What License Is Needed to Sell E-Cigarettes Domestically?

What license is needed to sell e-cigarettes domestically? E-cigarettes are very popular right now, and the profit margins are fairly high, so many people want to get into the e-cigarette business. But do you need a license to sell e-cigarettes? Next, Heated Tobacco News will explain it to everyone.
 
What license is needed to sell e-cigarettes domestically?

At present, whether sold in physical stores or online, consumer considerations still apply. For offline retail, e-cigarette products must have product barcodes and should be manufactured by properly registered companies.

Another important point is that tobacco-product e-cigarettes cannot be sold privately. If an investor wants to sell e-cigarettes, they must obtain the relevant business permits, such as a tobacco sales license. However, requirements vary by local Administration for Market Regulation offices, so whether you can sell them depends on consultation with the local authorities. For example, the newer IQOS products, which are heated tobacco products, are currently not permitted for sale on the domestic market.

According to Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the Implementation Regulations of the Tobacco Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China, anyone engaged in the production, wholesale, or retail of tobacco monopoly products must apply for and obtain a tobacco monopoly license in accordance with the Tobacco Monopoly Law and these regulations.

E-cigarettes are also treated as falling within the cigarette category in some contexts, and if you sell e-cigarettes without paying taxes according to law, or violate relevant laws and regulations, you may face criminal detention. Therefore, entrepreneurs should not take risks just because they see high profits in tobacco. Never sell cigarettes without the proper licenses, especially products expressly prohibited by the state. Do not break the law for profit.

However, many people are unsure whether this license is actually required. To be clear, at present e-cigarettes in China are not officially classified within the tobacco category, so selling e-cigarettes does not require this license, because e-cigarettes have not yet been incorporated into the tobacco monopoly management system and there are no specific national policies governing them. In other words, if you want to sell them, you can do so soon enough.

What license is needed to sell e-cigarettes domestically? What procedures and documents are required to open a brick-and-mortar e-cigarette store?

A physical store must have the following documents:

Business license + tax registration certificate

At present, e-cigarettes in China are not classified under the tobacco category, so a tobacco monopoly retail license is not required. Other supporting documents may vary depending on local requirements, so it is best to follow local regulations. If you also want to operate in a club or bar format and sell alcoholic beverages or drinks, then of course you will also need a Food Circulation Permit. However, it is not recommended to make your initial investment too large or your business model too complicated.

What license is needed to sell e-cigarettes domestically? In summary, e-cigarettes in China are currently treated as consumer goods and are not subject to direct state control, so generally a business license is enough to sell them. However, you must never sell tobacco-product e-cigarettes, or you may run into serious regulatory trouble.