Norway and the UK are the two destinations we are asked about most often, and both now have rules that make cross-border vape orders either prohibited or expensive. If you are planning to order from inside the EU, or travelling there with your own device, here is exactly where each country stands.
Norway: online orders are now prohibited outright
Since 1 January 2026, private individuals in Norway cannot order tobacco or nicotine products from abroad. The prohibition on cross-border distance sales (Tobakksskadeloven §21b) covers every ordering method — web shop, telephone, post or any other form of distance sale. A sale counts as cross-border when the seller and the buyer are in different countries at the moment the order is placed.
Products caught by the ban include:
- Cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products
- Snus, and nicotine pouches without tobacco
- Vapes and e-cigarettes containing nicotine
- E-liquid containing nicotine
- Heated tobacco products (HTP) and waterpipe tobacco
- Nicotine-free e-cigarettes and e-liquid with characterising flavours
The same rules prevent Norwegian businesses from selling these products directly to consumers in other countries. Norwegian Customs may detain, confiscate and destroy goods sent in breach — and there is no compensation for destroyed items, even if the order was placed before the rules changed.
What is still permitted for Norway
Three narrow exceptions remain:
| Product | Distance sale into Norway | Travel allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Nicotine vapes and e-liquid | Prohibited | Within the traveller's tobacco quota only |
| Nicotine-free e-cigarettes, tobacco flavour | Permitted | Permitted |
| Nicotine-free e-cigarettes, characterising flavours | Prohibited | Restricted |
| Snus (tobacco-based) | Prohibited | Within the traveller's tobacco quota |
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Banned entirely | Banned entirely |
Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes may still be imported for personal use as a smoking-cessation product, but only where the requirements of Norwegian medicinal products legislation are met — that is a pharmaceutical route, not an ordinary retail purchase.
Norway also implemented key provisions of the EU Tobacco Products Directive in March 2026, and from 1 July 2026 nicotine e-cigarettes may be sold domestically only by products approved through a Norwegian Directorate of Health application scheme. Domestic online sales remain legal for registered retailers; importing is not.
Practical conclusion: Norway is a travellers-only destination. If you are flying in, bring what you need within the quota and do not place an order to a Norwegian address. Our carry-on rules guide covers the aviation side.
United Kingdom: disposables banned, duty incoming
The UK banned single-use disposable vapes from 1 June 2025. Refillable devices, pod kits and replaceable-pod systems remain legal, and the familiar TPD-style limits still apply: 2 ml maximum tank or pod, 10 ml maximum bottle for nicotine liquid, and 20 mg/ml maximum nicotine strength.
Two further points matter for anyone ordering from the EU:
Customs. The UK is outside the EU customs union. Orders shipped from Germany to the UK are imports: UK VAT applies, and duty may apply depending on value and classification. That is a materially different transaction from an EU-to-EU delivery, which is why EU warehouse stock is the cleaner option for EU customers.
Vaping Products Duty. The UK introduces a Vaping Products Duty on 1 October 2026 at £2.20 per 10 ml (£0.22 per ml) — roughly €0.26 per ml at current rates. That is slightly below Germany's €0.32 per ml e-liquid duty, so UK prices will edge closer to German prices but remain in the same range. Our breakdown of the German e-liquid duty shows the full 2022-2026 progression for comparison.
What this means if you are inside the EU
None of the above changes anything for deliveries inside the EU single market. Orders to Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands and the rest of the EU ship without customs clearance or duty at the border. Delivery windows are set out in the EU delivery times guide, and the cross-border picture for the two non-EU neighbours closest to us is in the Austria and Switzerland guide — Switzerland being a harder case than most people expect, since mailing vapes into the country is treated as prohibited importation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order vapes to Norway from Germany?
No. Cross-border distance sales of nicotine products into Norway have been prohibited since 1 January 2026, whatever the ordering method. Goods may be confiscated and destroyed without compensation.
Can I bring my own vape to Norway?
Travellers may bring tobacco and nicotine products within the standard traveller's quota. Nicotine-free e-cigarettes in tobacco flavour are permitted; nicotine pouches are banned outright.
Are disposable vapes legal in the UK?
No — single-use disposables were banned from 1 June 2025. Refillable pods, pod kits and e-liquid remain legal under the usual 2 ml, 10 ml and 20 mg/ml limits.
Will I pay customs on a vape order to the UK?
Yes. The UK is outside the EU customs union, so UK VAT applies and duty may be charged on import. There is no equivalent charge on EU-to-EU orders.
Does the UK duty start soon?
Vaping Products Duty applies from 1 October 2026 at £2.20 per 10 ml. It applies to nicotine-free liquid as well as nicotine liquid.
Do I need to be 18 for any of this?
Yes — 18 is the minimum purchase age in Norway, the UK and Germany alike. Online orders in Germany additionally require verified age checks at checkout and on delivery; see our guide to age verification.
What about other EU countries with bans?
Several EU members have banned disposables while remaining inside the single market, which changes what you can buy there but not how parcels cross borders. Our country-by-country overview in European disposable vape bans covers who has banned what.
