Vaping is legal in Cyprus, but it is regulated almost as strictly as smoking. You can buy and use e-cigarettes from the age of 18, you cannot vape indoors in public places, in workplaces, on buses or in taxis, and you cannot vape in a car when someone under 18 is on board. This guide explains the rules for residents and visitors in plain English, based on the Cypriot law itself.
The short answer
- Vaping is legal in Cyprus for adults aged 18 and over.
- It is banned in enclosed public places such as restaurants, bars, cafés, shops, hotels, airports and shopping centres.
- It is also banned in workplaces, buses, taxis and private cars carrying anyone under 18.
- The same rules apply to nicotine-free e-cigarettes.
- Fines go up to €2,000.
- Flavoured e-liquids and disposable vapes are legal, within EU limits of 20 mg/ml nicotine and 2 ml per device or pod.
- When flying, keep your vape in your hand luggage and never charge it on board.
In this guide
- Is vaping legal in Cyprus?
- The rules at a glance
- Where you cannot vape
- Where you can vape
- Restaurants, bars and terraces
- Hotels and holiday rentals
- Age limit and ID
- Fines
- Which vapes and e-liquids are sold in Cyprus
- Flying to and from Cyprus with a vape
- Bringing vapes and e-liquids into Cyprus
- Practical tips for visitors
- Frequently asked questions
Is vaping legal in Cyprus?
Yes. Selling, buying and using e-cigarettes is legal in the Republic of Cyprus. The main rules are set out in the Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law of 2017, Law 24(I)/2017, which regulates e-cigarettes alongside cigarettes, heated tobacco and water pipes. The law defines an electronic cigarette as a product with a mouthpiece used to consume nicotine-containing vapour, including refill containers and devices, and it states that the ban on using e-cigarettes also covers models that contain no nicotine at all.
In practice this means that most of the places where you cannot smoke are also places where you cannot vape. Cyprus does not treat vaping as a lighter version of smoking when it comes to public spaces. If a sign says no smoking, assume it also means no vaping.
Product rules come from the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which Cyprus applies like every other EU country. It limits nicotine strength, bottle and tank sizes, and sets labelling and safety requirements. On top of that, Cyprus charges excise duty on all e-liquids. Both points are covered further down.
This guide covers the laws of the Republic of Cyprus. Different rules apply in the north of the island.
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18. Supplying e-cigarettes to anyone under 18 is illegal. |
| Indoor public places | No vaping in restaurants, bars, cafés, shops, hotels, airports, ports, shopping centres, cinemas, clubs and similar venues. |
| Workplaces | No vaping in any workplace. |
| Transport | No vaping on buses, in taxis or in private cars with a passenger under 18. |
| Schools, hospitals, playgrounds | No vaping indoors or in their outdoor areas, apart from designated hospital zones away from entrances. |
| Nicotine-free vapes | Covered by the same usage bans. |
| Product limits | Up to 20 mg/ml nicotine, refill bottles up to 10 ml, tanks and pods up to 2 ml. |
| Flavours and disposables | Both legal in Cyprus. |
| Excise duty | €0.12 per ml on all e-liquid, with or without nicotine. |
| Maximum fine | €2,000 for breaking the usage bans. |
Where you cannot vape
The law lists “smoke-free places” in detail, and vaping is banned in all of them. The ban applies to the indoor or enclosed parts of these places:
- public buildings, government offices, banks and other financial institutions
- universities, schools and training centres
- airports and ports
- hospitals, health centres, clinics, dental practices and pharmacies
- care homes for elderly people and people with disabilities
- cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, concert halls, cultural centres and libraries
- sports facilities, hotels, food factories and premises that prepare or sell food
- lifts, public toilets and shopping centres
- clubs and associations, including members-only ones
- kiosks, betting shops, bowling alleys and billiard halls
- internet cafés, traditional coffee shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, cabarets, party venues, nightclubs, barbers and hairdressers
- events and play areas for children
Some outdoor areas are also off limits. You cannot vape in the outdoor areas of schools, in the outdoor areas of hospitals and health centres (unless there is a designated area that is not at an entrance or exit), or at children’s events and playgrounds.
Beyond specific places, the law bans vaping in every workplace. The only exception is testing e-cigarettes in specialised shops, which is why you may be offered a flavour to try in a vape store.
Transport has its own rule. Vaping is banned on buses and in taxis, and in any private car when a passenger under 18 is travelling. That last point catches many parents and drivers by surprise: it does not matter whether the windows are open or whether the child is asleep.
Where you can vape
Outside the places listed above, vaping is generally allowed. In everyday terms you can usually vape:
- outdoors in streets, squares and parks, unless a sign or the owner says otherwise
- on open-air terraces that meet the conditions explained in the next section
- at home and in private outdoor spaces
- in hotel rooms or floors that are specially equipped for smokers
- in designated smoking areas at airports and ports, where these exist
Two caveats are worth keeping in mind. First, the law allows the owner or manager of any outdoor area to ban smoking there, so a beach bar, a resort pool area or a private event can set stricter rules than the state. Second, the smoking law does not list beaches among the places where smoking is banned, but individual beaches and beach businesses can still ask you not to vape. Follow local signs and staff instructions.
Being considerate also goes a long way. Vapour clouds near families, food stalls or crowded sunbeds can draw complaints even where vaping is technically allowed.
Restaurants, bars and terraces
Restaurants, cafés and bars are smoke-free indoors, and that includes vaping. Terraces are where most confusion arises.
The law allows smoking, and therefore vaping, in an outdoor area next to an enclosed space only if that outdoor area meets specific conditions. In simple terms, the terrace must be properly separated from the indoor space, for example with self-closing or double doors, or it must be genuinely open, with a substantial part of its perimeter open to the air or no enclosure at all. A terrace that has been closed in with plastic sheets, glass walls or heavy curtains for the winter usually counts as an enclosed space, and vaping there is not allowed.
The easiest approach is to look for ashtrays and signs, or simply ask the staff. Venues can be fined if customers break the rules, so most will tell you clearly where you may vape.
Hotels and holiday rentals
Hotels are on the list of smoke-free places, so the indoor areas of a hotel, including lobbies, corridors, restaurants and bars, are vape-free. The law makes an exception for hotel floors or rooms that are specially equipped for smokers with separate ventilation, and for hotel cigar lounges, which are closed to anyone under 18.
In practice, most hotel rooms in Cyprus are non-smoking rooms, and vaping in them can lead to a cleaning charge on top of any legal issue. If you want to vape in your room, ask at booking whether smoking rooms are available. Balconies are usually acceptable, but check the hotel’s own rules first.
Holiday apartments and villas are private homes, so the smoking law’s indoor ban does not apply in the same way. The owner’s house rules do, however, and many rentals do not allow smoking or vaping indoors.
Age limit and ID
The legal age for buying e-cigarettes in Cyprus is 18. The law prohibits supplying e-cigarettes, refill containers and other nicotine products to anyone under 18, whether by selling them or giving them away. It also bans free distribution of these products to anyone and bans vending machines for them.
Shops are responsible for checking age, so expect to be asked for ID if you look young. A passport, national ID card or driving licence with a photo and date of birth is usually accepted. Online shops, including ours, sell only to adults aged 18 and over and may ask for proof of age.
Enforcement is a live topic. In February 2026 the president of the Cyprus Addictions Authority reported that 11% of young people in Cyprus vape daily, above the European average of 9%, and called for stricter ID checks. Buying for someone under 18 is supply under the law, so it is an offence even if no money changes hands.
Fines
Penalties under Law 24(I)/2017 are set as maximum amounts, and a court decides the final figure. The main ones are:
- vaping in a smoke-free place: a fine of up to €2,000
- vaping in a bus, taxi or a car with a minor on board: a fine of up to €2,000
- vaping in a workplace: a fine of up to €2,000
- selling or supplying to a minor: a fine of up to €2,000, and for a repeat offence up to six months in prison, a fine of up to €3,000, or both
Separately, the Chief Health Officer can impose administrative fines of up to €850, regardless of any criminal case. Business owners also have duties, such as displaying no-smoking signs, and can be fined if they fail to enforce the ban on their premises.
Which vapes and e-liquids are sold in Cyprus
All nicotine vaping products sold legally in Cyprus must comply with the EU Tobacco Products Directive. The key limits are:
- nicotine e-liquid can contain no more than 20 mg/ml of nicotine
- refill bottles with nicotine can hold no more than 10 ml
- tanks, pods and disposable vapes can hold no more than 2 ml of e-liquid
- packaging must be child-resistant and tamper-evident
- every pack carries the warning “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance”
- certain additives, such as vitamins, caffeine and taurine, are not allowed in nicotine e-liquids
This is why you will not find 50 mg nic salts or 10 ml disposables in a legitimate Cypriot shop. If you see them, they are not compliant products. Larger bottles do exist, but only for nicotine-free liquids, such as aroma shots and bases that you mix yourself with a nicotine booster.
Flavoured e-liquids are legal in Cyprus. The EU flavour ban that took effect in 2023 applies to heated tobacco products, not to e-cigarettes, so fruit, menthol, dessert and drink flavours are all available. Disposable vapes are also legal. This surprises some visitors from the United Kingdom, which banned single-use vapes from 1 June 2025, and from Belgium, which banned them from 1 January 2025.
Cyprus charges an excise duty of €0.12 per ml on liquid used in electronic cigarettes, whether or not it contains nicotine. For a 10 ml bottle that is €1.20 of duty before VAT, which is one reason e-liquid prices in Cyprus can differ from those in other EU countries.
If you are not sure where to start, our pages on nic salts, disposable vapes and vape devices explain the main options.
Flying to and from Cyprus with a vape
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is clear on e-cigarettes. They must always be carried in your hand luggage, never in checked baggage, and it is forbidden to recharge them on board. The reason is the lithium battery: if it fails in the hold, nobody can deal with it.
Airlines also ban using e-cigarettes during the flight, including so-called discreet vaping, and cabin crew take this seriously.
A few practical points for your trip:
- Keep your device switched off or locked, and protect spare batteries from short circuits.
- EASA limits spare batteries and power banks to two per person, carried in hand luggage.
- Put e-liquid bottles in your clear liquids bag and follow the liquid rules of the airport you depart from. Standard 10 ml bottles fit easily.
- Cabin pressure can make pods and tanks leak, so carry them half full or empty and upright.
At Larnaca and Paphos airports the terminal buildings are smoke-free. According to Hermes Airports, there is a smoking area after passport control at both: next to Burger King at Larnaca and at the Beer Garden at Paphos.
Bringing vapes and e-liquids into Cyprus
Visitors can bring their own vape and a reasonable amount of e-liquid for personal use. Cyprus customs guidance applies quantity thresholds to tobacco brought in by private travellers from other EU countries. Above those thresholds, goods are presumed to be for commercial use. There is no specific personal allowance listed for e-liquids, so large quantities could be questioned and may be liable for excise duty.
Ordering vapes online from a shop in another country is a different matter. Cross-border online sales of e-cigarettes are restricted under EU rules, and many foreign shops do not ship vaping products to Cyprus at all. If you need supplies during your stay, buy from a shop based in Cyprus.
Buying locally has another advantage: you get products that are labelled for the EU market and comply with TPD limits, and you avoid the risk of fake or non-compliant devices sold through unofficial channels.
Practical tips for visitors
- Carry ID if you look under 25. Shops will ask, and they are right to.
- Assume no-smoking signs also mean no vaping, including on enclosed terraces.
- Never vape in a car with children or teenagers on board, even with the windows down.
- Do not leave your vape in a parked car in summer. Interior temperatures in Cyprus can be very high, and heat is bad for lithium batteries and e-liquid.
- Dispose of empty disposables and old batteries at battery or electronics collection points, not in household bins or on the beach.
- If you run out, look for a licensed vape shop rather than a souvenir kiosk, so you get genuine, TPD-compliant products.
Where to buy vapes in Cyprus
Royal Smoke is a licensed vape store at Agiou Andreou 117 in Limassol, open every day from 10:00 to 20:00. We stock disposables, e-liquids, nic salts, pod kits, pods and coils from brands such as Elf Bar, Lost Mary, IVG, WHOOP, SKE, UWELL, Vaporesso and VOOPOO. If you are staying elsewhere on the island, we also offer vape delivery across Cyprus with ACS Courier, to your hotel, an ACS office or a Smartpoint locker, usually within 1 to 3 working days.
Frequently asked questions
Is vaping legal in Cyprus?
Yes. Buying and using e-cigarettes is legal in Cyprus for adults aged 18 and over. Vaping is regulated by the Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law of 2017, which bans it in enclosed public places, workplaces, buses, taxis and cars carrying minors.
Can you buy disposable vapes in Cyprus?
Yes. Disposable vapes are legal in Cyprus as long as they comply with EU rules: no more than 2 ml of e-liquid and no more than 20 mg/ml of nicotine. They are sold in licensed vape shops and online by Cyprus-based stores.
Can I vape in restaurants and bars in Cyprus?
Not indoors. Restaurants, cafés and bars are smoke-free places, and the ban includes e-cigarettes. You may be able to vape on a properly open terrace, but not on one enclosed with walls, glass or plastic sheeting.
Can I vape on the beach in Cyprus?
The smoking law does not list beaches among the places where smoking is banned, so vaping on a beach is generally allowed. Beach businesses and organisers can set their own rules, so follow local signs and staff instructions.
What is the legal age for vaping in Cyprus?
18. It is illegal to sell or give e-cigarettes and refill containers to anyone under 18, and shops may ask for ID to confirm your age.
Can I vape in my hotel room in Cyprus?
Only in rooms or floors that are specially equipped for smokers. Hotels are smoke-free places under Cypriot law, and most rooms are non-smoking, so ask the hotel before you vape indoors.
Can I take my vape on a plane to Cyprus?
Yes, but only in your hand luggage. EASA rules say e-cigarettes must always be carried in the cabin, never in checked baggage, and they must not be charged or used during the flight.
Are flavoured vapes banned in Cyprus?
No. Flavoured e-liquids and disposable vapes are legal in Cyprus. The EU flavour ban introduced in 2023 applies only to heated tobacco products.
What is the fine for vaping in a banned place in Cyprus?
Up to €2,000 under Law 24(I)/2017. The Chief Health Officer can also impose administrative fines of up to €850.
Sources
- The Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law of 2017, Law 24(I)/2017
- EU Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU
- Cyprus Customs and Excise Department: Excise Duties
- EASA: Dangerous goods when flying
- Hermes Airports: Smoking areas at Larnaca and Paphos
This guide is general information based on the sources above and is not legal advice. Laws can change, so check official sources if you need a definitive answer.