Selling vapes, nicotine pouches and tobacco from 29 October 2026

Check which rules apply to your shop

This guide is for convenience stores, CTNs, vape shops and any other retailer that sells vapes, nicotine products or tobacco. It is written for England. Wales has the same offences and the same dates. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, set out in the nation sections below.

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 became law on 29 April 2026, but its retail offences start in stages. The Act says the age of sale, vending machine, free distribution and fixed penalty rules start on 29 October 2026. It says the smoke-free generation rules start on 1 January 2027. Both dates are confirmed in section 175 of the Act.

Some measures have no start date. Retail licensing, display and flavour rules and the advertising ban are announced but not in force, and the sections below mark them as such.

Get your shop ready in 4 stages

Work through these steps in date order:

Stop selling vapes and nicotine products to under-18s from 29 October 2026

Until 28 October 2026 there is no statutory age of sale for nicotine pouches or nicotine-free vapes in England. Many retailers refuse under-18s as policy, but that is not yet the law. Nicotine vapes already have an age of sale of 18. From 29 October 2026 section 10 of the Act makes the sale an offence, and it applies to online retailers as well as shops. The rule covers retail sales only, not wholesale.

Use the defence for age checks

If you are charged, you can defend yourself by showing you took all reasonable steps to avoid committing the offence. The government has also drafted regulations that would list exact steps, planned for 1 January 2027. They are still a draft and have not been made, so plan around the reasonable steps defence for now.

Remove vape and nicotine vending machines

Tobacco vending machines were already banned. England has no specific ban on vape vending machines before 29 October 2026. The new ban adds machines that sell vapes and nicotine products. The offence falls on the person who manages or controls the premises, so the shop is liable, not only the machine owner.

Stop free samples, coupons and substantial discounts

The same date brings in a ban on giving products or coupons away, or selling at a substantial discount, to promote tobacco, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vapes or nicotine products.

Understand fixed penalty notices in England

Trading standards officers can give you a fixed penalty notice instead of prosecuting. The notice does not cover the vending machine offences, which carry a fine on conviction only.

Check birth dates for tobacco from 1 January 2027

The smoke-free generation rule is confirmed in law for 1 January 2027. Until 31 December 2026 the existing under-18 rule for tobacco continues. The cut-off is a fixed birth date, not a rolling age, so staff check the date of birth and do not need to work out an age. The rule also covers herbal smoking products and cigarette papers.

Display the new tobacco notice in England

The Age of Sale Notices Regulations 2026 were made on 7 September 2026 and come into force on 1 January 2027. The new notice replaces the old under-18 notice from that date.

Your existing tobacco display ban continues.

Check your vape stock

The ban on supplying single-use vapes has been in force since 1 June 2025 in all four UK nations, under separate regulations in each. In England, local authorities enforce it.

Vaping Products Duty is in force and has applied since 1 October 2026. Duty stamps are confirmed in law, with a later start date. HMRC enforces both. The summary below gives the dates that matter to a shop. For rates, approval and the stamp process, read the Vaping Products Duty guide linked at the end of this page.

Do not act yet on licensing, display, flavour and advertising rules

These measures are announced but not in force. The Secretary of State has not made the regulations that would start them. Retail licensing has no start date. The government intends the advertising and sponsorship ban to start on 1 June 2027, but the rules have not been made yet. You cannot rely on a date until regulations appear on legislation.gov.uk.

Check the rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The offences in this guide are in Part 1 of the Act, which applies in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own parts of the Act and their own earlier laws. Check the nation you trade in.

The ages of sale for other products you sell, such as alcohol and knives, are below.

Registration depends on the nation. England has no retailer register for tobacco, vapes or nicotine products. Scotland and Northern Ireland do.

Ask your local trading standards service

Trading standards enforce the age of sale, vending machine, free distribution and notice rules. Ask your local trading standards service about your shop before 29 October 2026, particularly about age checks and where your notice should go. Ask HMRC about Vaping Products Duty and duty stamps. Ask your council about the single-use vape ban.