North Yorkshire Council has approved on-the-spot fines for tobacco and vape offences, giving its trading standards team a new tool just days before wider national rules take effect on October 29. Councillors unanimously approved the revised enforcement policy at an executive meeting on October 27, adopting fixed penalty notices for certain offences under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.
The fine is £200, falling to £100 if paid within 14 days. The notices are aimed at lower level cases, such as a shop employee who breaches the rules without realising it, rather than at organised illegal trading. Prosecution remains on the table for serious or repeated offending, particularly when selling to children.
What the fines are for, and what they are not for
Cllr Richard Foster, the council’s executive member for managing the environment, told the meeting the notices cover minor issues, such as a shop employee who does not know the rules. He said the council has bigger powers for people who offend regularly. Deputy leader Cllr Mark Crane welcomed the strengthened powers, saying people deserve to be protected wherever possible.
That distinction matters, because council officers were candid about the limits of the new tool. A report to councillors warned that many sellers of illegal tobacco and vape products are linked to organised crime, and that in some cases a fixed penalty could simply become a cost of doing business rather than an effective deterrent. The fines are a useful addition for everyday breaches, not a replacement for raids, seizures, and court action against the worst offenders.
Fine at a glance
| Fine | £200 fixed penalty notice |
| Early payment | £100 if paid within 14 days |
| Main target | Lower level, inadvertent breaches by shop staff |
| Serious or repeated offending | Prosecution still applies |
| Decision | Revised policy unanimously approved on October 27 |
The online angle most shoppers never see
The same policy update formally recognises the work of the National Trading Standards e-Crime Team, jointly hosted in North Yorkshire with City of York Council. The team works with online platforms to remove misleading websites that leave consumers out of pocket, many of which present themselves as legitimate UK businesses while supplying poor quality, misdescribed, or undelivered goods from overseas. Cllr Foster told the meeting the team receives about 20 complaints a month.
Why Scarborough is part of the story
The new powers come amid growing concern about illegal vape sales in Scarborough. Earlier in October, councillors questioned trading standards officers about enforcement activity and the increasing number of vape shops in parts of the town. For North Yorkshire shops, the message is practical: staff need to know the rules before the new regime starts, because a £200 notice, or £100 paid promptly, is now a real consequence for getting a lower level breach wrong.
For the wider UK picture, see our guide to the October 29 vape rules.
Source: Gazette & Herald, “New £100 on-the-spot fines under vaping laws in North Yorkshire”, 27 October 2026.