business.gov.au

Smoking product supplier licensing scheme - Queensland

Description

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.

 

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Eligibility requirements

Retail or wholesale licences can be applied for by:

  • sole trader - individual with an Australian Business Number (ABN), including a trust where the trustee is an individual
  • partnership - a partnership with an ABN made up of 2 or more people
  • corporation - a company with an Australian Company Number (ACN) or a trust where a trustee is a company (with an ACN and ABN)
  • other organisations - with an ABN and no ACN such as incorporated associations or a trust where the trustee is a company (with an ACN and ABN).

A retail (liquor) licence can only be applied for by the liquor licensee.

Licence display requirements

You must display an approved copy of your licence at the retail or wholesale outlet so that it can be easily read by customers at all times that your business is open. An approved copy of your licence must also be displayed on the website if you have an online shop.

An approved copy of your licence must either be a full copy of your granted licence or an extract from the licence that contains the following information:

  • the type of licence you hold:
    • Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 retail licence
    • Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 retail licence (liquor)
    • Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 wholesale licence.
  • the unique identification number of the licence
  • a link or QR code to the public register of all retail licences and wholesale licences.

An approved copy of your licence must also:

  • be in black on a white background
  • not contain any additional symbols, images or words to those contained in a licence granted under the Act that imply the sale of smoking products is promoted by the State
  • fit an A4 page if displayed at a retail or wholesale outlet.

Duration

Up to 12 months

Expiry

Licence holders must apply to renew their licence before the expiry date. You will receive a reminder 28 days before the expiry date. It is your responsibility to ensure your licence remains current. If a reminder notice is not received, you can still apply to renew your licence online within the 28-day period.

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Description
Apply Application All

You can find the current fees here.

Application process

Apply

You can apply for your licence online. To apply for a licence, you first need a Digital ID through myID.

Administering agency

Queensland Health

Prevention Strategy Branch

Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.