If you sell cigarettes, tobacco, vapes, or nicotine products in Virginia, you must have a Retail Tobacco Permit issued by October 1, 2026 to keep selling. Virginia ABC anticipates 20 to 30 days for online applications, and it can take longer, so now is the time to start.
Contact us today and we will have your application submitted within 5 days, once you provide what we need. No obligation.
Virginia has created a new Retail Tobacco Permit, and oversight is moving from the Department of Taxation to Virginia ABC. Beginning October 1, 2026, any business that sells cigarettes, tobacco, vapes, liquid nicotine, or nicotine pouches to consumers must hold this permit to keep selling legally.
The permit has to be issued by the deadline, not just applied for. Virginia ABC anticipates online applications are processed within 20 to 30 days, and it can take longer, especially for paper applications. Because the permit must be issued in time, the right move is to start now.
We prepare and file your application
Review and background checks (20 to 30 days online)
Permit issued so you keep selling
Prepare and file your Retail Tobacco Permit application
Organize ownership documents and background-check paperwork
Help obtain DMV driving records (you just provide a copy of your ID)
Include CERT VA employee training for the attestation requirement
Get your store and staff inspection-ready
Track your renewal each year so your permit never lapses
Virginia ABC conducts routine, unannounced inspections and underage buyer operations at least once every 24 months. Inspectors confirm you hold a valid permit, verify age at the register, check that only certified products are sold, and review your signage and records.
The Board can suspend your permit and impose civil penalties up to $2,000 for a first violation and $5,000 for a second within five years, rising to $3,000 and $6,000 when a sale to a minor is involved, plus up to $25,000 in costs.
A separate civil penalty of $500 for a first violation and $2,500 for a repeat within three years, plus $100 assessed against the employee. (Va. Code 18.2-371.2)
$5,000, then $10,000, then $15,000 per product for repeat violations under the new law.
Selling without the required permit after October 1, 2026 may result in misdemeanor criminal charges, and refusing an inspection can bring added penalties.
On the initial permit application, you must attest that your employees have been trained on checking ID, the placement of required signage, prohibited acts, and the penalties for violations. This is a required part of the application, not an optional step.
We include the CERT VA course from our training partner, the Virginia Health and Safety Institute, which covers exactly these areas for owners, managers, and staff, so you can make that attestation with confidence. Learn about the training →
Our team includes former Virginia ABC Special Agents who know exactly what the state requires.
We prepare and file everything: application, ownership documents, background-check paperwork, and DMV records.
We include the CERT VA employee training so you can make the attestation your application requires.
Permit required to keep selling
State application fee
Needs its own permit
Application to approval
The October 1, 2026 deadline is firm and approval takes time. Start with a free eligibility check and we will handle your Retail Tobacco Permit from application to approval.
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