TOBACCO NICOTINE

Vape / E-Cigarette

HIGH RISK

VERIFIED · 2026-05-13REGULATION TIGHTENINGAGE 18+Report a correction

10allowed

119restricted

49prohibited

178 rules across 83 countries

ALSO KNOWN ASvaporizere-cigelectronic cigarettepod systemmodENDS

Can I take Vape / E-Cigarette across a border? Yes in many places, with conditions. Of the 178 country-rules we've indexed for Vape / E-Cigarette, 10 are allowed (often with limits), 119 are restricted (permit, declaration, or quantity cap), and 49 are prohibited outright. Customs rules depend on the destination, the purpose (travelling, posting, importing personally, or importing commercially), and the quantity.

Vapes and e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid (often containing nicotine, flavorings, and propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin) to produce an aerosol for inhalation. They are sold in disposable and refillable formats and are distinct from traditional tobacco cigarettes in that they produce vapor rather than smoke. Disposable vapes have become especially popular and are sold in hundreds of flavors in markets where they are legal. Refillable pod systems and box mods allow users to select their own e-liquid nicotine strength and flavor. The devices are powered by built-in or replaceable lithium-ion batteries, which means they are also subject to aviation lithium battery rules for air travel. From a customs perspective, vaping devices are treated as tobacco-related products in most markets, and the nicotine-containing liquids used in them attract excise duty where permitted. The market has grown enormously, prompting governments worldwide to regulate or ban these products far faster than prior consumer electronics categories. Regulatory approaches range from prescription-only import systems (Australia) to outright prohibition enforced with fines and confiscation (Thailand, Singapore, India). Major international airports have dedicated customs inspection points for vaping products given how frequently travelers unknowingly carry prohibited devices. Travelers should treat vaping devices the same as cigarettes for customs declaration purposes, declare them, and research destination-country rules carefully before travel as the regulatory landscape changes frequently.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?

Carry vape / e-cigarette in my luggage

78 country rules for personal travel

Send vape / e-cigarette by post

50 country rules for international parcels

Import vape / e-cigarette commercially

50 country rules for imports

Common mistakes with Vape / E-Cigarette

Assuming the rules at the origin apply at the destination — they don't. The destination customs authority is the binding rule.
Travelling and posting are treated differently: an item you can carry may be prohibited by post (and vice versa).
Personal vs commercial intent: above a quantity threshold, customs may treat your shipment as commercial regardless of intent.
Undervaluing on the customs declaration to avoid duty — treated as fraud in most jurisdictions.
Vague item descriptions on CN22/CN23 — biggest single cause of postal customs holds.
Loose tobacco / cigars converted incorrectly to the cigarette-equivalent under the destination's allowance.
Missing required certificates (phytosanitary, veterinary, CITES, prescription, product compliance).

Always verify against the destination's customs authority before acting. Not legal advice.

HS codes

8543.40 — Electronic cigarettes and similar personal electric vaporizing devices
2404.12 — Products containing nicotine intended for inhalation without combustion

Regulatory trend

Multiple countries (Australia, Thailand, Singapore, India) have introduced or expanded import bans on e-cigarettes in recent years; WHO FCTC guidance pushes parties toward stricter controls.

Excise duties

This item is subject to excise duty in the following jurisdictions. Duty is typically collected at the border in addition to any customs tariff.

United KingdomAustraliaCanadaNew ZealandGermanyFranceSouth Korea

Names in other languages

es: vapeador, cigarrillo electrónico, cigarro electrónico
fr: cigarette électronique, vape, e-cigarette
de: E-Zigarette, Vape, elektronische Zigarette
zh: 电子烟, 电子香烟, 雾化器
ja: 電子タバコ, ベイプ, vape

General notes

Vaping devices face highly varied international regulations. Australia requires a prescription for nicotine-containing vapes and restricts imports of disposables. Thailand, Singapore, India, and several other countries have outright bans on e-cigarettes, with fines or confiscation for possession. The EU and UK permit them but require TPD-compliant packaging and nicotine caps. The US permits personal importation but the FDA restricts commercial import of devices lacking marketing authorization. Always check destination-country rules before travel, as personal-use allowances differ from commercial import rules.

Status by country (traveling)

A · allowedR · restrictedP · prohibited

EUROPE

ASIA PACIFIC

SingaporeP MongoliaR PhilippinesR TaiwanP South KoreaA JapanR MalaysiaR Sri LankaR CambodiaR VietnamR PakistanR ThailandP ChinaR BangladeshR IndiaP Hong KongP LaosR MyanmarR

AMERICAS

United StatesA Costa RicaR EcuadorR PeruR UruguayR Dominican RepublicR VenezuelaR ParaguayR PanamaR GuatemalaR BoliviaR BrazilP MexicoR JamaicaR ChileR CanadaR CubaR

MIDDLE EAST

United Arab EmiratesP Saudi ArabiaA TurkeyR IranR IsraelR IraqR KuwaitR BahrainR OmanR

AFRICA

MoroccoR EthiopiaR EgyptR GhanaR TanzaniaR AlgeriaR TunisiaR SenegalR CameroonR

OCEANIA

AustraliaR New ZealandR

Also documented for posting & importing

Rules by country and purpose

Carrying in personal luggage

Vape / E-Cigarette

🇹🇭 Thailand

PROHIBITED

Completely banned. Possession carries criminal penalties.

traveling

Vape / E-Cigarette

🇸🇬 Singapore

PROHIBITED

Banned. Importation and possession are criminal offences.

traveling

Vape / E-Cigarette

🇦🇺 Australia

Common mistakes with Vape / E-Cigarette

HS codes

Regulatory trend

Excise duties

Names in other languages

General notes

Status by country (traveling)

Also documented for posting & importing

Rules by country and purpose

Carrying in personal luggage

Sending by post

Personal importing

Legal alternatives

Related guides

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