Pennsylvania Vape Laws

Pennsylvania Vape Directory Law: Seizures From October 19

The Pennsylvania vape directory law allows seizures of unlisted nicotine vapes from shops starting October 19, 2026. It is Act 57 of 2025 (House Bill 1425), signed by Governor Josh Shapiro on December 22, 2025.

Each maker must certify every nicotine vape it sells here with the Attorney General. A product qualifies mainly through FDA authorization or, for older products, an FDA application filed by September 9, 2020 that is still under review (law text). The directory went online June 18, 2026 with no products on it, and shops got 120 days to clear unlisted stock.

After that, selling an unlisted vape costs a shop $500 per product, and each unit counts. A second or third violation within 12 months brings $750 to $1,500 per product per day. The second also suspends the shop's license for at least 14 days, and the third revokes it. Sellers also pay to seize and destroy the vapes, which the Attorney General's FAQ warns can cost more than the fine.

A federal lawsuit filed May 20, 2026 by Tobacco Hut store companies and a distributor is still pending, with no ruling found as of October 3. The Attorney General says the October 19 date stands.

Which Vapes Can Shops Sell in Pennsylvania

Shops in Pennsylvania can sell only the nicotine vapes on the Attorney General's ENDS directory once enforcement starts October 19. On October 3, 2026, it listed 159 products: Vuse Alto, Solo and Vibe; JUUL; NJOY Ace and Daily; Naked 100 e-liquids; CrossBar; and e Cig 4 Inmate.

Geek Bar, Raz and Lost Mary were not listed. Geek Bar was also missing from the office's September 24 list of pending applications, which names only makers that agreed to be named.

The state list differs from the FDA's 48 authorized e-cigarettes from Glas, JUUL, Logic, NJOY and Vuse. Pennsylvania also takes some older products with timely FDA applications, such as Naked 100, but had not listed Glas or Logic by October 3.

You can search the directory by maker, brand, flavor or type, and it must be updated at least monthly.

Pennsylvania Vape Age and ID Rules

Pennsylvania vape age and ID rules set the buying age at 21, under state law since July 1, 2020, and federal law since December 20, 2019. State law, Act 111 of 2019, lets service members and honorably discharged veterans buy at 18, but federal Tobacco 21 has no military exception, so 21 applies to everyone.

Federal rules require shops to check a photo ID for anyone under 30. State law ties a shop's legal defense to a written policy of asking for photo ID from anyone who looks 25 or younger.

Pennsylvania Vape Taxes and Licenses

Pennsylvania vape taxes and licenses both run through the Department of Revenue. Since October 1, 2016, the state has taxed vapes at 40 percent of the price a shop pays its wholesaler. The tax covers devices and any vape liquid, with or without nicotine, and the department's retailer guide lists hemp and CBD vape products too. A 2018 court ruling held that coils, tanks and mods sold on their own are not taxable.

Shops pay that tax before vapes reach the shelf. At the register you pay the 6 percent state sales tax, plus 1 percent in Allegheny County or 2 percent in Philadelphia.

Every shop needs a $25 state tobacco products license per location, displayed on site and listed daily on Open Data Pennsylvania. Since February 20, 2026, shops may buy only from Pennsylvania-licensed wholesalers. Philadelphia also requires a city permit, and new permits are capped by planning district and barred within 500 feet of a K-12 school.

Hemp THC Vapes in Pennsylvania

Hemp THC vapes in Pennsylvania rely on the federal definition of hemp, because the state allows marijuana only for patients in its medical program. Lawmakers have not passed rules for intoxicating hemp. A Senate bill matching the federal limits failed 23 to 27 on June 10, 2026 but remains pending, and adult-use legalization has stalled in the Senate.

Federal law tightens in two steps, the Congressional Research Service explains. On November 12, 2026, products with cannabinoids the plant cannot make lose hemp status. On December 11, total THC including THCA starts to count and cannabinoids made outside the plant are out. A product may then hold no more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, vape cartridges included (Public Law 119-37, delayed by Public Law 119-103).

On September 30, 2026, the Montgomery County district attorney charged 46 businesses over THC products, vape cartridges included. Philadelphia's Bill 260163, signed September 15, 2026, bans selling products federal law excludes from hemp starting November 12.

Buying and Shipping Vapes in Pennsylvania

Buying and shipping vapes in Pennsylvania from online sellers falls mostly under federal law, and the US Postal Service has not carried vapes since October 21, 2021, apart from narrow exceptions. Sellers that ship vapes here must follow the PACT Act. They must register with the ATF and the state, verify your age at checkout, and have the carrier check a photo ID and get the signature of someone 21 or older at delivery.

If you buy vapes online or out of state without paying Pennsylvania tax, you owe the 40 percent tax plus use tax, reported on form REV-1809, the Department of Revenue says.

Pennsylvania Vape Law FAQ

This Pennsylvania vape law FAQ answers the questions shoppers ask most, and VapePenStores opens its Pennsylvania shop pages in a later wave.