How to Get a Florida Tobacco License: RTPD and RNPD Permits Explained

If you're planning to sell tobacco or nicotine products at retail in Florida — whether you're opening a smoke shop, a convenience store, a vape shop, or any other retail business that carries these products — you need a permit from the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco before you make your first sale.

The good news? This is one of the simplest and most affordable licensing processes the ABT oversees. No lengthy investigation, no complex document package, no fingerprints. Just one form, a small fee, and you're on your way.

Here's everything you need to know.

Two Permits, One Form

Florida offers two types of retail permits for tobacco and nicotine products, and both are obtained using the same application — DBPR Form ABT-6028:

RTPD — Retail Tobacco Products Dealer Permit The RTPD permit authorizes you to sell both tobacco products and nicotine products at retail. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and nicotine products like vapes and e-cigarettes. If you want to sell across the full range of tobacco and nicotine products, this is the permit you want.

RNPD — Retail Nicotine Products Dealer Permit The RNPD permit covers nicotine products only — vapes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and similar products. It does not authorize the sale of traditional tobacco products like cigarettes or cigars. If your business exclusively sells nicotine products without traditional tobacco, this permit covers you.

One important distinction worth knowing upfront: if you already hold an RTPD permit, you do not need a separate RNPD permit. The RTPD covers both categories at the same location.

What Does Each Permit Cost?

This is where things get refreshingly simple compared to other ABT licensing processes.

RTPD — Retail Tobacco Products Dealer Permit: $50 flat fee per permit location. One permit is required for each place of business where tobacco or nicotine products are sold at retail. If you have multiple locations, each location requires its own permit and its own $50 fee.

RNPD — Retail Nicotine Products Dealer Permit: No fee. The RNPD permit is issued at no cost to the applicant.

Both permits run on an annual renewal cycle and must be renewed to remain active. The permit period runs from April 1 through March 31 (Area B) or October 1 through September 30 (Area A) depending on your county — and renewal must be completed on or before the expiration date.

Who Needs This Permit?

Under Florida Statute 569.003, any person, firm, association, or corporation that sells tobacco products at retail in Florida must hold an RTPD permit. Under Florida Statute 569.32, the same applies to retail nicotine product sales requiring an RNPD permit.

This applies to:

• Smoke shops and tobacco retailers
• Convenience stores selling cigarettes or tobacco
• Vape shops and e-cigarette retailers
• Gas stations with tobacco sales
• Grocery stores and pharmacies selling tobacco products
• Businesses with tobacco or nicotine vending machines on the premises
• Any retail location where cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco, vapes, or nicotine products are sold

One permit covers one location. If you operate out of a mobile vehicle, you'll need a permit for that as well — and you'll provide your vehicle identification number (VIN) on the application.

The Age Requirement — This One Is Non-Negotiable

Before diving into the application process there is one requirement that catches some business owners off guard.

Every person listed on your business's Sunbiz registration — every officer, member, or director — must be 21 years of age or older to qualify for a tobacco or nicotine products dealer permit in Florida.

This isn't a technicality that gets overlooked. The ABT verifies your Sunbiz registration as part of processing your application. If any person listed as an officer or member of your entity is under 21, your application will not be approved. Make sure everyone on your Sunbiz record meets the age requirement before you apply.

What Documents Do You Need?

Here's where this permit genuinely stands out from other ABT licensing processes — the document requirements are minimal.

For both the RTPD and RNPD permits, you need:

• Completed Form DBPR ABT-6028 — the application itself, filled out completely and accurately
• Notarized signatures — Section 4B (Affidavit of Related Party) and Section 6 (Affidavit of Applicant) must both be notarized
• $50 fee for the RTPD — made payable to the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (no fee for the RNPD)
• Copy of arrest disposition if any applicant or related party has an arrest record — attach this if applicable

That's it. No lease required. No fingerprints. No zoning documentation. No health inspection. No sketch of the premises. Compared to an alcohol license application that can require a dozen or more supporting documents, the tobacco and nicotine permit application is straightforward by comparison.

How to Complete Form ABT-6028 Step by Step

The application is nine pages long but don't let that intimidate you — much of it is optional sections for multiple locations and updates to existing permits. Here's a section by section breakdown of what you're actually filling out for a new permit:

Section 1A — Applicant Information

This is where you identify the business applying for the permit. You'll provide:

• Full legal name of the applicant or entity
• Business DBA name
• Mailing address
• Phone number and email address — the email is critical, it's the ABT's primary method of communication
• If applying as a corporation or LLC: your FEIN number and Florida Department of State Document Number from your Sunbiz registration

Make sure the entity name and document number match your active Sunbiz registration exactly. Any discrepancy here will slow your application down.

Section 1B — Optional Designated Contact

If you want someone else — a consultant, an attorney, or a licensing service — to receive communications from the ABT on your behalf, you designate them here. Note that if you list a designated contact, you will not receive copies of ABT communications directly — they go to the contact only. This section is entirely optional.

Section 2A — Permit Information

This is where you identify the specific permit type you're applying for and provide the location information for your business. You'll specify:

• Whether you're applying for an RTPD or RNPD
• Your business DBA name at the permit location
• The physical street address of the location — this must be the actual retail location, not a mailing address
• Whether there is an existing alcoholic beverage license at this location — if yes, provide the license number
• Your method of sale — over the counter, vending machine, internet sales, mobile, or smoking pipes and devices (RTPD only)

If you sell online, you'll provide your website address. If you operate a mobile sales vehicle, you'll provide the VIN.

Sections 2B through 2D — Additional Permit Locations

If you're applying for permits at multiple locations in the same application, you complete one of these sections for each additional location. Each location is its own separate permit with its own $50 fee for RTPD.

Section 3 — Disclosure of Related Parties

All persons with a direct or indirect interest in the business must be disclosed here. This includes every member, officer, and director listed on your Sunbiz registration. Remember — everyone listed must be 21 or older.

Section 4A — Related Party Personal Information

Personal information for each related party listed in Section 3. This includes name, date of birth, address, and background questions including whether the individual has any arrest history.

Section 4B — Affidavit of Related Party

Each related party must sign this section in front of a notary. Every signature in this section must be an original notarized signature — this is a hard requirement. Photocopies of notarized signatures are not accepted.

Section 6 — Affidavit of Applicant

The applicant signs and has this section notarized. Like Section 4B, this must be an original notarized signature. Must be completed by one of the members or officers listed on Sunbiz.

How to Submit Your Application

Once your application is complete, notarized, and your fee is attached, you have three submission options:

Online — Complete the online application and scan your completed paper application and supporting documents.

By mail — Mail your completed application with a check for the applicable fee to your local ABT district licensing office.

In person — Hand deliver your application directly to your local ABT district office.

Your local ABT district office information is available on the myfloridalicense.com website. Make sure you're submitting to the correct district for your business location.

What Happens After You Submit?

The RTPD and RNPD application process is considerably simpler than a full beverage license review. There is no on-site inspection requirement, no extensive background investigation, and no lengthy processing queue in most cases.

The ABT will review your application for completeness and accuracy, verify your Sunbiz registration is active and in good standing, and confirm all related parties meet the age requirement. If everything is in order, your permit will be issued.

If there are any issues — missing information, a Sunbiz discrepancy, or an incomplete section — the ABT will contact you at the email address provided on your application. This is why providing an accurate, monitored email address is so important. The ABT uses email as their primary communication method and a missed message can delay your permit unnecessarily.

Important Things to Know After You Receive Your Permit

Once your permit is issued, a few things to keep in mind:

Your permit is location-specific. A permit issued for one location is only valid at that location. If you open a second location, you need a new permit for that location. If you move your business to a new address, you need a new permit for the new address — permits are not transferable between locations.

Your permit is not assignable. If your business changes ownership, the new owner must obtain their own permit. The existing permit does not transfer with the business.

You must renew annually. Keep track of your permit's renewal period — Area A permits expire September 30 and Area B permits expire March 31. Missing your renewal deadline can result in your permit lapsing and a disruption to your ability to legally sell tobacco or nicotine products.

Display your permit. Your permit should be displayed at your business location and available for inspection.

Keep your Sunbiz registration active. Since the ABT verifies your Sunbiz status, letting your LLC or corporation fall into inactive status can create compliance issues with your permit.

RTPD vs RNPD — Which One Do You Need?

Here's a simple way to think about it:

If your business sells any traditional tobacco products — cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco — you need the RTPD. The RTPD also covers nicotine products, so it's the comprehensive permit that covers the full range of what most tobacco retailers sell.

If your business exclusively sells nicotine products — vapes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, nicotine dispensing devices — with absolutely no traditional tobacco products, the RNPD covers you and it costs nothing.

When in doubt, the RTPD is the safer choice. At $50 it covers everything and eliminates any question about whether your product mix is fully permitted.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not verifying all Sunbiz officers are 21 or older before applying. This is the most avoidable reason for a permit application to be denied. Check your Sunbiz listing before you file.

Missing a notarization. Sections 4B and 6 must be notarized. An application with missing or improper notarizations will be returned. Make sure every required signature is completed in front of a licensed notary with an original signature — not a copy.

Using a P.O. box as your permit location. The permit location must be the actual physical address of your business. A mailing address or P.O. box does not satisfy this requirement.

Not providing an email address. The application lists email as optional but in practice the ABT communicates primarily by email. Skipping this field means you may not hear back about your application status until significant time has passed.

Applying for one permit to cover multiple locations. Each physical location requires its own separate permit and its own fee. One permit does not cover multiple addresses no matter how close they are.

Letting your permit lapse. Once a permit expires it cannot simply be reinstated by paying a late fee in all cases. Don't let your renewal deadline sneak up on you — set a calendar reminder well in advance.

Need Help With Your Florida Tobacco or Nicotine Permit Application?

The RTPD and RNPD application process is simpler than most ABT licensing but that doesn't mean the details don't matter. A missed notarization, an inactive Sunbiz registration, or an incomplete section can delay your permit and delay your opening.

Florida Business Blueprint offers ABT permit application assistance for tobacco and nicotine retailers across Florida. We'll make sure your Form ABT-6028 is completed correctly, your notarizations are in order, and your application is submitted to the right district office the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Florida Business Blueprint publishes practical guides for Florida entrepreneurs navigating the business registration, licensing, and launch process. Visit our Services page to learn how we can help with ABT licensing, business registration, and website creation.