tobacco products to persons under age 21 is prohibited. The sign must be at least 5.5 × 8.5 inches and placed prominently within the store, typically near the point of sale. Retailers can obtain the official sign from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

Purchasing from Distributors

Retailers are not required to purchase tobacco products from distributors; the law imposes no such obligation.

Role of the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Agency

The Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agency is responsible for creating and enforcing reasonable administrative regulations related to the sale and use of alcoholic beverages—and now, tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product licensing.
The agency operates through several specialized divisions, including:

  • Office of the Commissioner
  • Division of Distilled Spirits and Malt Beverages
  • Administrative Services
  • Licensing Division
  • Education Division
  • Legal Division
  • Enforcement Division

These divisions work collaboratively to provide high-quality public services, conduct licensing reviews, carry out compliance inspections, and ensure effective regulatory enforcement statewide.

Kentucky’s move to standardize licensing and strengthen enforcement marks one of the state’s most significant regulatory updates in recent years. As the January 2026 deadline approaches, officials stress the importance of early application and thorough compliance training to ensure retailers meet all statutory responsibilities.