Tobacco and Vapes age verification regulations laid for 1 January 2027 commencement

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 (Age Verification Defence to Underage Sales) (England and Wales) Regulations 2026 have been laid before Parliament under the draft affirmative procedure and are scheduled to come into force on 1 January 2027. The regulations set out the age-verification steps that retailers may rely on when seeking to establish a statutory defence against offences involving the sale of tobacco and vaping products to underage customers.

The regulations form part of the implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, which introduced a new framework for age verification in relation to tobacco and vaping products. Under the Act, the specific steps retailers must take to verify a customer’s age are to be prescribed in regulations rather than set out directly in primary legislation.

According to the accompanying government statement, the regulations support the wider objective of strengthening protections against underage sales of tobacco and vaping products and provide greater clarity for businesses on the measures required to demonstrate compliance with the law. The measures apply across England and Wales.

Monitor developments, guidance and implementation materials published by government, enforcement bodies and industry stakeholders ahead of commencement through the IoL’s resource pages.