Can You Buy Cigars Online, and Is It Legal?
3 min read
Premium cigar smokers are enjoying the best market conditions in history. Not only are brands making the best cigars ever to keep up with demanding cigar enthusiasts, but purchasing your favorite smokes has never been more convenient and affordable. Here we present the pros and cons of buying in your local cigar shop and shopping for your cigars online.
The Short Answer: Yes, You Can!
It is legal to buy cigars online from trusted websites. Each website differs slightly, but shopping online for cigars has these pros and cons:
Pros of Buying Online:
- – Convenience
- – Enormous selection
- – Quick delivery
- – No travel time
- – Best cigar prices
- – No sales tax (in some cases)
- – A large knowledge base (blogs, videos, etc.)
Cons of Buying Online
- – You cannot touch and smell before buying
- – You have to wait for your order to arrive
- – Some sites don’t carry many boutique brand

How Does It Compare to a Local Shop?
A local cigar shop or the nearest smoke shop offers a different experience with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of a Local Shop:
- – Friendly familiar faces & community
- – You can smoke your cigar onsite
- – You can touch, feel, and smell your selection
- – A focus on new or local boutique brands
Cons of a Local Shop:
- – Limited selection
- – High prices
The Cigar Country Difference
Some of the top websites where you can order and buy cigars online in the USA are known as discount tobacco shops or tobacco outlets. They are well known for selling cigars cheaply, but they lack great customer service and experience.
Cigar Country is the Dominican Republic’s premier duty and tax-free smoke shop. We carry the largest selection of premium cigars in the Caribbean. You will not find a better place to buy and order your cigars online, directly from the origin. Because we are committed to providing the best possible service, Cigar Country will match or beat any price you may find at any other online cigar retailer.
Important Things to Know Before You Buy
1- What is the legal age to buy cigars online in the USA?
The federal minimum age to purchase any tobacco product in the United States, both online and in-store, is 21 years old. Reputable online retailers are required by law to use third-party age verification systems to confirm your age.
2- How does online age verification work?
When you place an order, the system uses the information you provide (name, address, DOB) to cross-reference public records. Most customers are verified instantly. If not, you may be asked to submit a photo of your ID for manual verification.
3- Do I have to pay tobacco taxes when buying cigars online?
This depends on the laws of your specific state. Some states require online retailers to collect state tobacco taxes, while others do not.
4- Is it safe to have cigars shipped? Will they arrive fresh?
Yes, from a quality retailer. Reputable stores like Cigar Country ship all cigars with humidification packs (like Boveda) inside sealed packaging. This ensures your cigars arrive in perfect, “factory-fresh” condition.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Buying from Cigar Country
Here’s what you need to know to make your purchase with Cigar Country simple, safe, and satisfying.
Step 1: Explore Like an Expert
The first step is the most enjoyable: explore our enormous selection. Use the filters on our category pages to sort by brand, strength, size, and country of origin to find the perfect match for your palate. As you browse, take advantage of our in-depth reviews and detailed product descriptions to make an informed decision. Don’t forget to check out our customer reviews as well.
Step 2: Secure Checkout & Payment
Once you’ve made your selection, proceed to the secure checkout. For payment, we accept all major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, processed securely to ensure your data is always protected. At this time, we do not offer “buy now, pay later” financing options like Klarna or Afterpay. Remember our Price Match Guarantee—if you find a better price on another site, contact us!
Step 3: Our Unique Shipping Process
This is what makes us different. Your cigars are packed with care in our climate-controlled facility in the Dominican Republic and shipped directly to you. Unlike orders from US-based retailers, your cigars take the shortest possible journey from the factory to our humidor to your door. This significantly reduces stress on the cigars and maximizes freshness upon arrival.
Step 4: Acclimating Your Cigars
When your package lands, the most important step is patience. We highly recommend placing your new cigars in your humidor for at least one to two weeks to rest and acclimate after their journey. Our customers consistently praise the freshness of our cigars upon arrival, and this final step ensures they will smoke and taste exactly as the master blender intended. If you have any questions during the process, our team of experts is available via live chat or email to assist you.
