Because the law says we must: selling a nicotine vape to anyone under 18 is an offence, online included, and from 29 October 2026 that covers every vape. A quick check at our end is what lets us keep selling to adults like you, and it is a decent sign you are buying from a proper shop.
The short version
- Selling nicotine vapes to under-18s is an offence, online too.
- From 29 October 2026 the 18+ rule covers all vapes.
- Proper checks are a sign of a retailer that follows the rules.
- Using your real name and address gets you through fastest.
The law behind the check
Under UK regulations, it is an offence to sell nicotine vapes and e-liquids to anyone under 18, and an offence for an adult to buy them on an under-18's behalf. A website is a seller in exactly the same way as a shop, so the rule applies to every order we send out.
From 29 October 2026, the Tobacco and Vapes Act extends the 18+ sale rule to all vapes, including nicotine-free ones, and brings in £200 fixed penalties, according to ASH.
So age checks are not us being nosy. They are the condition of being allowed to sell vapes at all. You can read exactly what we check on our age verification page.
Source: legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/895; ASH
How the age rules have tightened
The age of sale for nicotine vapes has been 18 for years, with proxy purchasing an offence alongside it. What has changed recently is the scope.
The disposable ban in June 2025 spelled out that online sales were covered. The Tobacco and Vapes Act got Royal Assent in April 2026. And from 29 October 2026, nicotine-free vapes join nicotine ones under the 18+ sale rule, while vending machine sales of vapes are banned.
Each step points the same way: vapes are an adult product, and sellers are expected to make sure only adults buy them. Our age of sale guide covers the rules in more depth.
- Age of sale and proxy purchasing rulesOffence to sell nicotine vapes to under-18s or buy for them
- Disposable banOnline sales explicitly covered
- Tobacco and Vapes ActRoyal Assent
- All vapes 18+Nicotine-free included; vending banned; £200 fixed penalties
Source: legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/895; gov.uk; ASH
Why it is good news for you
An age check is a small hassle with a useful side effect: it tells you something about the seller. A shop that takes age rules seriously is far more likely to take the other rules seriously too, like the 10ml, 20mg and 2ml limits, and duty stamps once they are required on everything from 1 April 2027.
A seller who will post a vape to anyone, no questions asked, is cutting corners somewhere. That is not a seller you want handling a product you inhale.
Compare the signs below next time you are shopping somewhere new.
Source: gov.uk: E-cigarettes, regulations for consumer products
Getting through first time
Most adults never notice an age check, because the details they enter just work. When an order does get held, it is usually because something does not line up: a nickname instead of a legal name, a work address, or a card registered somewhere else.
A minute of care at checkout saves a day's delay. If you are asked for anything extra, the age verification page explains what and why, and our help page is there if you get stuck.
Tick these off before you hit order.
None of this is about doubting you. It is just how a sale gets confirmed.
Myths about online age checks
There is a fair bit of confusion about why online vape shops check age, and how far the rules reach. Some people assume nicotine-free orders are exempt; others think a website can just take your word for it.
The reality is that the age rules are about the sale, wherever it happens. From 29 October 2026, the type of vape stops mattering too. And the proxy rule means an adult ordering for a teenager is committing an offence, even if the shop never finds out.
Tap to flip.
Five seconds, honestly.
Quick check
One question to wrap up. It is about the change that makes age checks universal for vape orders.
Thanks for bearing with our checks. They are the reason we can keep doing what we do: getting kits, pods and liquids to adult vapers quickly. Once your order is through, delivery times and options are on our delivery page, so you know exactly when to expect it.
And if you have friends or family under 18 asking you to order something for them, the answer has to be no: buying a nicotine vape for an under-18 is an offence in its own right, and from 29 October 2026 the 18+ sale rule covers nicotine-free vapes too. It is simpler for everyone if vapes stay with adults.
From 29 October 2026, which vape orders need the buyer to be 18 or over?
Quick answers
Why do online vape shops check your age?
Selling nicotine vapes to under-18s is an offence wherever the sale happens, and from 29 October 2026 the rule covers all vapes.
Do I need to verify my age for nicotine-free vapes?
From 29 October 2026 the 18+ sale rule covers nicotine-free vapes too, so checks apply to every vape order.
Why was my vape order held for an age check?
Usually because details did not line up, such as a nickname or a different address. Our age verification page explains what to do.
