Check if you're impacted by Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme

From 1 April 2026, applications open for approval for Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme.

If you need approval, you should apply as early as possible so you are approved before 1 October 2026.

Who will be impacted

You will be impacted if you are:

• a manufacturer of vaping products (including products made at home) based in the UK
• an overseas manufacturer of vaping products that you plan to send to the UK 
• a customs or excise warehousekeeper already approved by HMRC (if you want to apply or have already applied for approval from HMRC) 
• an owner of vaping products held in a warehouse which is not an approved customs or excise warehouse
• importing vaping products into the UK 
• acquiring vaping products from EU member states, if you’re a business in Northern Ireland
• selling vaping products by wholesale (selling directly to a business) or retail (selling directly to the customer) in the UK

For Northern Ireland only

You will be impacted if you are a:

• registered consignee 
• temporary registered consignee 
• tax representative

What Vaping Products Duty is

Vaping Products Duty is a new excise duty on vaping products. The duty applies to the vaping liquid (sometimes known as e-liquid).

All substances intended for vaping will be covered by Vaping Products Duty. This includes those made at home from ingredients such as:

• propylene glycol (PG)
• vegetable glycerine (VG)
• flavourings

Products will be liable for Vaping Products Duty whether the liquids contain nicotine or not.

What vaping duty stamps are

From 1 April 2027, all vaping products outside of duty suspension in the UK must have a vaping duty stamp attached.

You must apply for approval from HMRC to attach vaping duty stamps to the vaping products retail packaging in your premises if you’re a:

• UK manufacturer
• excise or customs warehousekeeper

Find out more information about how vaping duty stamps work.

Manufacturing vaping products overseas to send and sell in the UK

If you’re an overseas manufacturer who wants to attach vaping duty stamps as part of your manufacturing process, you’ll have to appoint a UK representative to apply for approval for the Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme. The UK representative will buy Vvaping duty stamps on your behalf.

If we approve the application, the UK representative will be able to buy vaping duty stamps from the specialist supplier chosen by HMRC.

Vaping duty stamps will also have a digital feature, such as a QR code, which must be scanned at set points in the supply chain for information to be uploaded.

The businesses who are responsible for the vaping products at these points must scan the stamp to let HMRC check where the vaping products have been, and who is responsible for them.

For a limited time period, transitional vaping duty stamps incorporating the physical security features (including the same dimensions), but not the digital feature (that can be scanned at set points) will be supplied.

What to do next

If you are impacted by this, you must apply for approval for Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme.