Tobacco and vaping licensing by state — retailer licences and reform timeline
Tobacco retailer licensing is mandatory in every state — but with different fees, regulators and commencement dates. Compare NSW (from 1 Jul 2025), VIC (from 1 Jul 2026), QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT — plus Commonwealth vaping reforms from 1 Jul 2024.
Tobacco retailer licensing is the fastest-moving area of state public-health regulation. Five years ago, NSW and Victoria had only notification or registration systems; today both have mandatory licences. NSW's licensing scheme commenced 1 July 2025. Victoria's commences in stages from 1 July 2025 (applications), with enforcement from 1 February 2026 and mandatory licence-to-sell from 1 July 2026. Queensland's mandatory smoking product supplier licence has been in force since 1 September 2024.
Older licensing regimes operate in South Australia (under the Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products Act 1997), Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory — each requires a separate retail tobacco licence administered by the state health department, CBS (SA) or Access Canberra (ACT).
Vaping is a Commonwealth matter from 1 July 2024. Under the Therapeutic Goods Administration's reforms, vapes (with or without nicotine) can only be supplied through pharmacies. Non-pharmacy retailers — tobacconists, vape shops, convenience stores — are prohibited from supplying any vape, including existing stock. From 1 October 2024, pharmacists can supply vapes up to 20mg/mL nicotine without a prescription to over-18s, subject to state law. Higher-nicotine vapes still require a prescription.
For the plain-English explainer, see our companion guide: Tobacco and vaping licensing in Australia.
Comparison matrix
Click any column header to sort.
Tobacco retailer licence required? | Yes — from 1 Jul 2025 NSW Health | Yes — applications from 1 Jul 2025; enforcement from 1 Feb 2026; mandatory from 1 Jul 2026 Health Vic | Yes — from 1 Sep 2024 (smoking product supplier licence) Business Qld | Yes — long-standing tobacco retailer licence WA Health | Yes — Retail Tobacco and E-Cigarette Merchant's Licence SA Health | Yes — tobacco seller licence required Health Tas | Yes — under Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1927 Access Canberra | Yes — tobacco retail licence required NT Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commencement of current licensing scheme | 1 Jul 2025 NSW Health | 1 Jul 2025 (applications); enforcement from 1 Feb 2026 Tobacco Licensing Vic | 1 Sep 2024 Business Qld | Pre-existing under Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 WA Health | Pre-existing under Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products Act 1997; CBS administration from 1 Jul 2024 CBS SA | Pre-existing under Public Health Act 1997 Health Tas | Pre-existing under Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1927 Access Canberra | Pre-existing under Tobacco Control Act 2002 NT Health |
Licence fee (annual) Verify current fee with the regulator — fees are indexed or under review in several states. | $1,100 NSW Health | Verify current fee with Tobacco Licensing Victoria Tobacco Licensing Vic | Verify current fee with OFT Business Qld | Verify current fee with WA Health WA Health | Verify current fee with CBS SA CBS SA | Verify current fee with Health Tasmania Health Tas | Verify current fee with Access Canberra Access Canberra | Verify current fee with NT Health NT Health |
Vaping product supply Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration reforms apply nationally from 1 Jul 2024 — pharmacies only. | Pharmacy only (no tobacco licence needed); other retailers prohibited NSW Health | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme; tobacco licence excludes vapes Health Vic | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme Qld Health | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme WA Health | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme (TEP Act licence no longer covers vapes from 1 Jul 2024) SA Health | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme Health Tas | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme ACT Health | Pharmacy only — TGA scheme NT Health |
Reform / change in force 2026 | Scheme operating; enforcement ramp-up (28 inspectors) NSW Gov | Enforcement from 1 Feb 2026; mandatory licence from 1 Jul 2026 Tobacco Licensing Vic | Bedding in 2024 scheme; expanded enforcement Business Qld | No major reform in 2026 WA Health | CBS administration bedded in (from 1 Jul 2024) CBS SA | No major reform in 2026 Health Tas | No major reform in 2026 Access Canberra | No major reform in 2026 NT Health |
Administering regulator | NSW Health (Tobacco and Smoking) NSW Health | Tobacco Licensing Victoria (Dept of Health) Tobacco Licensing Vic | Office of Fair Trading (OFT) — Business Queensland Business Qld | WA Department of Health (Tobacco Control) WA Health | Consumer and Business Services SA (from 1 Jul 2024) CBS SA | Tasmanian Department of Health Health Tas | Access Canberra (under ACT Health framework) Access Canberra | NT Department of Health NT Health |
Governing Act | Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 (NSW) + Tobacco Licensing Scheme Regulation 2025 NSW Legislation | Tobacco Act 1987 (Vic) + Tobacco Amendment (Tobacco Retailer and Wholesaler Licensing Scheme) Act 2024 (Vic) Vic Legislation | Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 (Qld) + Smoking Products Supplier Licence regulations Qld Legislation | Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 (WA) WA Legislation | Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products Act 1997 (SA) SA Legislation | Public Health Act 1997 (Tas), Pt 6 Tobacco Tas Legislation | Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1927 (ACT) ACT Legislation | Tobacco Control Act 2002 (NT) NT Legislation |
Every cell links to the cited source. Rules Mate links and summarises — it does not reproduce statutory text. Confirm with the cited regulator before relying on any cell.
Frequently asked
When does Victoria's tobacco licence become mandatory?
Applications opened on 1 July 2025. Tobacco Licensing Victoria began enforcement on 1 February 2026. From 1 July 2026 it is an offence to sell tobacco products in Victoria without a licence. Licences issued in 2025-26 are valid until 30 June 2027 with annual renewals after that.
Can a tobacco retailer also sell vapes?
No — not under a tobacco licence. From 1 July 2024 the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration restricts vape supply to pharmacies. Tobacconists, vape shops and convenience stores are prohibited from selling any vape, regardless of nicotine content. SA Health expressly notes that its retail tobacco licence no longer permits e-cigarette sales.
Do pharmacies need a tobacco licence to sell vapes?
No. Vapes sit under the Therapeutic Goods Administration's framework, not under state tobacco licensing. From 1 October 2024 pharmacists can supply vapes up to 20mg/mL nicotine without a prescription to people over 18, subject to state and territory law. Higher-nicotine products still require a prescription.
Which state has had a tobacco retailer licence the longest?
South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory have run mandatory retail tobacco licences for decades, in some cases since the 1990s. NSW and Victoria are the most recent to move from notification/registration to mandatory licensing — NSW from 1 July 2025 and Victoria from 1 July 2026.
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