Tobacco and vaping license fees update – CSNA
CSNA advises members they have until 2 August 2026 to apply for tobacco and nicotine licences under new rules
Print25 February 2026
CSNA Members are reminded that they are not required to seek a licence or licences immediately.
The law stipulates that any person that was selling tobacco or nicotine inhaling products on February 2 2026 is entitled to apply for a licence once certain criteria (Revenue Clearance, Age, etc) are met.
They have six months to acquire the licence, in other word, August 2 2026.
NELO
Unlike alcohol and Auto Fuel licences which have fixed anniversaries and are all subject to renewal at the same time each year (June and September) from the National Excise Licencing Office (NELO), the licences from the HSE Environmental Health Service (EHS) will have a 12-month lifespan from the date of the licence being granted.
It is not in your interest to seek the licence early – take the extended credit period and apply in mid-July.
The CSNA has engaged with the EHS and asked them to extend their payment options beyond the current skeletal offering of only a Debit or Credit card.
It has been explained to them that most businesses make payments using the electronic payment system, also using cheques and drafts and that many would not have a company plastic card.
The CSNA also advised them that the commission that the EHS would pay to the card processors would amount to €200k annually if 6,000 dual licences were issued and could not be viewed as a sensible or efficient use of taxpayer’s money.
It asked them to seek advice from Revenue as to the most effective and acceptable payment options in the hope that they will expand their offerings beyond plastic cards.
Members have ‘nothing to gain’ from seeking a licence early.
Read more: HSE introduces new tobacco retail licensing – CSNA
© 2026, ShelfLife by CSNA
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