Single-use vapes ban: information for businesses
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-03)

Definition of single-use vapes and reusable vapes, information on regulation and enforcement, and how to recycle vapes.

It is illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes. It is also illegal to offer to sell or supply single-use vapes, or to stock single-use vapes that you plan to sell or supply. Single-use vapes are also known as disposable vapes.

The ban came into force on 1 June 2025 and applies to:
- sales online and in shops
- all vapes whether or not they contain nicotine
You must arrange to recycle any leftover stock of single-use vapes. You can still sell and supply vapes that are reusable.

Read about why the UK has banned single-use vapes (https://defraenvironment.blog.gov.uk/2025/05/01/single-use-vapes-why-its-time-to-ditch-them-for-good/).

Who the ban applies to

The ban applies to all businesses and organisations that sell or supply single-use vapes in the UK. This includes:
- retailers – such as convenience stores, market stalls, petrol stations, specialist vape shops and supermarkets
- manufacturers
- wholesalers
- importers
- healthcare settings and stop smoking services
Definition of single-use and reusable vapes

Single-use vapes are not designed or intended for reuse. A vape is single-use if it either:
- has a battery you cannot recharge
- is not refillable
To be reuseable, a vape must have a:
- rechargeable battery
- refillable container that holds the vaping e-liquid (such as a chamber, capsule, cartridge, pod or tank)
- removable and replaceable coil (if the vape contains a coil)
Refill requirements for reusable vapes

Reusable vapes can be refillable by either:
- filling up the tank or cartridge with e-liquid
- inserting new, pre-filled pods
Refills (pods or e-liquid refill bottles) should be separately available for users to buy.

Coil requirements for reusable vapes

Some reusable vapes have a coil (which produces heat and vaporises the e-liquid). If there is a coil, it must be removable and replaceable by the vape user.

Reusable vapes can have coils that are either:
- directly removable and replaceable
- contained in a removable and replaceable pod or cartridge
The coil (whether part of a replacement pod or tank, or not) should be separately available to buy.

If you’re not sure a vape is reusable

It is your responsibility to check the products you sell or supply are legal and meet the definition of a reusable vape.

Check the definitions of single-use and reusable vapes first. If you’re still not sure a vape is reusable, you can contact your local Trading Standards (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office) for advice.

Providing evidence during inspections

You must assist the enforcing authority and provide any information or evidence they ask for during an inspection.

You must be able to:
- provide evidence that the product is legal and reusable, and of the steps you took to check
- demonstrate that vape users can separately buy individual refill items for the vaping items you stock (including pods or e-liquid refill bottles) – such as by providing these items in your shop or online store
You have a legal right to ask enforcement and regulatory officers for formal photographic identification (ID). This usually includes their name and the local authority and department they work for.

Regulation and enforcement: if you’re caught selling single-use vapes

How the ban is enforced varies between the UK’s 4 nations and is specific to where your business operates.

England

Each local authority’s Trading Standards leads on enforcing the ban within their area. Contact your local Trading Standards service (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office) if you:
- suspect that someone is supplying single-use vapes
- have questions about following the ban’s rules or how it is enforced
In the first instance, Trading Standards will apply civil sanctions (non-criminal penalties). For example, a:
- stop notice
- compliance notice
- fine of £200
Trading Standards can seize any single-use vapes they find.

If you continue to stock, sell or supply single-use vapes (or offer to), you may be charged with:
- an unlimited fine
- a prison sentence of up to 2 years
You may also receive an additional cost recovery notice. This means you must pay the costs incurred by Trading Standards while investigating your offence, including investigative, administrative and legal costs.

Wales

Local authorities in Wales lead on enforcing the ban. Contact your local authority (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) or Trading Standards (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office) service if you:
- suspect that someone is supplying single-use vapes
- have questions about following the ban’s rules or how it is enforced
Enforcement authorities may apply civil sanctions, such as:
- a fixed fine of £200 or a variable fine of more than £200
- an enforcement cost recovery notice
- a non-compliance penalty
- a stop notice
Alternatively, you could be tried in a magistrates’ court or Crown Court.

You may be given an unlimited fine and prison sentence of up to 6 months if:
- you’re found guilty in a magistrates’ court of stocking, selling or supplying single-use vapes
- you fail to follow a stop notice
You may be given a prison sentence of up to 2 years and an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty in a Crown Court of one of these offences.

You may need to pay an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty in a magistrates’ court of:
- obstructing an enforcement officer
- failing to follow an enforcement officer’s requests
Scotland

Local authorities in Scotland lead on enforcing the ban. They report criminal cases to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, who are responsible for prosecuting offences under the regulations. Contact your local authority (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) or Trading Standards (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office) service if you:
- suspect that someone is supplying single-use vapes
- have questions about following the ban’s rules or how it is enforced
Enforcement officers can issue a fixed penalty notice instead of criminal prosecution. The fixed penalty amount is £200 for a first offence. This is discounted to £150 if paid within 14 days.

The fixed penalty amounts and discounts are different for people who have had enforcement action taken against them in the previous 3 years. These amounts are set out in Table 1.

Table 1: Fixed penalty amounts and discounts for different numbers of previous enforcement actions

A person may be reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for prosecution if:
- they do not accept the offer of a fixed penalty notice
- the enforcement officer does not consider it appropriate to issue a fixed penalty notice
Maximum penalties for offences in Scotland

If you’re found guilty of stocking or supplying a single-use vape (or offering to):
- on summary conviction you’ll be subject to a fine of up to level 5 (currently £5,000) on the standard scale
- on conviction on indictment, you’ll be subject to up to 2 years in prison or a fine, or both
If you fail to comply with an enforcement requirement without a reasonable excuse, you’ll be subject on summary conviction to a fine of up to level 5 (currently £5,000) on the standard scale.

You’ll be subject on summary conviction to a fine of up to level 3 (currently £1,000) on the standard scale if you:
- fail to provide your identification details to an enforcement officer
- give false or inaccurate identification details to an enforcement officer
Northern Ireland

The enforcement mechanism is different in Northern Ireland from other parts of the UK. There are no civil sanctions for this offence and the following penalties apply.

If you’re found guilty of stocking or supplying single-use vapes (or offering to), you may receive a fine of up to £5,000 on summary conviction in a magistrates’ court. On further conviction of this offence in a Crown Court, you may face a prison sentence of up to 2 years, a fine, or both.

If you fail to provide information that an enforcement body asks for, you may receive a fine of up to £5,000 on summary conviction in a magistrates’ court.

Recycling vapes

Vapes are electrical items, whether they are single-use or reuseable. This means they are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.

If you sell vapes (are a ‘distributor’), you must offer a ‘take back’ service. This means you must accept vapes and vape parts (such as used pods, coils or batteries) that customers return for recycling.

This includes any single-use vapes returned by customers after the ban began on 1 June 2025.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards may take action against you if you do not have a way to safely recycle vapes and vape parts.

Unsafe storage of vapes or improper disposal is a fire risk. Vapes should be disposed of in vape bins only and regularly collected for recycling.

What to do with leftover stock of single-use vapes

You cannot sell or supply any single-use vapes to customers. You must arrange for any leftover stock to be recycled.

If you have vape bin services, you should recycle vapes through the company they provide. You may need to pay a fee.

You put your business at risk of commercial loss and legal enforcement action if you do not responsibly recycle single-use vape stocks.

If you have any leftover single-use vapes, you need to:
- separate them from other goods
- label them as unsellable
- remove them from your shop floor or online store until they are collected by a registered vape recycling service
Other restrictions on vaping products

Vapes on the market must also follow other relevant regulations, such as:
- the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals Regulations (2015)
- the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR)
- waste regulations that apply to electrical equipment and batteries – this includes the Batteries and Accumulators (Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 and related legislation
Read guidance on these additional restrictions for:
- vaping products (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e-cigarettes-regulations-for-consumer-products)
- packaging of electronic cigarettes and refill containers (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-5-presentation-guidance-great-britain/advice-on-names-presentation-and-packaging-of-nicotine-containing-electronic-cigarettes-and-refill-containers)
Several government agencies work together to regulate and enforce the regulations on vapes. They include:
- Border Force
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)
- Trading Standards
Online resources

Useful online resources for vape retailers and producers on waste disposal, WEEE responsibilities, and regulatory compliance:
- Environment Agency guidance on how to dispose of business waste. (https://www.gov.uk/dispose-business-commercial-waste)
- Defra and the OPSS guidance on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for manufacturers, importers and distributors (including retailers) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/regulations-waste-electrical-and-electronic-equipment)
- MHRA guidance on e-cigarette regulations. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e-cigarettes-regulations-for-consumer-products)
- MHRA notified products list search. (https://cms.mhra.gov.uk/ecig-new)
- OPSS WEEE poster to advertise that you recycle vapes, and record keeping template for operating a recycling scheme. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/weee-regulations-distributor-templates)
- OPSS video guidance for vape retailers on their legal obligations under the WEEE Regulations takeback requirements (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q-E6XC6tYQ)