WARNING: Vaping products contain nicotine, a highly addictive chemical.
Health Canada
For adults of legal purchasing age only. In British Columbia, the minimum age is 19.
Counterfeit, untaxed and otherwise non-compliant products are different issues. Package markings can help identify concerns, but they do not by themselves prove authenticity, safety or eligibility for sale. This guide explains the checks and their limits.
1. The vaping excise stamp
Since the federal excise duty on vaping products took effect on October 1, 2022, vaping products sold in Canada's duty-paid market must carry a vaping excise stamp. The stamp shows that duty has been paid. The Canada Revenue Agency states that buying illegal or unstamped products can lead to enforcement action, including fines.
Which stamp should a product have in BC?
The stamp depends on the province or territory where the product is sold:
- Peach-coloured Canada stamp: used in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Province-specific stamps: required in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Yukon, which charge an additional provincial vaping duty.
For products subject to the duty-paid retail stamping requirements in BC, check for the peach Canada stamp. A stamp for another jurisdiction indicates a different intended duty-paid market. The stamp is evidence of duty payment, not approval of the device's construction or safety.
What a genuine stamp looks like
According to the CRA, the vaping excise stamp is exactly 20 × 40 mm and shows:
- "VAPING VAPOTAGE" in the top left
- A red maple leaf
- A jurisdiction indicator ("CAN" on the Canada stamp)
- "DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ"
- A unique nine-character identifier: three or four capital letters followed by five or six numbers
Security features you can check yourself
- Colour-shift ink: part of the stamp changes from green to red when you tilt it.
- Latent image: a hidden letter "C" appears when you move the stamp slightly under light.
- Fine line work: detailed patterns designed to break up when photocopied or printed.
- UV ink: parts of the stamp glow under a black light.
A flat, printed sticker without colour shift, a stamp that is the wrong size, or a missing identifier are all red flags.
2. Nicotine at or under 20 mg/mL
Canada caps nicotine in vaping products at 20 mg/mL, and BC applies the same limit. The concentration must be printed on the package. Products labelled 50 mg/mL or "5%" are common in other countries but can't be legally sold in Canada.
3. Health Canada warnings and labelling
Legal nicotine vaping products sold in Canada carry Health Canada's nicotine warning on the package, in English and French:
"WARNING: Vaping products contain nicotine, a highly addictive chemical."
In BC, packages must also list the nicotine concentration, total volume, manufacturer name and contact information, brand and product name, and product type. Missing or English-only warnings are a strong sign the product wasn't made for the Canadian market.
4. Container size limits in BC
BC limits refill bottles to 30mL and cartridges that come with or hold nicotine e-liquid to 2mL.
5. Brand authenticity checks
Many brands print a scratch-off code, QR code or serial number on the box that you can verify on the brand's official website. If a code is missing, already scratched or rejected by the brand's site, don't use the product. Always type the brand's web address yourself rather than following a link printed on a suspicious box.
6. Where you buy matters
Choose a retailer that can identify its suppliers and explain the exact product's markings and destination eligibility. A physical address or an age-confirmation popup does not prove compliance. For online promotions, Health Canada requires effective age and identity verification; a self-declared age alone is insufficient. Our guide to buying vapes online in Canada explains the destination checks.
Red flags
- A price far below what licensed shops charge for the same device
- No excise stamp, or the wrong stamp for your province
- Nicotine above 20 mg/mL, or listed as a percentage like "5%"
- Missing or non-bilingual Health Canada warnings
- Spelling mistakes, blurry printing or a logo that looks slightly off
- Puff counts or features the brand doesn't list on its own website
- Sellers on social media or marketplaces who don't verify your age
What to do if you think a vape is fake
- Don't use it.
- Keep the packaging, which you may need if you report it.
- Contact the seller. A licensed retailer will want to know.
- Report unstamped products to the CRA: call 1-866-330-3304 or visit canada.ca/vaping-excise.
- Dispose of the device at a battery recycling drop-off, not in household garbage.
Buying from Vape Father
Vape Father has a store at 4619 Kingsway, Burnaby. If you have questions about a package or stamp, contact our store near Metrotown. Ask for confirmation of the exact product's construction, labels and destination eligibility rather than relying on a general assurance about every item.
Related reading: BC vape laws explained and can you buy vapes online in Canada?
FAQ
What colour is the vape excise stamp in BC?
Peach. BC uses the Canada vaping excise stamp, which is also used in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Is it illegal to buy an unstamped vape?
The CRA states that buying illegal or unstamped vaping products can lead to enforcement action, including fines.
What is the code printed on the stamp?
Each stamp has a unique nine-character identifier: three or four capital letters followed by five or six numbers. A stamp without one is not genuine.
