Help & Guidance

Can You Vape Inside?

Not banned by the smoking law, but the owner of any space sets the rules and many say no. Home, work, venues and transport explained.

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Can you vape inside? It is a question with two parts, what the law says and what the owner of the building says. Legally, the indoor smoking ban does not cover vaping, so vaping indoors is not against that law. In practice, though, whoever owns or runs the place, an employer, venue, landlord or transport operator, can decide whether vaping is allowed, and many do not permit it. This guide explains how to know where you stand indoors.

The legal position

The smoke free law that bans smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces applies to cigarettes, not e cigarettes. So vaping indoors is not illegal under that law. That is the starting point, but it is only half the story, because being legal does not mean automatically permitted everywhere.

Whose rules apply

Because vaping is not covered by the smoking ban, the decision falls to whoever controls the space. Employers set workplace policies, venues set theirs, landlords can set rules for rented properties, and transport operators set rules for trains, buses and stations. Many choose to treat vaping like smoking and ask people to step outside, so the practical answer depends on where you are.

Can you usually vape inside?

Place	Usual position
Your own home	Your choice, but consider others
Workplace	Often not allowed, check the policy
Pubs, shops and venues	Usually not, set by the venue
Trains, buses and stations	Generally prohibited
Hotels	Usually not allowed in rooms

The smoking ban does not cover vaping, but the owner of any indoor space can, and often does. Assume you need permission unless you are at home.

Myths and facts

Myth	The reality
Vaping indoors is illegal everywhere	It is not banned by the smoking law, but owners set their own rules.
If a place bans smoking, vaping is automatically banned	Vaping is legally separate, though many places restrict it too.
You can vape freely at home with no thought	It is your choice, but consider others, especially children.
Workplaces must allow vaping	They can set their own policy, and many do not allow it indoors.

Vaping considerately at home

At home, vaping indoors is your decision, but it is worth thinking about the people you live with. Vapour can linger and affect others, and the advice is to keep vaping away from children and to vape outside or by an open window where possible, especially around babies or anyone with breathing difficulties. A little consideration keeps your home pleasant for everyone.

Do and don’t

Do

• Check the policy wherever you are
• Assume you need permission indoors away from home
• Vape considerately at home, away from children
• Step outside if unsure

Try not to

• Assume legal means allowed everywhere
• Vape around babies or people with breathing problems
• Vape on public transport

Frequently asked questions

Can you vape inside?

It is not banned by the smoking law, but the owner or operator of any place sets the rules, and many do not allow it.

Is it illegal to vape indoors?

No, the indoor smoking ban covers cigarettes, not vaping, but venues, employers and operators can still prohibit it.

Can I vape at home?

Yes, it is your choice, but consider others, keep it away from children, and vape outside or by a window where you can.

Can I vape at work?

Often not. Workplaces set their own policy, and many do not allow indoor vaping.

Can I vape on a train?

No, vaping is generally prohibited on trains and at stations.

The bottom line

Vaping inside is not banned by the smoking law, but that does not mean it is allowed everywhere, because the owner or operator of any space sets the rules and many do not permit it. At home it is your choice, though it is kind to keep it away from children and vape outside where you can. Everywhere else, assume you need permission, and check the policy before you vape. Approached this way, knowing where you can and cannot vape indoors becomes second nature, and you avoid both fines and any friction with the people around you. The one place that is genuinely your call is your own home, and even there a little consideration goes a long way.

More help and related reading

If this guide raised other questions, the Help and Guidance library has plain English answers to many more. The closely related pages below are worth a look, and you can always return to the main hub to browse every topic we cover. For anything personal or about your own health, a GP, pharmacist or midwife can advise, and a free local stop smoking service can help if you want to reduce or stop using nicotine.

• Can you vape in pubs?
• Can you vape on a train?
• Can you vape in hotel rooms?
• Browse the full Help and Guidance library

A simple rule of thumb

The easiest way to navigate this is to assume that, away from your own home, you need permission to vape indoors, and to look for where it is allowed rather than where it is not. That single habit keeps you on the right side of workplace policies, venue rules and transport bans without having to memorise each one.

At home, the question becomes one of consideration rather than rules. Thinking about who shares your space, and keeping vapour away from children and anyone with breathing difficulties, is the responsible approach even though the choice is yours.

Who decides indoors

Setting	Who sets the rule
Home	You, with consideration for others
Workplace	Your employer
Pub or venue	The owner or operator
Train, bus or station	The transport operator
Hotel	The hotel

A few more questions

Why is vaping not covered by the smoking ban?

The law was written for tobacco smoke; vaping is regulated separately, so indoor rules come down to the owner of the space.

Can my employer ban vaping at work?

Yes. Employers set their own policies, and many do not allow indoor vaping.

Is vaping at home around children okay?

It is best avoided. Keep vapour away from children and vape outside or by a window where you can.

Key things to remember

• Vaping indoors is not banned by the smoking law
• The owner of any space sets the rules
• Many places do not allow it
• At home it is your choice, but consider others
• Assume you need permission away from home

Putting it simply

If you remember one thing, let it be that vaping indoors being legal is not the same as it being allowed. Away from your own home, the owner of the space decides, and many say no, so looking for where vaping is permitted is the simplest approach.

At home, treat it as a matter of courtesy rather than rules, keeping vapour away from children and others, and you have the whole topic covered.

Is there any indoor place vaping is always allowed?

Only your own home, and even there it is kind to consider others. Everywhere else depends on the owner or operator.

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A quick word on safety and the law

Vaping products are intended for adult smokers and existing vapers as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. They contain nicotine unless stated otherwise, which is addictive, and they are not suitable for non smokers, pregnant women or anyone under 18. By law you must be 18 or over to buy vaping products in the UK, and we age verify every order. If you want to stop using nicotine altogether, your local stop smoking service offers free, tailored support.

UK public health bodies advise that vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, but it is not risk free, and if you do not smoke the advice is not to start.

This guide is general information about UK rules and typical policies as they currently stand, and is not legal advice. Rules and individual venue or operator policies can change, so always check official guidance or the relevant provider.