Do i need tobacco license to drop ship ejuice?

The electronic cigarette industry has grown exponentially over the past few years. With more and more people switching to vaping instead of traditional smoking, the demand for e-juice or vape juice has increased significantly. This has led to many entrepreneurs considering drop shipping vape juice and other electronic cigarette-related products. However, this industry is subject to strict regulations, and the question that arises is whether a tobacco license is needed to drop ship e-juice?

Before diving into whether a tobacco license is required to drop ship e-juice, let's first understand what drop shipping is. Dropshipping is a business model where a store owner does not need to keep goods in stock. Instead, the store sells the product to customers, and once an order is placed, the store orders that same product from a third-party supplier, who then ships the product directly to the customer. The store owner earns a profit from the difference between the supplier's price and the store’s selling price.

Now coming to the main question, do you need a tobacco license to drop ship e-juice? The answer is not as straightforward as one might expect. It depends on various factors, such as the country and state regulations, the type of products you plan to sell, the volume of sales, etc.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the sale of electronic cigarettes and their components, including e-juice. The FDA amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to include electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in August 2016. According to the FDCA, any person who introduces, or causes to be introduced, a new tobacco product into commerce is required to obtain premarket authorization. A new tobacco product is defined as any product that wasn't commercially marketed in the United States as of February 15, 2007.

This means that if you plan to sell e-juice that was introduced to the market before February 15, 2007, you don't need any pre-market authorization. However, if you wish to sell e-juice that was introduced after this date, you need to comply with the FDA's premarket authorization requirements. The premarket authorization process involves submitting a premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) to the FDA. The PMTA needs to contain information about the ingredients, manufacturing processes, and potential risks associated with the product.

So, the question remains, do you need a tobacco license to drop ship e-juice? The answer is yes and no. Yes, you need a tobacco license if you plan to sell e-juice that was introduced after February 15, 2007, and it is subject to premarket authorization. The tobacco license is required because e-juice is considered a tobacco product. The license is issued by the state where you plan to sell the product. You may also need a seller's permit or business license to comply with state and local regulations.

On the other hand, if you plan to sell e-juice that was introduced before February 15, 2007, you don't need a tobacco license. However, this exemption depends on the state you plan to sell the product in. Some states, such as California, require that all e-juice sellers obtain a tobacco license, regardless of the date the product was introduced. In this case, if you plan to sell in California, you need to obtain a tobacco license, even if you sell e-juice that was introduced before February 15, 2007.

It is important to note that the above information applies to the United States only. If you plan to sell e-juice in other countries, you need to check their local regulations to determine if you need any licenses or permits to sell the product.

Whether you need a tobacco license to drop ship e-juice depends on various factors, such as the date the e-juice was introduced into the market, the state and local regulations, the volume of sales, and so on. If you plan to sell e-juice that was introduced after February 15, 2007, and it is subject to premarket authorization, you need a tobacco license. Similarly, if your state or local regulations require one, you need to obtain a tobacco license regardless of the date the e-juice was introduced. It is essential to familiarize yourself with the regulations and requirements before starting a dropshipping business to ensure that you comply with all the laws and avoid any legal consequences in the future.