Last verified: 23 October 2026.
Can I bring a vape to Dubai? A nicotine vape for personal use, yes. Dubai Customs lists e-cigarettes, nicotine liquids and non-reusable nicotine cartridges among the items travellers may bring in, if they're "of a personal nature", with the final call left to the customs inspector [1]. A vape with CBD or THC is a different story: the UAE treats CBD like cannabis, "even just residue", and that can mean arrest [4][5]. Pack the vape in your carry-on, not your checked bag [3].
In other words, the device is fine. The liquid is what gets you in trouble.
The short answer
| What you're carrying | Can you bring it? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Nicotine vape, liquids, non-reusable cartridges (personal amount) | Yes, at the customs inspector's discretion | [1] |
| Large or commercial amounts | Treated as imported goods, and e-cigarettes are a restricted import | [1][2] |
| CBD vape or refill | No. Can be confiscated and lead to criminal charges | [4][5] |
| THC vape or cartridge | No. Narcotics are banned, and penalties start with heavy fines | [1][6][7] |
| A used pen with cannabis residue | No. Residue can lead to arrest, including in transit | [4][5] |
Nicotine vapes: what Dubai Customs says
Dubai Customs' Passenger Customs Guide (Version 6, 2024) lists the items travellers may bring in [1]. Next to the duty-free tobacco allowance (200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 500 g of tobacco), it includes [1]:
Electronic cigarettes and electronic hookahs, electric heating devices for cigarette rolls, and similar personal electrical devices for smoking, and packages of liquids or gels containing nicotine, and cartridges containing nicotine that are not reusable … provided that they are of a personal nature. To be decided by the Customs Inspector.
So there's no fixed number of millilitres. The test is whether your stash looks personal, and the inspector decides [1].
The same guide says cigarettes and tobacco products can't be brought in by passengers under 18 [1]. Customs procedures for commercial goods apply to anything in commercial quantities [1].
The declaration
Dubai Customs' area starts right after passport control in the arrivals hall [1]. Choosing the green or red channel counts as a customs declaration [1]. If you're unsure whether your vape supply is "personal", the red channel is the place to ask.
On the plane
Dubai Airports' rules for departing passengers [3]:
- E-cigarettes are allowed in hand luggage only, not in checked bags [3].
- Each device must be protected against accidental activation [3].
- No airline approval is needed [3].
CBD vapes: confiscation and charges
This is the trap many travellers fall into.
- The UK says some e-cigarette refills and skincare products contain ingredients that are illegal in the UAE, such as CBD oil. If you have them, they'll be confiscated and you could face criminal charges [4].
- The US says products containing CBD are prohibited, "even just residue", and that CBD is prosecuted like marijuana [5].
- Both say the UAE has zero tolerance, and drugs in your bloodstream can count against you, even if you used them before arriving [4][5].
There's a legal wrinkle. Article 96 of the UAE's narcotics law says food, drinks or other products containing cannabis or THC, brought in for personal use and seized for the first time at an entry point, lead to an administrative report and the goods being destroyed, rather than a drug charge [6].
THC vapes: the narcotics law applies
A THC cartridge is cannabis as far as the UAE is concerned. Narcotics of all kinds are banned imports [1][2].
For a non-resident visitor arriving with a small amount for personal use (under 100 g for cannabis and THC), a 2024 Cabinet resolution sets the outcome [7]:
| Offence | Fine | Other consequences |
|---|---|---|
| First time | AED 5,000–20,000 | Entry allowed only after the fine is paid |
| Second time | AED 10,000–30,000 | Deportation and a 3-year entry ban |
| Third time | AED 50,000–100,000 | Deportation and a permanent ban |
That's still a criminal process: the substance is seized and you're referred to the Public Prosecution [7]. Residents fall under the standard rules, which the UK summarises as at least 3 months in prison or a fine of AED 20,000–100,000 [4]. The full details are in Caught with weed at Dubai airport.
Changing planes in Dubai
The UK says the UAE's airport technology also scans transit passengers' baggage, and that people have been arrested for carrying residual amounts [4]. The narcotics law counts moving drugs in transit as "transport" [6].
A nicotine vape in your carry-on is no problem on a connection, as long as you follow the battery rules [3]. A CBD or THC vape, or one that's been used for either, is.
Using it once you're there
Two official warnings worth knowing:
- During Ramadan, smoking in public in the daytime, including in your car, may cause offence [4].
- Unknown refills are a risk. The UK's warning about CBD-containing refills [4] applies just as much to anything you're handed in Dubai.
The safe packing list
- Nicotine only, in sealed, labelled packaging, in an amount that's obviously for personal use [1].
- Device and spares in your carry-on, protected against accidental activation [3].
- No CBD, THC or unlabelled liquids, and no devices that have ever held them [4][5].
- Never carry someone else's vape or refills.
Want the whole picture?
This page covers vapes. The HighAbroad Dubai Guide covers the rest of the trip: the full penalty tables, how the 2024 resolution works at the border, transit risks, CBD and medicine permits, what happens after an arrest and the contacts to save. US$4.99, with every claim numbered and dated.
Stay informed, not detained. Get the full Dubai guide →
Sources
- Dubai Customs, "Passenger Customs Guide" (Version No. 6, 2024: customs zone, baggage declaration, permitted items incl. e-cigarettes, banned items). Accessed 23 Oct 2026. dubaicustoms.gov.ae
- UAE Government portal (u.ae), "Customs clearance" (banned and restricted goods; e-cigarettes listed under the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology). Updated 30 Sep 2026; accessed 23 Oct 2026. u.ae
- Dubai Airports, "Departures prohibited items" (e-cigarettes). Accessed 23 Oct 2026. dubaiairports.ae
- UK FCDO, United Arab Emirates travel advice: "Safety and security" (illegal drugs, CBD in e-cigarette refills, transit baggage, Ramadan). Accessed 23 Oct 2026. gov.uk
- U.S. Department of State, United Arab Emirates travel guidance (Local laws, Drugs). Issued 17 Sep 2026; accessed 23 Oct 2026. travel.state.gov
- UAE Legislation, Federal Decree-Law No. 30 of 2021 on Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (consolidated English text, last updated 1 Oct 2025; Arts. 1 and 96). Accessed 23 Oct 2026. uaelegislation.gov.ae
- UAE Legislation, Cabinet Resolution No. 43 of 2024 concerning the treatment of non-resident foreigners arrested at UAE ports with narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in their possession. Issued 24 Apr 2024; in force 30 May 2024; accessed 23 Oct 2026. uaelegislation.gov.ae