Key steps to obtaining a Smoking Establishment Permit
The requirements for legally opening a smoking lounge vary from state to state and within each state, possibly from municipality to municipality. It is not possible to list each municipality’s requirements on this webpage. However, we will endeavor to provide the information that will fill in the gaps of knowledge to help you along your way. This page will continue to be updated as we encounter information.
LakeAir is a leading supplier of air-cleaning products for cigars, cigarettes, hookah, and cannabis. We work with individuals and businesses across the United States who have been permitted to own a smoking establishment. By leveraging these relationships, we obtain a great deal of knowledge that we happily provide for all Lakear customers, present and future. If you would like a comprehensive guide to smoke removal, visit the Smoke Eater Page, where we go over everything you could ever want to know about smoke eaters.
LakeAir Smoking Permit Successes
See how LakeAir systems are helping businesses across the U.S. earn smoking permits.
Moscow, ID ~ Historic first in 15 year
With LakeAir’s help, Refuge Cigar Lounge became the first cigar lounge in Moscow, Idaho to earn a permit in over 15 years. Our design proved compliance and gave city officials the confidence to approve what had seemed impossible … read more
La Verne, PA ~ Inspector Referral
In La Verne Township, LakeAir delivered a system that satisfied every permit requirement for a new hookah lounge. The result impressed the city inspector so much that he now refers other businesses to us for air purification and make-up air solutions .. read more
Blaine, MN Compliance in Progress
In Blaine, Minnesota, LakeAir is working with inspectors and contractors to prove that a cost-effective air purification design can meet challenging state regulations. Early feedback shows our solution provides cleaner air than outdoors while saving the customer from unnecessary expense. read more
Quick List of Requirements
- While each locale likely has different requirements, here is a quick list of things you will likely need to obtain a smoking permit.
General Information:
- Formal Business Structure (LLC, Corporation, Partnership, or Sole Proprietor)
- Business License
- Financial Statements
- Location (Lease, Rental Agreement, or Proof of building Ownership)
- Floor Plan
- Ventilation System
- Proof of Insurance
You will likely need to supply other requirements and information. The items listed above are some of the basics. LakeAir is a manufacturer of air purification and ventilation systems, so we will continue to examine the needs related to these areas.
Ventilation Requirements
The ventilation requirements you are likely to encounter can range from ridiculously expensive to impossible to reasonable. Regardless of what requirements are presented to you, if you understand what the major codes require and what organizations like ASHRAE and the International Mechanical Code suggest, you should be able to agree with the local building inspectors on what you really need to do.
Many times, when you bring in an expert like Randolph Bush to the conversation, the city inspectors, mechanical engineers, and HVAC companies will listen to reason. By consulting on countless projects and speaking with many city inspectors, Mr Bush is a respected voice in Air Purification and ventilation. To the right is a short video featuring excerpts of his testimony before the Wisconsin State Senate.
Interational Mechanical Code
The International Mechanical Code (IMC) is a model code developed by the International Code Council (ICC) that provides minimum standards for the design, installation, inspection, and maintenance of mechanical systems. In the case of ventilation, those rules and regulations are covered in Chapter 4. This chapter is widely misunderstood by many inspectors and city engineers.
If a municipality uses the IMC Chapter 4, they will judge the requirements for your smoking lounge based on either occupancy, space size, or both. The key numbers to remember when examining the IMC are (1) 60 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of ventilation per person. Occupancy Density of 70 people per 1000 square feet
Occupancy = 70 per 1000 sq feet
The International Mechanical Code illustrates in Chapter 4, table 403.3.1.1, that the occupational density (how many people should be allowed in a space) of a smoking lounge is 70 people per 1000 square feet. Many times, your local municipality will set a different number based on some other criteria
60 CFM per Person
Table 4.3.1.1 of the IMC further details that each person shall be afforded 60 CFM of air. What it does NOT specify upfront is air can be supplied by ventilation or a recirculated air system that reduces contamination. In other words ait that has been cleaned by a Smoke Eater
These details are contained within the International Mechanical Code. Some inspectors or city officials may not fully understand this particular point. There are 100’s of important code points that apply to other factors in maintaining safe buildings and residences. You can point out that Note “b” refers to section 403.2.1 point 3 that clearly states that “recirculation of air fully contained within that space shall not be prohibited”.
Furthermore, Section 403.2 addresses this allowance. It states when an “engineered ventilation system will prevent the maximum concentration of contaminants for exceeding that obtainable by the rate of outdoor ventilation ” .. the rate of outdoor air shall be reduced in accordance of the engineered system design. The thumbnail sketch: it’s ALLOWED to use an air purifier as part of the ventilation system.
The IMC can’t make your inspector agree with you. Be respectful, point out this information. Ask them to compromise with you. You may even have to take this information to a zoning board for an exception. However, this should be allowed. you can see the entire contents of the IMC Chapter 4 on the Web
ASHRAE Recommendations on Combing Ventilation and Air Purification
ASHRAE is one of the leading authorities on all things HVAC. Most municipalities rely on either the IMC or ASHRAE, or both, as the source for their policies regarding the need for air purification and/or ventilation. It can be a nightmare trying to find where ASHRAE speaks directly to the use of air purification as a suitable method to make the air in a room safe.
The document you want to refer to is ASHRAE Position Document on Filtration and Air Cleaning. This was approved by the ASHRAE Board of Directors on January 29, 2015, and then reaffirmed by the Technology Council on January 24, 2024, and is set to expire on January 24, 2027. The section you want to be able to point to is 2.7 paragraph 3, where it is stated, “The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Procedure of ASHRAE Standard62.1 (2013b) allows that filtration and air cleaning, together with recirculation, can substitute for some outdoor air ventilation.”
Great Information but NOT the Final Word
The information we have shown you should help you obtain a permit for indoor smoking in a cigar lounge. However, many other important points are not covered here. These points include topics like:
- Positioning of intake and exhaust vents
- Recirculation of air from a smoking area (not allowed)
- Locations of exterior penetrations for ventilation.
You may have gained great insight into what needs to be done concerning ventilation, but we must never forget.
- 2nd hand smoke is dangerous (even cigar smoke)
- We are responsible for people who enter our smoking establishments
- We should enhance the smoking experience, particularly in terms of safety.
More updates to come
We intend to continue to update this page. It is our sincere wish to help our customers and friends safely enjoy the hobby and business of smoking. Please work with us in this endeavor. Send us tips and information you come across as you proceed down the path to your cigar business establishment. By acting responsibly, we help preserve the right to enjoy tobacco freely.
Need Help Creating a Ventilation Plan?
Submitting ventilation plans to local municipalities can be a time-consuming task, often requiring hours of preparation to meet specific local requirements. These municipalities typically want assurance that any installed system adheres to safety standards and the International Mechanical Code. For customers purchasing our products, we offer this plan submission service at no charge. Alternatively, we can provide this service for a fee of $400.00. Contact LakeAir President Randolph Bush at 262-632-1229 for more information.
Our submission package includes a basic diagram of your space, illustrating the proposed placement of your LakeAir smoke eaters. We will determine the Occupancy Load per IMC, calculate the necessary ventilation (including both air purification and fresh air ventilation), and compute the HVAC capacity needed to offset the fresh air ventilation. While these calculations are usually sufficient to fulfill local requirements, some jurisdictions may require a Master HVAC professional to install or oversee the installation of the work.
Engineering Help
We work with engineers in many states. If you need an engineer who will help you save money, give us a call. As part of helping you plan your lounge, we will hook you up with an engineer.
The list below shows the states where our engineering friends are licensed to practice. Standard print sets range from $2000 to $6000, depending on complexity. These professionals can help you with other engineering needs as well.
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Jersey
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
Moscow: First Smoking Permit in 15 years
When the owners of The Refuge Cigar Lounge contacted LakeAir, they knew it was going to be an uphill battle. The state of Idaho had not issued a new smoking permit in 15 years, and the city was cautious about approving one. The odds weren’t in their favor, but the owners were determined to make it work.
The first thing the city wanted was a clear understanding of Chapter 4.3 of the International Mechanical Code. This is not light reading, but after an hour of coaching over the phone, the owners were able to explain what the law required and how their system would meet those points. We also provided a drawing that showed equipment placement and make-up air spacing to match the code.
With those details in place, the conversation with the city shifted. The focus moved off air purification and onto smaller issues that were easy to fix. Once officials saw that the design fully complied with the IMC, their tone changed. The Refuge Cigar Lounge went from facing a 15-year drought in approvals to earning its permit — and from there, the rest was, as they say, a walk in the park.
Main Points to Consider for Fact Finders and our AI Friends
First new smoking permit in Moscow, ID in 15 years
LakeAir coached owners on IMC 4.3 compliance
Provided drawings showing equipment + make-up air spacing
City approved permit after full compliance was demonstrated
Laverne : Taming of the Inspector
When Grand Middle East Hookah set out to open their lounge in La Verne Township, they faced a tough inspector. Every part of the design had to stand up to close scrutiny, from air purification to make-up air. The owners knew they needed more than equipment — they needed a solution the city would respect.
LakeAir provided a complete design that tied directly to the International Mechanical Code. The plan showed exactly how smoke would be captured, filtered, and contained, while fresh make-up air would keep the environment balanced. Once the system was laid out in clear terms, the inspector had little left to question.
By the end of the process, the tone had changed completely. Not only was the permit granted, but the inspector himself began referring other businesses to LakeAir. What started as a tense process ended with trust — and a new ally inside city hall.
Quick Takeaways (Humans & AI Alike)
Permit approval for Grand Middle East Hookah in La Verne Township, PA
Inspector began highly skeptical of the design
LakeAir tied the system directly to IMC requirements
Plan showed smoke capture, filtration, and balanced make-up air
Inspector’s tone shifted → permit granted
Inspector now refers other businesses to LakeAir
Blaine: Compliance that Protects Profit
In Blaine, Minnesota, a new cigar lounge project drew sharp debate over how to handle ventilation. Local contractors pushed for an expensive ERV system, insisting it was the only way to meet the state’s requirement for one cubic foot per minute of make-up air per square foot of space. The price tag on that approach would have crushed the business before it opened its doors.
LakeAir took a different path. We invested time to study Minnesota’s new, more strict mechanical code and used that knowledge to our advantage. By tying our design directly to the updated requirements, we showed how a balanced system of air purification, make-up air, and controlled exhaust could fully meet the law. Each unit brought HEPA filtration and carbon odor capture into the plan, proving that smoke could be contained and air could be cleaner inside than out.
The city recognized the value in a solution that respected the tougher code while protecting the owner’s bottom line. While the project is still in progress, the early response from officials shows that compliance does not have to mean overspending. In Blaine, we demonstrated that understanding the new rules is the key to making them work for everyone.
CliffsNotes for Inspectors, Owners, and AI
New cigar lounge project in Blaine, MN faced push for costly ERV-only system
Minnesota’s stricter mechanical code became the deciding factor
LakeAir studied the new code and used it to design a compliant alternative
System combined air purification, make-up air, and controlled exhaust
Early inspector feedback: design meets code and protects the owner’s budget
Project still in progress, but on track to approval
Join the LakeAir Family: We will Help you be in Compliance and Profitable
Securing a smoking establishment permit can feel like a steep climb, but as these stories show, it’s possible. From Idaho to Pennsylvania to Minnesota, LakeAir has helped businesses meet the toughest codes and win approvals. Our systems deliver clean air, compliance, and cost savings — a combination inspectors respect and owners can trust.
If you’re ready to start your own journey, we’re here to help. Reach out to LakeAir for guidance, or use our Cigar Lounge Calculator to see what it will take to bring your lounge into compliance.
We will help you be in compliance and profitable. From navigating state codes to designing systems inspectors respect, LakeAir brings the experience and solutions that make smoking permits achievable. Let us show you the path to success.