Vaping is legal to buy in Dubai but banned in most enclosed public places, and customs lists e-cigarettes as restricted goods. Vape outdoors where no sign forbids it or in a marked smoking area, never in malls, taxis, the Metro or airports, and keep any device in hand luggage when you fly. This guide covers bringing a vape, buying one locally, where you can use it, Ramadan manners and the fines we could confirm.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
While you are in Dubai: Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai — From $45 per person, 7 hours.
Is vaping legal in Dubai?
Yes, with limits. Khaleej Times reports that e-cigarette sales are legal in the UAE, and vaping follows the smoking rules: banned in malls, restaurants, taxis, the Metro and airports, and allowed outdoors where no sign forbids it or in designated areas. An older Dubai Municipality fine of AED 2,000 is often quoted, so check the current amount.
This guide also answers:
- Can I bring a vape to Dubai?
- How old do you have to be to buy a vape in Dubai?
- Can I vape during Ramadan?
Where vaping stands in four common places
#1
Malls, restaurants and cafes
Vaping follows the smoking ban in enclosed public places, so a mall, a restaurant, a cinema or an indoor cafe is not the place. Khaleej Times reports that Dubai Municipality asked mall operators to put up signs, add guards and keep smoking areas at least 7 metres from entrances, so step outside to a marked area.
#2
Taxis, Metro, buses and airports
Gulf News lists public transport and airport terminals among the places where smoking and vaping are banned, and Khaleej Times adds that vapes cannot be used at any UAE airport, even where cigarettes are allowed in designated areas. Finish before you board, and keep your device in hand luggage when you fly.
#3
Streets and open-air walkways
Outdoors is the easy case: Gulf News says smoking is generally allowed where no sign prohibits it, and vaping follows the same rule. Keep away from entrances, queues and children, step aside from other people, and read the signs on promenades, because some operators set their own rules.
#4
Parks and beaches
Parks and beaches depend on the site. Gulf News says smoking is banned unless a designated area is provided, and also that cigarettes may be smoked on public beaches unless a sign says otherwise, so the sign decides. Shisha is banned in Dubai public parks and beaches. Never vape near children.
Vaping in Dubai: the short answer
You can buy and use a vape in Dubai, but only outdoors where no sign forbids it, or in a marked smoking area. Khaleej Times reports that e-cigarette sales are legal in the UAE, and Gulf News explains that vaping follows the same rules as smoking under Federal Law No. 15, the tobacco control law. That means no vaping in malls, restaurants, hotels, taxis, the Metro or any airport terminal.
Bringing a device from home is the less clear part. The official customs lists we read place e-cigarettes under restricted goods, which means approval from the relevant authority. Dubai's government portal and Gulf News say a vape for personal use is allowed at the customs inspector's discretion, but no page gives a number. The safest plan is to ask Dubai Customs before you fly, or to leave the device at home and buy one after you land. The sections below cover each step, and our customs allowance guide covers tobacco, alcohol and cash.
Bringing a vape into the UAE
The UAE government's customs page for visitors (u.ae) lists eCigarettes and electronic hookah as restricted goods, and says restricted goods need prior approval from the relevant authority. Dubai Customs' own list of prohibited and restricted goods puts e-cigarettes and electronic hookah in the restricted table as well. Older explainers describe vapes as prohibited, so you may see both words online; the current official pages say restricted.
Neither page gives a number for a vape you carry for your own use; Dubai's government portal and Gulf News describe personal use as allowed at the inspector's discretion. Dubai Customs lists a call centre on 800 1886 and an email address, 1886@dubaicustoms.ae, for questions about allowances and restrictions. Ask there, in writing if you can, and keep the reply on your phone. Do not hide a device: if you are asked at the border, say what you carry.
| Item | What the official pages say | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Vape device, pods and e-liquid | Restricted goods: prior approval from the relevant authority (u.ae and Dubai Customs) | Ask Dubai Customs on 800 1886 before you fly, or buy locally after you arrive |
| Cigarettes, cigars and loose tobacco | Duty-free up to 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco; more attracts duty plus VAT (u.ae) | Stay inside the allowance and check the current figure before you pack |
| Cannabis, THC or CBD products | Controlled and recreational drugs are on the banned list (u.ae) | Never bring them, including in vape cartridges |
Customs rules change. Dubai Customs and u.ae have the final word, and this guide is general information, not legal advice.
Airlines add their own rules. Khaleej Times reports that vapes belong in hand luggage, not in checked baggage, because they are portable electronic devices, and that they cannot be used or charged on board. Emirates says the same and asks that batteries are individually protected against accidental switching on. Check your own airline's policy as well, and read the Dubai airport terminals guide if you are planning a long layover.
Where you can vape in Dubai
Gulf News, in its guide to smoking rules, groups vaping with smoking. The table shows the usual answer by place. A sign always beats a table, so follow the sign.
| Place | Vaping | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Malls, restaurants, cinemas and indoor cafes | No | Step outside; smoking areas at malls are at least 7 metres from entrances (Khaleej Times) |
| Hotels | Only in a licensed smoking room | Ask the hotel about rooms and balconies when you book |
| Taxis, Metro, buses and airport terminals | No | No vaping at any UAE airport, even where smoking areas exist (Khaleej Times) |
| Offices, government buildings, schools, hospitals and places of worship | No | All are on the Gulf News list of banned places |
| Streets and open-air walkways | Usually yes, if no sign forbids it | Keep away from entrances and children |
| Parks and beaches | Check the sign | Rules depend on the site; shisha is banned in Dubai public parks and beaches |
| Licensed shisha lounges | Yes, where licensed | See our shisha guide for the rules |
| A car with a child under 12 | No | Fine from AED 5,000 under Wadeema's Law (Gulf News) |
Two practical notes. Smoking and vaping are not allowed in a taxi, so finish before you get in. And the airport rule is stricter than it is for cigarettes: smoking is permitted in designated areas at UAE airports, but Khaleej Times reports that vapes cannot be used anywhere in them. If you have a long layover, plan your last vape before you go through security. Our shisha guide covers lounges, and the page on Dubai rules for tourists puts vaping next to the other everyday rules.
Fines: what we could confirm
We could not find a current official fine schedule for ordinary indoor vaping, so we do not quote one as fact. An older Khaleej Times explainer reports that Dubai Municipality set a fine of AED 2,000 for vaping in malls and other closed public places, while the Gulf News guide to smoking rules gives no figure for ordinary vaping. Treat AED 2,000 as the order of magnitude and check Dubai Municipality or the u.ae portal before you go.
The amounts that are confirmed are higher and concern children. According to Gulf News, smoking in a vehicle with a child under 12 starts at AED 5,000, and selling tobacco to someone under 18, or failing to check age, means at least three months in jail and/or a fine from AED 15,000 for the seller. Khaleej Times also reports that Dubai Municipality runs regular inspection rounds in shopping centres, and that guards and supervisors alert visitors who light up inside.
Buying a vape in Dubai
Khaleej Times reports that e-cigarette sales have been legal in the UAE for some years, with devices and e-liquids sold under rules set by the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology. Buy from a licensed shop. Tobacco cannot be sold to anyone under 18 under the tobacco control law, as Gulf News explains, so a shop that follows the rules will check age.
Avoid sellers on social media and in the street. A fake product or a payment scam is most likely there, and Dubai Police's recent fraud warnings are about fake links and fake offers; our tourist scams guide lists the checks. We did not collect shop prices, so we do not quote any. One health note from the same Khaleej Times report: many e-cigarettes have much higher nicotine concentrations than a pack of cigarettes, so read the strength on the label.
Ramadan and daytime manners
Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, subject to the moon sighting; the dates are in our Ramadan 2027 guide. During the fasting month, smoking and vaping in public view during daylight are not done, out of respect for people who are fasting, and e-cigarettes follow the same courtesy as cigarettes. Wait until after sunset and use a smoking area.
The Ramadan guide for tourists lists what else changes in the month, from opening hours to entertainment. We found no separate official fine for daytime vaping in Ramadan, so this is a matter of courtesy and of staying out of an argument.
On a tour or a boat
Ask before you light up or vape on any tour. On the Marina yacht party, which is for guests aged 21 and over, smoking is allowed only where the crew indicate and never inside, as the yacht party rules guide explains. On the full-day desert safari, ask your driver before you vape in the 4x4 and ask your guide where the camp allows it.
FAQ
Is vaping legal in Dubai?
Yes, with limits. Khaleej Times reports that e-cigarette sales are legal in the UAE, and vaping follows the smoking rules: banned in malls, restaurants, taxis, the Metro and airports, and allowed outdoors where no sign forbids it or in designated areas. An older Dubai Municipality fine of AED 2,000 is often quoted, so check the current amount.
Can I bring a vape to Dubai?
Official customs lists treat e-cigarettes as restricted goods that need prior approval, while Dubai's government portal and Gulf News say one for personal use is allowed at the inspector's discretion, with no published limit. Ask Dubai Customs on 800 1886 before you fly, carry any device in hand luggage and never use or charge it on board. The simpler plan is to buy one after you arrive.
Can I vape in my hotel room?
Gulf News says smoking and vaping are banned in hotels except in licensed smoking rooms. Rules for rooms and balconies differ by hotel, so ask when you book, and do not assume that a non-smoking room allows it.
Can I vape at Dubai airport?
No. Khaleej Times reports that vapes cannot be used at any UAE airport, even though smoking is permitted in designated areas. Vape before you enter the terminal and keep the device in hand luggage.
Can I vape in a taxi or on the Metro?
No. Gulf News lists taxis, the Metro, buses and airport terminals among the places where smoking and vaping are banned. Finish before you board.
How old do you have to be to buy a vape in Dubai?
Tobacco sales to anyone under 18 are prohibited under Federal Law No. 15 on tobacco control, according to Gulf News, and a seller who fails to check age faces at least three months in jail and/or a fine from AED 15,000. We found no separate age rule for vapes, so carry ID and expect to be asked.
Can I vape during Ramadan?
Do not vape or smoke openly in public between dawn and sunset, out of respect for people who are fasting. Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, subject to the moon sighting. Wait until after sunset and use a smoking area.
How much tobacco can I bring into the UAE?
The u.ae customs page lists a duty-free allowance of 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco; more attracts duty plus VAT. Check the current figure with customs before you pack, and see our customs allowance guide.
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Photos: Malls, restaurants and cafes — Dakstor, CC BY-SA 4.0, Streets and open-air walkways — Renek78, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).