Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Control of Import, Sale, Etc., of Tobacco Products, Vaporisers and Imitation Tobacco Products
18. Licence required for dealing with tobacco products
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2026. 4 amendments in all.
A person must not import into Singapore any tobacco product, unless the person holds a valid import and wholesale licence.
tobacco product
“tobacco product” means —(a)a cigarette or cigar, or any other form of tobacco;(b)a tobacco derivative;(c)a tobacco substitute; or(d)a mixture containing any form of tobacco or a tobacco derivative or tobacco substitute,but does not include a therapeutic product registered under the Health Products Act 2007;
A person must not do any of the following in Singapore except by the authority of and in accordance with a valid import and wholesale licence:
distribute by wholesale any tobacco product;
sell or offer for sale by wholesale any tobacco product;
permit to be sold or offered for sale by wholesale any tobacco product;
have in the person’s possession for sale by wholesale any tobacco product.
A person must not do any of the following in Singapore except by the authority of and in accordance with a valid retail licence:
licence
“licence” means an import and wholesale licence mentioned in section 18(1) or (2), or a retail licence mentioned in section 18(3);
distribute by retail any tobacco product;
sell or offer for sale by retail any tobacco product;
permit to be sold or offered for sale by retail any tobacco product;
have in the person’s possession for sale by retail any tobacco product.
In particular —
an import and wholesale licence may authorise the doing of any act in subsection (2) only at premises specified in the licence; and
the holder of a valid retail licence is authorised to do any act in subsection (3) only at a single point of sale within a retail outlet specified in the licence.
A person who contravenes subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —
to a fine not exceeding $10,000, unless paragraph (b) applies; or
if the person has any previous qualifying conviction, to a fine not exceeding $20,000.
In subsection (5), “qualifying conviction” means —
a conviction for an offence under subsection (5); or
a conviction for an offence under section 18(4) as in force immediately before 30 December 2017.
An application for a licence must be made to the Authority in writing in such form as the Authority may require.
writing
“writing” includes painting, inscription, printing, lithography, typewriting, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words or figures in visible form.
Subject to subsection (9), the Authority may grant a licence on any terms and conditions, if the Authority is satisfied that the prescribed requirements for the grant of a licence are met.
No licence may be granted for the sale by wholesale or retail of any tobacco product by way of a vending machine.
Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Authority refusing to grant or renew a licence to the person, or revoking, suspending or cancelling the person’s licence, may appeal to the Minister —
within 14 days after receiving notice of the decision; or
within such extended period as the Minister may allow in any particular case.
To avoid doubt, nothing in subsection (1), (2) or (3) authorises any person to import, distribute, sell or offer for sale, permit to be sold or offered for sale, or have in the person’s possession for sale, any tobacco product that is prohibited under section 14 or 15.
sell
“sell” includes —(a)to barter or exchange; or(b)to supply in circumstances in which the supplier derives a direct benefit, pecuniary or otherwise;