Can You Vape in Turkey?
Can you vape in Turkey?
A clear UK 2026 traveller answer. Short answer: yes for personal use but you cannot buy vapes locally. Bring everything you need with you.
The short answer
Use legal, sale banned (Decree 2149)Yes for personal use only.
Use is legal but sale and import are banned under Presidential Decree 2149 (Feb 2020). Tourist personal-use exception: 1 device, 30 ml e-liquid or up to 10 disposables. Age 19.
19+
Legal age
30 ml
E-liquid limit
Turkey has a unique vape regime: using a vape is legal but selling, importing and producing vape products is banned under Presidential Decree No. 2149 issued on 24 February 2020. Tourists can bring a small personal supply through customs (typically 1 device plus a few pods or up to 30 ml of e-liquid, or up to 10 disposable vapes). Vaping is treated as equivalent to smoking under Turkish Law No. 4207, which means it is banned indoors in enclosed public spaces, on public transport, in restaurants and in covered outdoor areas. Designated smoking areas in Turkish airports permit vaping. The legal vaping age in Turkey is 19, not 18 as in the UK. Vape shops do not legally exist so you cannot buy replacement supplies during your trip. Bring everything you need with you. The 30 ml e-liquid limit is tight for heavy vapers so consider switching to nic salts to make a smaller bottle last longer. Heated tobacco products like IQOS sit in the same regulatory space as vapes (use legal, sale banned). Penalties are not as harsh as Thailand or Mexico: customs confiscation for excess quantities and indoor vape fines of around 100 to 500 TRY for breaching the smoke-free law. Tourist enforcement is rare but follow the rules to keep your trip stress-free.
Turkish vape law in figures
Three figures every UK traveller should know.
2020
Sale ban year
Presidential Decree No. 2149 issued 24 February 2020 banned the sale, import and production of vape products in Turkey.
19+
Legal vape age
Turkey treats vapes as tobacco under Law No. 4207. Legal smoking and vaping age is 19, one year higher than the UK.
30 ml
E-liquid limit
Personal-use customs allowance per traveller. Or up to 10 disposable vapes per person. Larger quantities can be confiscated.
The Turkish vape regime for UK travellers
Turkey has one of the more complex vape regimes for tourists to navigate. Personal use is legal but the local market is closed. Here is the full breakdown.
Legal status
Turkey treats vapes as tobacco products under Law No. 4207. The use of vapes is legal but Presidential Decree No. 2149 issued on 24 February 2020 banned the sale, import, manufacture and advertising of all vape products. Legal vape shops therefore do not exist in Turkey. The Decree is enforced against commercial sellers and large-scale importers, not against tourists carrying personal-use kit. The personal-use exception is the key concession that lets UK travellers vape during their trip.
The personal-use exception
Turkish customs accepts a reasonable personal supply per tourist. Typical guidance is 1 device plus spare pods or e-liquid bottles up to 30 ml total, or up to 10 disposable vapes. Some travellers report flexibility for slightly more if it is clearly for personal use. Bringing more than the personal-use limit can be treated as illegal importation under Decree 2149 and the goods will be confiscated. Customs at Istanbul Airport (IST), Sabiha Gokcen (SAW), Antalya (AYT), Izmir (ADB) and Ankara Esenboga (ESB) actively scan luggage. Pack devices and batteries in carry-on luggage only because lithium-ion batteries are not permitted in hold luggage on most airlines.
Where you can vape
Anywhere smoking is permitted. Open-air public spaces are fine. Resort areas in Antalya, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kusadasi and Olu Deniz are typically relaxed about outdoor vaping. Private property where the owner permits is fine. Hotel balconies and terraces depend on hotel policy (always ask at check-in). Designated smoking zones at Turkish airports permit vaping. At Istanbul Airport (IST) these are spread across both terminals: food court entrance, near gates G11, A11, B18, C1, D16 and F13.
Where you cannot vape
Indoor public buildings, public transport (buses, trams, the Istanbul Metro, ferries), restaurants, covered outdoor dining areas, hospitals, schools, government buildings, religious sites and inside airport terminals (outside designated zones). Sultanahmet, Taksim and the older parts of Istanbul are more conservative and vaping in front of older Turks or near mosques can attract negative attention even outdoors. Discretion is appreciated. Ramadan in Turkey is observed but less strictly than in the UAE; outdoor vaping during fasting hours in tourist areas is generally tolerated but be discreet in conservative neighbourhoods.
Buying in Turkey
Legally, you cannot. Decree 2149 banned all sales. You may see Turks and tourists vaping with kit they have brought from abroad. Some travellers report finding vape products on unofficial channels in Istanbul and main holiday destinations but these markets are unregulated and product quality is not guaranteed. The safest plan is to bring everything you need with you: device, spare pods, coils, e-liquid up to the 30 ml limit, plus a few disposables as backup if you run out. The 30 ml limit is tight for heavy vapers; switching to nic salts (typically 10 mg or 20 mg) makes a smaller bottle last much longer than freebase e-liquid in a sub-ohm device.
Heated tobacco
IQOS, glo, Ploom and other heated tobacco devices sit in the same regulatory space as vapes in Turkey. Use is legal, sale and import are banned. Bring your IQOS device and HEETS sticks for personal use only and pack them in carry-on luggage. The same 19+ age rule applies. Local sale of HEETS is banned so bring enough sticks for the whole trip. Traditional cigarettes are by contrast legal, regulated and widely sold at every market and shop, with a 200 cigarette duty-free allowance.
Penalties for tourists
Penalties are not severe by international standards. The biggest risk is confiscation at customs if you exceed personal-use limits. Bringing in commercial-looking quantities can be treated as illegal importation and goods will be seized. Indoor vaping in a banned space can attract a smoke-free fine under Law No. 4207, typically 100 to 500 TRY (around £2 to £10) for individuals, but tourist enforcement of this is rare. The bigger consequence is being asked to leave the venue. Turkey is therefore a much safer destination for personal-use vapers than Thailand or Mexico but you should still follow the rules.
For your trip a small pod kit running nic salts is the most efficient option to fit within the 30 ml customs limit. Our compact travel range covers options sized for international trips.
Four tips for vaping in Turkey
Pack within the limits
1 device, 30 ml e-liquid total, or up to 10 disposables. Excess can be confiscated as illegal importation under Decree 2149.
Switch to nic salts
10 mg or 20 mg nic salts in a pod kit last far longer than freebase in a sub-ohm device. Makes 30 ml stretch much further.
Be discreet in Istanbul
Sultanahmet, Taksim and older parts of the city are more conservative. Vape away from mosques and in tourist-friendly zones.
Avoid the unofficial market
Vape sold through unofficial channels is unregulated. Quality, ingredients and battery safety are not guaranteed.
Where to vape in Turkey
A simple list of where vaping is fine and where it is not.
Vape-friendly spaces
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✓Outdoor public areas: beaches, parks, promenades.
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✓Resort outdoor zones: Antalya, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kusadasi.
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✓Hotel balconies: if the hotel permits.
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✓Designated airport smoking zones: IST, SAW, AYT.
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✓Outdoor cafe terraces (uncovered): with permission.
No-vape zones
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✗Indoor public buildings: shops, restaurants, malls.
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✗Public transport: buses, trams, Istanbul Metro, ferries.
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✗Covered outdoor dining areas: treated as enclosed spaces.
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✗Mosques and religious sites.
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✗Airport terminals (outside designated zones).
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✗Hospitals, schools, government buildings.
For more on country-by-country travel rules and customs head over to our full vaping guides hub where every travel destination is covered.
Back to the Vape Store Direct guides
This article sits inside our full vaping guides hub. Head back to the index for over 100 plain English answers covering UK vape law, hardware, e-liquid and everyday questions.
More on vaping abroad
For another country with personal-use exceptions our piece on whether you can vape in Tunisia covers the legal grey area in another Mediterranean destination. For the more permissive Egyptian regime our walkthrough on vaping in Egypt is the related travel guide. And our piece on vapes in hand luggage covers the cabin packing rules.
