To retail or wholesale smoking products, you must hold a smoking product supply licence. This became a requirement from 1 September 2024. Without a licence you will not be able to supply smoking products. Any supply of smoking products without a licence is a breach of the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998.
Smoking products can include tobacco products, herbal cigarettes, loose smoking blend, shisha, smoking related products or a package or carton of any of these things.
Federal and state changes to the regulation of vapes have commenced, which restrict the supply of therapeutic vapes to pharmacies.
Non-pharmacy retailers are not permitted to sell any vaping devices, vaping substances, or vaping accessories. The restriction also applies to nicotine-free vapes and includes existing stock.
There are significant penalties for businesses continuing to supply vaping goods including imprisonment, and significant financial penalties, suspension or cancellation of a smoking products licence and closure of a store.
There are 3 licence types available.
Retail licence
A retail licence authorises you to sell smoking products to the public from a retail premises or an online shop.
If you want to sell smoking products from more than 1 premises, you must submit a separate application and hold a licence for each premises.
A single retail licence can include 1 premises and 1 connected online retail shop.
If you are a retailer wanting to sell limited quantities of smoking products by wholesale to other smaller licensed retailers, you must request the sub-wholesale condition when you apply for your retail licence. This condition is only available for a retail licence if retail sales are the primary activity of your licenced business.
Retail (liquor) licence
A retail (liquor) licence authorises you to sell smoking products to the public from a liquor licensed premises. Only a liquor licensee may apply for a retail (liquor) licence. A copy of your liquor licence for the premises is required as part of the application process.
If you want to sell smoking products from more than 1 liquor licensed premises, you must apply and obtain a licence for each premises.
A retail (liquor) licence limits the supply of smoking products from the liquor licensed premises. Online supply of smoking products is not permitted.
Wholesale licence
A wholesale licence authorises you to sell smoking products by wholesale to licensed retailers from a wholesale premises or an online wholesale outlet.
If you want to sell smoking products from more than 1 wholesale premises, you must submit a separate application and hold a licence for each premises. Where your wholesale premises has an online outlet for online sales connected to the wholesale premises, a single wholesale licence authorises you to sell smoking products from both.