Montebello Requires Tobacco Sellers To Get License

An ordinance passed by the Montebello City Council in September requires retailers to obtain a Tobacco Retailer’s License by Dec. 31 for each retail location where tobacco products are sold. The new license is in addition to the business license required by the city.
The cost for a Tobacco Retailer’s License is $300 per year. Licenses are issued annually. The city is advising retailers to submit their application for the license to the Planning Department by Dec. 1 to meet the deadline.
Each location that sells tobacco, tobacco products, and/or tobacco paraphernalia must have its own license and pay the annual fee.
The City Council enacted the ordinance in order to discourage the sale and distribution of tobacco products to minors, according to a Montebello Police Department statement. Any tobacco retailer who violates state or local laws regulating the sale, advertisement or display of tobacco products shall be subject to permit suspension, according to the police department. The Code Enforcement detail will conduct regular compliance inspections of retail locations. Police will also conduct random undercover youth decoy operations to check compliance with laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors.