The Cigar Law™ Heat Map

Every state and the District of Columbia, scored from 0 to 100 on the state laws that matter most to a premium cigar: tax, indoor smoking, flavor bans, shipping to consumers and the power of local governments to add their own rules. A higher score means state law makes it harder or more expensive to make, ship, sell or smoke a premium cigar there.

State law current as of October 12, 2026. For the analysis behind this edition, read The Cigar Law Heat Map: Where Premium Cigars Face the Toughest State Laws.

Score out of 100 on state law as of October 12, 2026. Hover or tab to a state for its breakdown.

See all 51 scores in a table

Rank	State	Score	Tax on a $5 cigar	Indoor cigar smoking	Statewide flavor ban	Shipping to consumers	Local rules
1	Maine	83	$3.75	Shops or older bars only	Yes, premium exemption	Restricted	Allowed
2	Utah	74	$3.44	Banned in bars and shops	None	Effectively banned	Partly preempted
3	California	71	$2.55	Shops or older bars only	Yes, premium exemption	Restricted	Allowed
4	Alaska	68	$3.75	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
4	New York	68	$3.75	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
6	Massachusetts	63	$2.00	Cigar bars allowed	Yes, no premium exemption	Restricted	Allowed
7	Vermont	61	$2.00	Banned in bars and shops	None	Restricted	Allowed
8	Colorado	57	$2.24	Shops or older bars only	None	Restricted	Allowed
9	Illinois	52	$2.25	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
10	Hawaii	50	$2.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Effectively banned	Preempted
11	Delaware	48	$1.50	Banned in bars and shops	None	Restricted	Partly preempted
12	New Jersey	44	$1.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
12	Oregon	44	$1.00	Shops or older bars only	None	Restricted	Allowed
14	North Dakota	42	$1.40	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Allowed
15	Minnesota	39	$0.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Restricted	Allowed
16	South Dakota	38	$1.75	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Partly preempted
17	District of Columbia	37	$0.00	Cigar bars allowed	Yes, no premium exemption	Open	Allowed
18	Virginia	35	$0.80	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Allowed
19	Connecticut	34	$0.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
19	Georgia	34	$1.15	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Allowed
19	Kansas	34	$0.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
22	New Hampshire	33	$0.00	Shops or older bars only	None	Restricted	Allowed
22	Ohio	33	$0.67	Shops or older bars only	None	Restricted	Partly preempted
24	Nebraska	32	$1.00	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Allowed
24	Rhode Island	32	$0.50	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Allowed
24	Washington	32	$0.65	Banned in bars and shops	None	Restricted	Preempted
27	Arizona	31	$0.22	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Allowed
28	Indiana	30	$1.50	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Partly preempted
29	Montana	29	$0.35	Banned in bars and shops	None	Restricted	Preempted
30	Maryland	27	$0.75	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Partly preempted
31	Wyoming	26	$1.00	No statewide bar ban	None	Open	Allowed
32	Louisiana	24	$0.50	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Partly preempted
32	Michigan	24	$0.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Restricted	Preempted
32	Missouri	24	$0.40	No statewide bar ban	None	Restricted	Allowed
35	West Virginia	21	$0.60	No statewide bar ban	None	Open	Allowed
36	Nevada	20	$0.50	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Partly preempted
37	Iowa	19	$0.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Preempted
37	Wisconsin	19	$0.50	Shops or older bars only	None	Open	Preempted
39	Arkansas	18	$0.58	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Preempted
40	Idaho	17	$0.50	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Preempted
40	New Mexico	17	$0.50	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Preempted
40	North Carolina	17	$0.30	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Partly preempted
43	Alabama	15	$0.04	No statewide bar ban	None	Open	Allowed
44	Mississippi	14	$0.60	No statewide bar ban	None	Open	Partly preempted
45	Florida	12	$0.00	Cigar bars allowed	None	Restricted	Preempted
46	Kentucky	11	$0.30	No statewide bar ban	None	Open	Partly preempted
47	Tennessee	10	$0.33	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Preempted
48	Oklahoma	8	$0.12	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Preempted
48	Texas	8	$0.01	No statewide bar ban	None	Open	Partly preempted
50	Pennsylvania	7	$0.00	Cigar bars allowed	None	Open	Preempted
50	South Carolina	7	$0.20	No statewide bar ban	None	Restricted	Preempted

How the score works

Each state starts at zero and earns points in five categories, for a maximum of 100.

Tax (40 points). The state excise tax on a reference premium cigar with a $5.00 wholesale price, $4.00 manufacturer's price and $10.00 retail price, using each state's own tax base and any per-cigar cap. A tax of $3.75 or more earns all 40 points, and lower taxes earn a proportional share. Local taxes are excluded.
Indoor smoking (20 points). 20 points where state law bans smoking in bars and allows no cigar bar or tobacco shop exception. About 13 where tobacco shops or pre-existing cigar bars are exempt. About 7 where new cigar bars may open or bars are exempt. None where state law does not ban smoking in bars.
Flavor (15 points). 15 points for a statewide flavor ban that reaches premium cigars with no exemption. 10 points for a statewide ban with a premium cigar exemption.
Shipping (10 points). 10 points where state law effectively bars shipping cigars to consumers. 5 points where it restricts them beyond federal law through licensing, age verification or carrier rules.
Local power (15 points). 15 points where cities and counties may regulate tobacco sales more strictly than the state. 7.5 where that power is partly preempted, and none where it is broadly preempted.

The weights reflect my judgment about what affects a premium cigar business most, with tax first. Under equal weights and two other mixes, states in the middle trade places, but the top and bottom of the map hold.

What the score does not capture

Local law. The score measures state law. Local taxes in places like Chicago, Cook County and New York City, and local flavor or birth-year sales bans, can make a city far more restrictive than its state. The "local rules" column measures whether localities may act, not whether they have.
Price. An uncapped percentage tax costs less on an inexpensive cigar and much more on a $15 cigar. A capped state treats them alike.
Unsettled points. Ohio's preemption of local flavor bans is before the Ohio Supreme Court. Washington's mail-order rules are enforced unevenly. The District of Columbia's flavor ban appears to have no premium exemption. Where the law was unclear, I chose the reading most consistent with the statute.

Changes on the calendar

These changes are already law and will move scores when they take effect:

January 1, 2027. Illinois' 75-cent per-cigar cap begins. Illinois, Nebraska and Utah begin licensing remote sellers of cigars.
June 30, 2027. Nevada's 50-cent cap expires unless renewed.
July 1, 2027. Colorado's combined rate rises from 56% to 62% of the manufacturer's list price.
December 31, 2027. Louisiana's 50-cent cap sunsets unless renewed.

Changes to individual laws appear first on the Cigar Law^TM Tracker.

Change log

October 12, 2026. Map published. Scores reflect state law as of October 12, 2026.

Sources

The scores draw on state statutes and revenue department guidance, checked against these compilations:

This page is general information about the law, not legal advice for any particular situation.

How the score works

What the score does not capture

Changes on the calendar

Change log

Sources

The developments that matter to the cigar trade, when they matter.