Iowa Code § 453A.13 — IA Code / Title X / Chapter 453A / Section 453A.13
Distributor’s, wholesaler’s, and retailer’s permits.
Status: in_force

(1) Every distributor, wholesaler, cigarette vendor, and retailer, now engaged or who desires to become engaged in the sale or use of cigarettes, upon which a tax is required to be paid, and every retailer now engaged or who desires to become engaged in selling, offering for sale, or distributing alternative nicotine products or vapor products, including through delivery sales, shall obtain a state or retail permit as a distributor, wholesaler, cigarette vendor, or retailer, as the case may be.

(2) (a) The department shall issue state permits to distributors, wholesalers, and cigarette vendors, and retailers that make delivery sales of alternative nicotine products and vapor products, subject to the conditions provided in this subchapter. If an out-of-state retailer makes delivery sales of alternative nicotine products or vapor products, an application shall be filed with the department electronically and a permit shall be issued for the out-of-state retailer’s principal place of business. Cities may approve retail permit applications for applicants with a place of business located within their respective limits. County boards of supervisors may approve retail permit applications for applicants with a place of business in their respective counties, outside of the corporate limits of cities. Upon approval of a retail permit application by a city or county, the department shall issue the permit to the applicant on behalf of the city or county, in the manner determined by the department. A city or county shall use the electronic portal of the department to process retail permit applications. A city or county that is unable to use the electronic portal of the department may request permission from the director to process retail applications by another method.

(2) (b) The department may deny the issuance of a permit to a distributor, wholesaler, vendor or retailer who is substantially delinquent in the payment of a tax due, or the interest or penalty on the tax, administered by the department at the time of application. If the applicant is a partnership, a permit may be denied if a partner is substantially delinquent on any delinquent tax, penalty or interest. If the applicant is a corporation, a permit may be denied if any officer having a substantial legal or equitable interest in the ownership of the corporation owes any delinquent tax, interest or penalty of the applicant corporation.

(2) (c) The department shall submit the current list of all retail permits issued to the department of health and human services by the last day of each quarter of a state fiscal year.

(3) (a) All permits provided for in this subchapter shall expire on June 30 of each year. A permit shall not be granted or issued until the applicant has paid the fees to the department required in this subchapter for the next period ending on June 30. The annual state permit fee for a distributor, cigarette vendor, and wholesaler is one hundred dollars when the permit is granted during the months of July, August, or September. However, whenever a state permit holder operates more than one place of business, a duplicate state permit shall be issued for each additional place of business on payment of five dollars for each duplicate state permit, but refunds as provided in this subchapter do not apply to any duplicate permit issued.

(3) (b) The fee for retail permits is as follows when the permit is granted during the months of July, August, or September:

(3) (b) In places outside any city, fifty dollars.

(3) (b) In cities of less than fifteen thousand population, seventy-five dollars.

(3) (b) In cities of fifteen thousand or more population, one hundred dollars.

(3) (c) If any permit is granted during the months of October, November, or December, the fee shall be three-fourths of the above maximum schedule; if granted during the months of January, February, or March, one-half of the maximum schedule, and if granted during the months of April, May, or June, one-fourth of the maximum schedule.

(4) (a) An unrevoked permit for which the holder has paid the full annual fee may be surrendered during the first nine months of said year to the officer issuing it, and the department, or the city or county granting the permit shall make refunds to the holder as follows:

(4) (a) Three-fourths of the annual fee if the surrender is made during July, August, or September.

(4) (a) One-half of the annual fee if the surrender is made during October, November, or December.

(4) (a) One-fourth of the annual fee if the surrender is made during January, February, or March.

(4) (b) An unrevoked permit for which the holder has paid three-fourths of a full annual fee may be so surrendered during the first six months of the period covered by said payment and the department, city, or county shall make refunds to the holder as follows:

(4) (b) A sum equal to one-half of an annual fee if the surrender is made during October, November, or December.

(4) (b) A sum equal to one-fourth of an annual fee if the surrender is made during January, February, or March.

(4) (c) An unrevoked permit for which the holder has paid one-half of a full annual fee may be surrendered during the first three months of the period covered by that payment, and the department, city, or county shall refund to the holder a sum equal to one-fourth of an annual fee.

(5) Permits shall be issued only upon applications accompanied by the fee indicated above, and by an adequate bond as provided in section 453A.14, and upon forms furnished by the department. Applications, any supporting documentation, and the associated fees required by this section shall be submitted to the department electronically. The forms shall set forth all of the following:

(5) (a) The manner under which the distributor, wholesaler, or retailer, transacts or intends to transact such business as a distributor, wholesaler, or retailer.

(5) (b) The principal office, residence, and place of business where the permit is to apply.

(5) (c) If the applicant is not an individual, the principal officers or members and their addresses.

(5) (d) Any other information as the director shall by rules prescribe.

(6) A distributor, wholesaler, cigarette vendor, or retailer shall not sell any cigarettes, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products until such application has been filed and the fee prescribed paid for a permit and until such permit is obtained and only while such permit is unrevoked and unexpired.

(7) An application shall be filed and a permit obtained for each place of business owned or operated by a distributor, wholesaler, or retailer, excepting that no permit need be obtained for a delivery or sales truck of a distributor or wholesaler holding a permit, provided that the director may by regulation require that said truck bear the distributor’s or wholesaler’s name, and that the permit number of the place of business for and from which it operates be conspicuously displayed on the outside of the body of the truck, immediately under the name.

(8) Any person who operates both as a distributor and wholesaler in the same place of business shall only be required to obtain a state permit for the particular place of business where such operation of said business is conducted. A separate retail permit, however, shall be required if any distributor or wholesaler sells cigarettes at both retail and wholesale.

(9) Each permit issued shall describe clearly the place of business for which it is issued, shall be nonassignable, consecutively numbered, designating the kind of permit, and shall authorize the sale of cigarettes, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products in this state subject to the limitations and restrictions herein contained. The retail permits shall be upon forms furnished by the department.

(10) The permit shall, at all times, be publicly displayed by the distributor, wholesaler, or retailer at the place of business so as to be easily seen by the public and the persons authorized to inspect the place of business. The proprietor or keeper of any building or place where cigarettes, alternative nicotine products, vapor products, or tobacco products are kept for sale, or with intent to sell, shall upon request of any agent of the department or any peace officer exhibit the permit. A refusal or failure to exhibit the permit is prima facie evidence that the cigarettes, alternative nicotine products, vapor products, tobacco, or tobacco products are kept for sale or with intent to sell in violation of this subchapter.

[S13, §5007-a; C24, 27, §1557, 1558, 1560, 1563, 1564, 1584; C31, 35, §1557, 1558, 1560, 1563, 1563-d1, 1564, 1584; C39, §1556.08; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §98.13]86 Acts, ch 1007, §5; 86 Acts, ch 1241, §1C93, §453A.1394 Acts, ch 1165, §38; 2000 Acts, ch 1105, §5; 2007 Acts, ch 186, §34, 35; 2011 Acts, ch 25, §48; 2011 Acts, ch 63, §14; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §54, 55; 2014 Acts, ch 1109, §6, 7; 2017 Acts, ch 170, §63, 64; 2017 Acts, ch 171, §60; 2018 Acts, ch 1041, §126, 127; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1154, 2463; 2025 Acts, ch 132, §4 – 8