This guide explains why this is necessary and how we go about verifying your age. More information can also be found on our terms of service and privacy policy pages.

Why do you need to verify my age?

We appreciate this may be frustrating, and you may be unhappy sharing your personal information. However, the law exists to protect those below a minimum legal age. The following bodies are responsible for enforcing these rules in the UK:

Department of Health & Social Care

On 1 October 2015 it became illegal for adults to buy (or try to buy) tobacco products or e-cigarettes for someone under 18.

Trading Standards

It is the responsibility of all retailers to ensure they do not sell age-restricted products online to people who are under the minimum legal age.

How do we verify your age?

For age verification purposes we use 1account, which is an industry-recognised third-party system. The system runs independent checks from the most reliable data sources to verify you are 18 or over. These checks may include your credit record, mobile phone number, the UK electoral roll, and/or the UK birth register.

The system carries out as few checks as possible. In the vast majority of cases, your age can be verified instantly, and your Vape UK order will be shipped as normal.

What do I need to do?

After your order has been placed, you will see a pop-up window at the order confirmation page, which looks like the screenshot below.

Please follow the instructions seen here.

What information do you need?

To verify your age, we require your full name, current address and mobile phone number, when placing your first order with us. The billing address you provide when purchasing from us will be used as your current home address. It’s important to ensure that the billing address on your account reflects your current home address. In some circumstances, we may also require your date of birth to assist with the verification process.

What if you can’t verify my age

If we cannot verify your age via 1Account, we will need you to send us a photo of an official piece of ID, along with a selfie, to av@vapeuk.co.uk. Please include your order number with this email, and we will be back in touch once your identification has been verified by a member of our team. During business hours, that’s usually within a couple of hours; evenings and weekends may take us a little longer, so please bear with us.

We do not store copies of ID sent to us.

If we cannot verify your age, we will cancel your order and refund it in full.

We cannot be held responsible for any delays this may cause to your order being sent.

Will the age verification process affect my credit score?

If you are signed up to a credit reporting service, like Experian or Equifax, you may be notified that a check has been made against your credit record. Please be assured that this is a “soft check” and has no effect whatsoever on your credit score.