What is the Café-Tobacco Bar Permit?
This permit allows tobacco smoking (excluding cigarettes) on the premises of a café. No other permit allows smoking inside the permit premises.
What are the requirements to apply?
All the standard application requirements for a café permit must be met (e.g., right to occupy, local zoning signatures, etc.). However, there are additional requirements:
- Location: The application will be programed to only accept applications from eligible towns. According to the Legislature, the Department shall only issue this permit to premises in towns (1) with a minimum population of 80,000 persons and (2) where no other liquor-permitted tobacco bars are located. Based on the 2020 census, those towns are: Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and Waterbury.
1. As of July 2025, tobacco bars are located in New Haven, Stamford, and Waterbury, meaning no additional applications will be accepted for those towns.
- Founding date: The applicant must have commenced operations selling tobacco products between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2022.
- Established Tobacco Sales: The applicant must demonstrate that it generated at last 60% of its 2022 total annual gross sales from the onsite sale of tobacco products. These sales figures must be verified by an independent certified public accountant. Tobacco products are defined as cigars and pipe tobacco, and does not include cannabis, cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
- Cigarettes Prohibited: The applicant must attest that it does not allow the smoking or sales of cigarettes or cigarette tobacco smoking on the premise.
- Building Requirements: The applicant must attest that it complies the following building aspects:
1. A walk-in or stand-up humidor as a built-in feature;
2. Located in a premise where no other owner or tenant has a right to utilize the same space occupied by the applicant or uses the tobacco bar’s own heating, ventilation or air-condition system to prevent comminglingly of air; and
3. Located in a premise equipped with a ventilation system that: (i) provides local mechanical exhaust with no recirculation, (ii) circulates at least 60 cubic feet of outdoor air per person per minute to provide adequate indoor air quality, and (iii) satisfies the requirements for “ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality” as established in ANSI/ASHRAE 62-2001, as amended.
- Health Coverage: The applicant must attest that it provides health coverage to its employees and their dependents in accordance with all applicable law.
As a reminder, the following items are required for all on-premise café applications:
Property Requirements
- Proof that backer has a right to occupy the premise
- Diagram, sketch, plan, or blueprint of layout
- Photos of the completed and fully furnished interior
- Photos of the trade name sign taken from a position across the street or highway
Business and Financial Requirements
- Proof of registration and filing of corporate structure with Connecticut Secretary of State
- If a franchise, copy of franchise agreement
- If backer is owned by several corporate entities, an organization chart
- Connecticut Sales and Use Tax Permit
- Personal history information for permittee and each backer member
Local Sign Offs
- Public health
- Town clerk
- Zoning
- Fire Marshal
Food requirement
- Either a proposed menu to be prepared on premise or take out menus for restaurants that will deliver
How do you apply?
Access the general on-premises permit application. When prompted, select “café” and then “tobacco bar.”
For more information, visit here.