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Notify the HSE before selling tobacco

All retailers of tobacco products in Ireland are legally required to register with the National Tobacco Control Office (NTCO) of the HSE. This applies to everyone selling cigarettes, rolling tobacco, and other tobacco-related items.

This obligation is set out under Section 37 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002 (as amended) and the Public Health (Tobacco) (Registration) Regulations 2009.

How to Register

You can register in one of two ways:

You will need:

  • business name and address
  • contact details
  • type of premises (e.g. shop, vending machine)
  • payment of the €50 registration fee (covers multiple premises or machines)

If you are a cross-border distance seller, you must register with the HSE and the appropriate authority before starting operations. This applies to retailers in Ireland selling to the EU and those in other EU countries selling to Ireland.

What Happens Next

Once registered:

  1. Your details are added to the National Register of Tobacco Retailers.
  2. You may be subject to market surveillance and inspections by Environmental Health Officers from the National Environmental Health Service.
  3. You must comply with product standards, signage, and packaging rules.

What you need to know

There are certain rules and changes you need to be aware of when selling tobacco products.

Changes from February 2026

From 2 February 2026, the existing registration system for tobacco and nicotine inhaling product retailers will be replaced by a new annual licensing system:

  • An annual licence will be required for each premises:
    • €1,000 for tobacco products
    • €800 for nicotine inhaling products
  • You will need a licence for retail premises sales and a separate one for website sales.
  • Temporary or mobile premises cannot be licensed.
  • Retail staff must be aged 18 or over, with limited exceptions.
  • The HSE may publish the names of businesses convicted of offences under tobacco control legislation.

Retailers are responsible for ensuring that all products meet legal standards:

  • Maximum nicotine concentration: 20mg/ml
  • Packaging must be:
    • child-resistant
    • tamper-proof
    • include bilingual health warnings
  • An information leaflet must accompany each product.

Non-compliant products may be subject to enforcement action, including fines of up to €4,000 per offence.

Rules for retailers

Retailers must ensure (Tobacco Products Only):

  • No sales to anyone under 18, even if the purchase is intended for someone else.
  • No advertising or display of tobacco products in retail outlets, including behind-the-counter displays and vending machines.
  • Cigarettes are sold only in packs of 20 or more — smaller pack sizes are prohibited.
  • All tobacco products carry bilingual health warnings (in Irish and English) and comply with packaging regulations.
  • No self-service vending machines after September 2025

Public Health Enforcement

The HSE’s National Environmental Health Service enforces tobacco control laws under the Public Health (Tobacco) Act, including:

  • Section 47: Prohibits smoking in enclosed workplaces and public areas
  • Section 45: Prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors under 18

To support enforcement, the HSE conducts compliance checks (test purchases) in retail outlets to assess whether tobacco products are being sold to minors.

While overall compliance has been high since the Act’s introduction, challenges remain — particularly in:

  • licensed premises with non-compliant smoking shelters
  • retailers selling tobacco products to minors

Details of prosecutions and convictions under the Act are published to:

  • raise awareness of tobacco control laws
  • highlight good practice among compliant retailers
  • demonstrate enforcement action against non-compliance
  • encourage public and business reporting via the Compliance Line: 1800 333 100

Contact the National Tobacco Office

Email: info.tpd@hse.ie

Phone: 045 988204

Further information

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