Northern Ireland Guidance - Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register
Information about changes to retailer registration from the 29 October 2026 and fixed penalty notices for register-related offences.
Summary
This guidance provides information about the Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retailer Register, products in scope and associated fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for offences.
This guidance is for retail business owners who sell tobacco, herbal smoking, vaping or nicotine products in Northern Ireland. It may also be useful for:
- wholesalers who also make retail sales
- managers of retail premises
- enforcement authorities
Changes to the law
From 29 October 2026, the Tobacco Retailers Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 is being amended. The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 extends the existing Northern Ireland tobacco retail registration arrangements and associated register-related offences to include retailers of vaping products (including non-nicotine vaping products) and nicotine products (including nicotine pouches).
The Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register (“the Register”) will be launched on the 29 October 2026 to include retailers of the expanded scope of products listed below.
It will be an offence to carry on a relevant retail business without being registered, or to carry on that business at premises which are not included in the retailer's entry in the Register.
Please see ‘Further information’ below for links to the relevant legislation and a QR code for the Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register.
What does this mean for retailers?
- All retailers that sell tobacco, vaping products or nicotine products (see products in scope) MUST register their premises;
- Retailers MUST be registered for ALL products sold on their premises (tobacco, vape, nicotine products). This requirement also applies to retailers who are already registered on the Tobacco Register NI;
- The person legally responsible for the business (owner, partner, director) is responsible for registering all relevant premises;
- The name and address details provided in the application must relate to the person legally responsible for the business (owner, partner, director);
- If you operate more than one retail premises selling products in scope, all retail premises must be registered.
- Retailers will be able to register from the 29 October 2026;
- Registration is free;
- Failure to register by the 1 March 2027 may result in formal action being taken;
- Persistent offenders may be subject to restricted premises orders and restricted sales orders if they commit 3 relevant offences within a 5-year period.
Products in scope
The products in scope of the Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register are:
- tobacco products
- herbal smoking products
- cigarette papers
- vaping products
- nicotine products
For tobacco products, this includes but is not limited to:
- cigarettes
- hand-rolling tobacco
- cigars and cigarillos
- pipe tobacco
- waterpipe tobacco, such as shisha
- nasal tobacco, commonly known as snuff
- chewing tobacco
- heated tobacco
- tobacco blunts
For vaping products, this includes, but is not limited to:
- vaping devices, such as vape pens
- substances intended to be vaped, such as e-liquid
- relevant vaping components, such as coils and vape pods
For nicotine products, this includes, but is not limited to:
- nicotine pouches
- nicotine strips
- nicotine pearls
All types of nicotine are included in the scope, including synthetic nicotine produced in a lab, rather than extracted from plants.
How to register
Registration is quick, easy and free and can be completed online or by completing and submitting a paper registration form.
- Online - You can register on the Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register homepage www.nitvnretailregister.belfastcity.gov.uk and complete the web-based form.
- Registration form - You can download the registration form from the website above or request a copy of the form from the Environmental Health Department of your local council: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
- Copies of the form can also be requested by calling the Registration Authority (Belfast City Council) on 028 9027 0428.
Completed forms should be sent to:
Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register,
City and Neighbourhood Services Department,
Cecil Ward Building,
4-10 Linenhall Street,
Belfast,
BT2 8BP
*Please note, you will be required to provide your Companies House registration number and the district council area, within which your premises operates.
There is no public access to any personal information contained in the register.
Additional Premises
If you operate more than one retail premises selling products in scope, each premises must be registered. All premises should be included on a single application form by providing the required details in the appropriate section:
- Online application: Details of each additional premises are to be added to the same application before final submission.
- Manual registration form: Additional pages will be made available to ensure details of all additional premises are submitted.
How to comply with the new legislation
- Register by the 1 March 2027.
- Keep your registration details up to date. You must notify the Registration Authority of any changes to your details, including;
- Name of person legally responsible for the business;
- Address of person legally responsible for the business;
- Registerable products no longer sold on premises;
- Additional registerable products sold on premises; or
- That the person is no longer operating a registerable business at the address recorded in the register.
- Notice must be given within 28 days of the change.
If you don’t register
There are consequences for retailers who do not comply with the new legislation.
From 1 March 2027, a person may be issued with an FPN if they:
- carry on a tobacco products, vaping products or nicotine products business when unregistered; or
- carry on a tobacco products, vaping products or nicotine products business when registered at premises other than those noted in the person’s entry in the register;
- fail to notify the Registration Authority of any changes to your details (noted above).
An FPN is a financial penalty that provides a person with the opportunity to discharge their liability for an offence without being prosecuted, provided the FPN is paid within the specified period.
FPNs can be issued at a level of up to £500 for registration-related offences.
For further information on FPNs, see the Northern Ireland guidance:
Persistent offenders
Retailers may be subject to restricted premises orders or restricted sales orders if they commit 3 relevant offences within a 5-year period. These orders last for a period specified in the order, which must not be less than 28 days or more than 3 years.
Payment of an FPN does not prevent that offence counting towards the persistent offending provisions of the Tobacco Retailers Act (Northern Ireland) 2014:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2014/4/contents.
Where the statutory threshold for persistent offending has been met, a council may apply for a Restricted Premises Order (RPO) or Restricted Sales Order (RSO) irrespective of whether any relevant FPNs have been paid.
Further information
For further information on the Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register, or any other provisions of the Tobacco Retailers Act, please contact the Environmental Health Department of your local district council:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
Website to register: www.nitvnretailregister.belfastcity.gov.uk
QR Code to be added
If you have a query about the registration process, please contact the Registration Authority:
Northern Ireland Tobacco, Vape and Nicotine Retail Register
Tel - 028 9027 0428
Email - nitvnretailregister@belfastcity.gov.uk
For more information on registration regulations and associated Fixed Penalties see:
- The Tobacco Retailers Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2014/4/contents (from 1 March 2027)
- The Tobacco Retailer (Fixed Penalty) (Amount) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2016/180, which will be updated to align with associated offences and dates
- The Tobacco Retailer (Fixed Penalty) (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2016/98/contents, which will be updated to align with associated offences and dates