Retail & Shops · 5 min read · Last updated
E-cigarettes and vaping supplies have their own municipal licence in Toronto: the Vapour Product Retailer licence, separate from the Smoke Shop licence that covers tobacco. Any retail store selling vapour products needs it — and stores straddling both product lines need both licences. Here's what the category covers and how to apply.
The City of Toronto lists this under its “Business” category: “A Vapour Product Retailer is any retail store that sells vapour products, such as e-cigarettes.”
Who needs this licence?
A Vapour Product Retailer is any retail store that sells vapour products, such as e-cigarettes — dedicated vape shops, convenience formats adding a vape counter, and any storefront where vapour products form part of the inventory.
The category stands apart from the Smoke Shop licence deliberately: tobacco and vapour are licensed as different product lines. A vape-only store needs this licence alone; add cigarettes and the Smoke Shop licence joins it. The right way to read your obligation is product by product, not store by store.
What documents do you need?
The document set is Toronto's standard package: two pieces of government-issued identification with at least one photo, corporate documents or business name registration, proof of the premises — signed lease or deed — and whatever the City's category checklist adds for vapour retail.
Zoning and premises requirements
Retail zoning at the specific address is the requirement, and it is rarely the hard part for an ordinary storefront — verify it during lease negotiations rather than after. As with tobacco, provincial rules add restrictions on how and where vapour products are sold and promoted, layered over the municipal picture.
Inspections and approvals
Municipal Licensing & Standards enforces the licence, and provincial vapour rules — age restrictions, display and promotion limits — are enforced through their own channels. Age verification is the obvious pressure point; build the till-side habits before opening day rather than after a failed check.
How much does it cost?
Application and annual renewal fees are set in the City's licensing fee schedule; the amounts are confirmed during your application and paid directly to the City.
How to apply
File with Municipal Licensing & Standards — online through the City's Business Licence & Permit portal, which has taken applications since January 2026, or in person at the licence office. A vape store's package is the standard set: identification, business registration, proof of premises and the category checklist items.
If tobacco is also on the shelf plan, file the Smoke Shop application in the same sitting; Permits2Go's workspace carries both packages together.
Renewals and staying compliant
Renew annually before expiry, and re-check the licence mix whenever the product mix changes — adding tobacco, or dropping it, changes which licences the store needs. Keep ownership and address details current with the City.
Quick quiz: test what you learned
Three questions, all answered in this guide. Click an answer to check it.
1. Which stores need Toronto's Vapour Product Retailer licence?
The trigger is selling vapour products at retail — the category applies whether or not tobacco is also sold.
2. How are vapour products and tobacco treated in Toronto's licensing scheme?
The Smoke Shop licence covers tobacco and the Vapour Product Retailer licence covers vapour products; a store selling both holds both.
3. A vape shop starts stocking cigarettes. What must change?
Adding a tobacco product line adds the tobacco licence obligation; the vapour licence continues for the vapour side.
Skip the paperwork
Tell Permits2Go about your business and it assembles the licence application for you — document checklists, e-signatures and a guided workspace for Toronto, with more cities on the way.
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Licensing requirements, by-laws and fees change and vary by municipality — always confirm the current rules with the City before you apply.