From 29 October 2026, the age of sale for all vaping and nicotine products will be age 18 and over. It will be an offence to sell these products to a person under the age of 18 (that is, people aged 17 years and under).
It will also be an offence for anyone aged 18 or over to buy, or attempt to buy, vaping or nicotine products on behalf of a person under the age of 18.
From 29 October 2026, it will also be an offence for anyone to:
- give away a vaping or nicotine product for free where the purpose or effect is to promote the product
- sell a vaping or nicotine product at a substantial discount where the purpose or effect is to promote the product
- give a coupon or sell a coupon at a substantial discount for a vaping or nicotine product where the purpose or effect is to promote the product
This guidance explains:
- the age of sale restrictions for vaping and nicotine products across the UK from 29 October 2026
- restrictions on the free distribution of these products from 29 October 2026
- restrictions on selling these products at substantial discounts from 29 October 2026
This guidance is mainly intended for retailers, who need to understand the changes in the law. It may also be useful for:
- wholesalers
- business owners
- enforcement authorities
The products in scope of the restrictions are:
- any related components such as coils and vape pods
- nicotine pouches (tobacco-free pouches containing nicotine powder that are placed between the gum and lip)
The restrictions do not apply to:
Age of sale
From 29 October 2026, it will be an offence for retailers, including online retailers, to sell any vaping product or nicotine product to anyone under the age of 18.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this replaces the previous restriction which was only applied to nicotine vaping products. In Scotland, both nicotine and non-nicotine vapes were already subject to age restrictions, but these will now also cover nicotine products from 29 October 2026.
Before making a sale, retailers must be satisfied that the customer is aged 18 or over.
Selling to someone under the age of sale is a criminal offence and may result in formal action, including the issuing of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or prosecution.
Customers attempting to buy vaping and nicotine products should expect to show ID if they are asked to prove they are above the age of sale.
For further information on age of sale, see:
Age verification
If a retailer is unsure whether a customer attempting to buy vaping or nicotine products is aged 18 or over, they should verify the customer’s age.
Age verification in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Excerpt from the official page. The original is authoritative. Continue reading at UK DHSC ↗