Ordering tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, nicotine liquids and herbal products for smoking online

The Tobacco Act provides for the import prohibitions and restrictions on tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, nicotine liquids and herbal products for smoking. A person under the age of 18 cannot bring in tobacco products or nicotine liquids.

Private individuals are not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from outside Finland, tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, nicotine liquids or herbal products for smoking, ordered from a trader by means of distance communication, such as over the internet, by email, by mail or by phone. It also is prohibited to obtain and receive chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco, oral tobacco (snus) and some nicotine-containing liquids from outside Finland by mail or by any other similar means.

Import of nicotine pouches and ordering them online

Nicotine pouches can currently be ordered and brought to Finland without any quantitative or strength restrictions. This change does not apply to medicinal products that have a marketing authorisation and are intended for e.g. weaning off tobacco. Read our notice about guidelines on nicotine pouches for more information (4 April 2023).

Please note that smokeless nicotine products are subject to excise duty on tobacco as of 1 January 2024. Read more about excise duty on tobacco on the Tax Administration’s website.

Postal deliveries from Åland to mainland Finland

Private individuals are not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from Åland to mainland Finland, tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, nicotine liquids or herbal products for smoking, ordered from a trader by means of distance communication, such as over the internet, by email, by mail or by phone. It also is prohibited to obtain and receive chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco and oral tobacco (snus) from Åland to mainland Finland by mail or by any other similar means.

On the page Tobacco products as gifts, you can find more information about the restrictions and charges related to tobacco products sent as gifts from abroad. Read more: Imports of tobacco products by travellers

A tobacco product = a product made wholly or partly of tobacco (nicotiana) and suitable for consumption.

Nicotine liquid = a liquid containing nicotine, which is intended to be vaporised using an electronic cigarette. It is not used as medication. It may contain no more than 20 mg/ml of nicotine. In addition to nicotine liquid, there are some other nicotine-containing liquids, which contain more than 20 mg/ml of nicotine or are used as medicines. The import restrictions on nicotine liquids differ somewhat from the import restrictions on nicotine-containing liquids.

A herbal product for smoking = a tobacco substitute made of plants and intended for smoking.

Points to consider

Ordering tobacco products online

Yes, you can. Nicotine pouches are no longer classified as medicinal products as of 4 April 2023. Read more about it in our notice: Nicotine pouches are no longer classified as medicinal products (4 April 2023).

However, please note that according to Fimea guidelines, the change will not affect nicotine pouches that are used in the oral cavity and are meant for consumption as medicinal products and are granted a marketing authorisation as medicinal products. These nicotine preparations are marketed as e.g. products for weaning off tobacco or for treating withdrawal symptoms.

Smokeless nicotine products are subject to excise duty on tobacco as of 1 January 2024. Read more about excise duty on tobacco on the Tax Administration’s website.


A heated tobacco product is a tobacco product as referred to in the Tobacco Act. Imports of heated tobacco products are restricted by the import prohibition regarding minors, the quantity allowances and time limits for imports by travellers and the prohibition of bringing in products obtained by means of distance communication.

A person under the age of 18 cannot bring in tobacco products to Finland. 

If the packets of heated tobacco products do not carry the required health warning images and texts in Finnish and Swedish, you can bring in no more than 200 dose units of heated tobacco products or 250 grams of loose heated tobacco products from a trip. According to the Tobacco Act, dose unit refers to the amount of the product used at a time.

If you live in Finland and you arrive in Finland from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) other than by air and your journey has lasted no more than 24 hours, you are not allowed to bring in tobacco products or nicotine liquids.
Exception: You are allowed to bring in tobacco products and nicotine liquids to Finland if it is apparent that you obtained them before you left Finland.

If you live outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and arrive in Finland other than by air and your stay in Finland is not a transit journey and lasts no more than three days, you are not allowed to bring in tobacco products or nicotine liquids.
Exception: You are allowed to bring in tobacco products and nicotine liquids if it is apparent that the products are intended for your own use during your stay in Finland.

If you arrive from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU or from within the customs territory but from outside the fiscal territory of the EU, you are allowed to bring in for personal use, free of tax, heated tobacco products worth 300 euros when travelling by road and worth 430 euros when travelling by air or by sea. Read more about imports by travellers.

A private individual is not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from outside Finland, tobacco products ordered from a trader by means of distance communication.

As a rule, devices with which heated tobacco products are used can be imported without restrictions.


According to the Finnish Tobacco Act,

  • tobacco product is a product made wholly or partly of tobacco (nicotiana) and suitable for consumption. The nicotine-containing liquid used in electronic cigarettes is not a tobacco product, but a nicotine liquid in accordance with a special provision.
  • smokeless tobacco product is a tobacco product not involving a combustion process, including chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco or any other tobacco product that is not smoked.
  • tobacco product for smoking is a tobacco product other than a smokeless tobacco product. Tobacco products for smoking include e.g. cigarettes, cigars and roll-your-own tobacco. In accordance with the Tobacco Products Directive, waterpipe tobacco is also a tobacco product for smoking.
  • smoking accessory is an accessory or implement used for smoking or for the preparation of smoking. For example, cigarette paper and pipes are regarded as smoking accessories.
  • cigarette is a roll of tobacco as defined in section 4(1) of the Act on Excise Duty on Tobacco (1470/1994).
  • cigar is a roll of tobacco as defined in section 3(1) of the Act on Excise Duty on Tobacco.
  • cigarillo is a cigar that weighs no more than three grams.
  • roll-your-own tobacco is tobacco which can be used for making cigarettes by consumers or retail outlets. Tobacco which can be used both as roll-your-own tobacco and via waterpipes is roll-your-own tobacco.
  • pipe tobacco is tobacco that can be consumed via a combustion process and is exclusively intended for use in a pipe.
  • waterpipe tobacco is a tobacco product which can be used exclusively for smoking via a waterpipe.
  • chewing tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product exclusively intended for the purpose of chewing.
  • nasal tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product that can be consumed via the nose.
  • tobacco for oral use is a tobacco product for oral use, made wholly or partly of tobacco, in powder or in particulate form or in any combination of those forms, but it is not intended to be inhaled or chewed.
  • herbal product for smoking is a tobacco substitute made of plants and intended for smoking. Instead of the tobacco plant, the product contains other plants, such as herbs or fruits. Herbal products for smoking include so-called herbal cigarettes as well as tobacco-free herbal mixtures for smoking via a waterpipe.
  • electronic cigarette is a product used for inhaling nicotine-containing vapour via a mouth piece. Electronic cigarette also means any component of that product.
  • nicotine liquid is a liquid containing nicotine which is intended to be vaporised using an electronic cigarette and which has a nicotine concentration of no more than 20 milligrams per millilitre and which is not to be used for a purpose defined in section 3(1) of the Medicines Act (395/1987).
  • nicotine-free liquid for vaporisation is a liquid which is intended to be vaporised using an electronic cigarette or in another similar manner and which is not a nicotine liquid.
  • refill container is a receptacle that contains a nicotine liquid, which can be used to refill an electronic cigarette.

No. A private person is not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other means from outside Finland tobacco products, electronic cigarettes or nicotine liquids ordered from a trader by means of distance communication.

Read more: Ordering tobacco products online

 

 


Tobacco-free herbal mixtures for smoking via a waterpipe are considered herbal products for smoking under the Tobacco Act. Imports of herbal products for smoking are restricted by the quantity allowances for imports by travellers and by the prohibition of bringing in products obtained by means of distance communication.

If the packets of herbal products for smoking do not carry the required health warning texts in Finnish and Swedish, you can bring in no more than 200 units of ready-rolled and 250 grams of loose herbal products for smoking. The quantity allowances do not apply to herbal products for smoking brought from the Åland Islands into mainland Finland by travellers.

You can bring in 250 grams of waterpipe tobacco not containing the tobacco plant free of tax and customs duty from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU as well as from within the customs territory but from outside the fiscal territory of the EU.

Private individuals are not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from outside Finland, herbal products for smoking ordered from a trader by means of distance communication.


In the Tobacco Act, waterpipe tobacco refers to a tobacco product which can be used for smoking exclusively via a waterpipe. Imports of waterpipe tobacco are restricted by the import prohibition regarding minors, the quantity allowances and time limits for imports by travellers and the prohibition of bringing in products obtained by means of distance communication.

A person under the age of 18 cannot bring in tobacco products to Finland.

If the packets of waterpipe tobacco do not carry the required health warning images and texts in Finnish and Swedish, you can bring in no more than 250 grams of waterpipe tobacco. The quantity allowances do not apply to herbal products for smoking brought into mainland Finland by travellers from the Åland Islands.

If you live in Finland and you arrive in Finland from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) other than by air and your journey has lasted no more than 24 hours, you are not allowed to bring in tobacco products or nicotine liquids.
Exception: You are allowed to bring in tobacco products and nicotine liquids to Finland if it is apparent that you obtained them before you left Finland.

If you live outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and arrive in Finland other than by air and your stay in Finland is not a transit journey and lasts no more than three days, you are not allowed to bring in tobacco products or nicotine liquids.
Exception: You are allowed to bring in tobacco products and nicotine liquids if it is apparent that the products are intended for your own use during your stay in Finland.

You can bring in 250 grams of waterpipe tobacco not containing the tobacco plant free of tax and customs duty from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU as well as from within the customs territory but from outside the fiscal territory of the EU.

A private individual is not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other similar means from outside Finland, tobacco products ordered from a trader by means of distance communication.

Read more: Bringing in tobacco products from travels


No. A private person is not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other means from outside Finland tobacco products, electronic cigarettes or nicotine liquids ordered from a trader by means of distance communication.

According to the tobacco Act, an electronic cigarette means a product as well as any component of that product, used for inhaling nicotine-containing vapour via a mouth piece. It makes no difference whether it is a disposable device already filled with nicotine liquid or refillable by means of a refill container. It is mentioned in the preparatory work of the Tobacco Act that even if the manufacturer claims that the product is meant to be used solely for consuming nicotine-free liquids, the product is still considered an electronic cigarette, if it by virtue of its characteristics also is suitable for vaporising nicotine liquids. On the other hand, a disposable device filled with nicotine-free liquid does not fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette as defined in the Tobacco Act.

Electronic cigarette components are e.g. nicotine cartridges and a tank as well as a device without a nicotine cartridge or tank. Thus, in addition to complete devices, electronic cigarettes also include the spare components sold for them as well as components that the consumer can use to assemble an electronic cigarette.

There are many devices and components on the market, so Customs cannot know without investigating whether or not each vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette. In unclear cases we will stop the consignment and investigate the case in cooperation with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Customs does not issue any advance rulings on whether a vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette according to the Tobacco Act.


Vaporisers for healthcare purposes are not tobacco products. If the product has been classified as a medical device or accessory, it should fulfil certain criteria (the Finnish Medical Devices Act 629/2010). For example, such a device must have the CE marking.

A medical device or accessory is intended e.g. for:

a) diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of disease
b) diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, alleviation of, or compensation for, an injury or disability
c) investigation, replacement or modification of the anatomy or of a physiological process or
d) control of conception.

Medical devices and accessories are supervised by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). If the device is electrically operated, it must also meet the requirements regarding electrical appliances. The supervisory authority for electrical appliances is the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes).

There are many devices and components on the market, so Customs cannot know without investigating whether or not each vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette. In unclear cases we will stop the consignment and investigate the case in cooperation with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). Customs does not issue any advance rulings on whether a vaporiser or its components fulfil the definition of an electronic cigarette according to the Tobacco Act.


No you cannot. It is prohibited to acquire and receive oral tobacco (snus), chewing tobacco and nasal tobacco from outside Finland by mail or in any other corresponding way.

Read more: Ordering tobacco products online

 


Yes. According to the Tobacco Act, nicotine-free liquids intended for electronic cigarettes and disposable devices that resemble electronic cigarettes and that are filled with nicotine-free liquid can be ordered from abroad to Finland. It should be noted, however, that the nicotine concentration may not always be appropriately marked on products ordered from abroad. If, upon import, Customs suspects that the nicotine concentration of a product has not been appropriately marked, the product may be examined by the Customs Laboratory.

Both nicotine-containing and nicotine-free liquids for electronic cigarettes are subject to excise duty. For more information, go to the website of the Finnish Tax Administration.

Read more: Ordering tobacco products online 

Tax Administration: Excise duty on tobacco products 

 

 


No you cannot. Nicotine liquid which has a nicotine concentration of no more than 20 milligrams per millilitre and which is not to be used for a purpose defined in section 3(1) of the Medicines Act (395/1987) is subject to the Tobacco Act. A private person is not allowed to obtain or receive by mail, as a goods shipment or by any other means from outside Finland tobacco products, electronic cigarettes or nicotine-containing liquids purchased from a trader by means of distance communication.

A private person is not allowed to import, obtain or receive by mail or by comparable means from outside Finland a nicotine-containing liquid intended for vaporisation using an electronic cigarette when the liquid contains more than 20 milligrams of nicotine per millilitre or when it is to be used for a purpose defined in section 3(1) of the Medicines Act.

 

 


Cigarette paper and cigarette tubes are classified as smoking accessories. The Tobacco Act does not restrict imports of smoking accessories.
 
According to the Act on Excise Duty on tobacco, however, cigarette paper and cigarette tubes are subject to excise duty. Read more about excise taxation on the Tax Administration’s website.  
 
If you arrive from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU or from within the customs territory but from outside the fiscal territory of the EU, you are allowed to bring in, free of VAT, cigarette paper and cigarette tubes worth 300 euros for your own use when travelling by road and worth 430 euros when travelling by air or by sea. Read more about imports by travellers.
 
If you order cigarette paper or cigarette tubes from within the customs territory of the EU, but from outside the fiscal territory of the EU, your consignment will be cleared through customs and it will usually be subject to excise duty and always subject to VAT.
 
If you order cigarette paper or cigarette tubes from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU, your consignment will be cleared through customs, and it will be subject to normal import duties and taxes – usually customs duty and excise duty and always VAT.

Read more about ordering goods online.


                            

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Please have a look at the frequently asked questions.

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Keywords Snus Tobacco Åland