Permits and supervision of the sale of tobacco products and nicotine-containing liquids

Submit an application for a retail sales licence or a wholesale notification to the responsible authority of the municipality in which the sales site is located. If the sale takes place in a vehicle, address the application to the authority responsible for matters in your municipality of residence.

The application must include

• your or your company’s name and contact information in Finland, your personal identity code or business ID and the address of the sales site
• an account of the products the licence application concerns
• information regarding the compulsory own-check plan
• an account of the number and location of sales points in the sales site
• an account of the disposition of the tobacco products, tobacco substitutes, smoking accessories, electronic cigarettes and nicotine-containing liquids in the sales site.

• Submit an electronic retail permit application or wholesale notification on Valvira's website.
• Attach a self-monitoring plan for tobacco sales to the application. You can find a template for the self-monitoring plan on Valvira's website.
• In special cases, the floor plan of the sales point must also be attached to the application.
• The electronic application or notification is automatically directed to Turku Environmental Health.

Alternatively, you can fill in a paper permit application or wholesale notification. Scan the paper permit application and send it by email at tupakkavalvonta@turku.fi. You can print out the application form on Valvira's website.

Notification of changes or discontinuation of sales

If your permit information for tobacco products, nicotine-containing liquids and nicotine products changes, notify Turku Environmental Health. Also submit a notification if you discontinue the sales.

If the permit holder's Business ID or the address of the sales point changes, a new permit must be applied for the sale of tobacco products and nicotine-containing liquids.

The number of sales points and changes in the product groups on sale affect the annual control fee for tobacco products and nicotine-containing liquids.

Tobacco product identifier codes for operators

Everyone involved in the supply chain of tobacco products must have an identifier code. This also applies to retail sales. Wholesalers must not sell tobacco products without identifier codes. The codes are free of charge for operators.

Identifier codes must be applied for:

• operators (operator identifier code)
• facilities (facility identifier code)

Report the identifier codes to Turku Environmental Health by email at tupakkavalvonta@turku.fi. Once you have reported the identifier codes, Environmental Health will add them to the retail register.

Prerequisites for granting a retail sales licence:

• the applicant is of age
• the applicant presents an own-check plan that fulfils the set regulations
• the applicant has not had a licence in accordance with the Tobacco Act permanently revoked during the past two years
• the retail site for which the licence is applied is not located in an area used by children and youths (for example at a school).

The licence for retailing tobacco products, nicotine-containing liquids and smokeless nicotine products will not be granted for operations that contradict the Tobacco Act, or if the retail site cannot be supervised by the authorities.

The wholesale of tobacco products, nicotine-containing liquids and smokeless nicotine products requires submitting a wholesale notification to the local authority supervising the Tobacco Act.

The person selling the products under the Tobacco Act must be over 18 years old. However, a person younger than this is permitted to sell tobacco products, if the sales activity is carried out under the supervision of a person over 18 years of age. The person of age must have a constant visual contact to the underage salesperson.

Selling tobacco products, nicotine products, tobacco substitutes, smoking accessories and electronic cigarettes to a person under 18 years of age is forbidden. An entrepreneur practising sales of products under the Tobacco Act must have an own-check plan to monitor the age limits.

If the trader is established in another EEA state and provides services in Finland on a temporary basis, they are required to have the same permits as the traders established in Finland.