Guide
Tobacco vending machines in Portugal: where they are allowed and how they work
Vending machines are a legal but tightly restricted way to sell tobacco in Portugal. The law is specific about where a machine may sit and what it must do to stop under-18s buying from it.
Last checked: September 2026
In short
Portuguese law (Lei n.º 37/2007, article 15) allows tobacco vending machines only inside licensed commercial premises, positioned so staff can see and supervise them, and never in access areas, stairwells or shopping-centre corridors. Every machine must have an electronic or other blocking device that prevents access by anyone under 18. A machine that lacks that lock, or that sits somewhere staff cannot see it, is being operated unlawfully. This is a narrow, supervised channel, not a self-service or unattended one.
Key points
- Machines may only sit inside licensed premises, visible to staff — never in access areas or mall corridors.
- An electronic or equivalent age-lock is legally required on every machine.
- Staff typically release the machine after confirming the buyer is of legal age.
- Machines don't extend hours or bypass age checks — the same rules apply as at a counter.
Where machines are lawfully allowed
Machines must be inside a licensed commercial establishment — typically a bar, café or similar premises — and positioned so the person responsible for the establishment can see them. They cannot be placed in entrance areas, on staircases, in similar transit zones, or in the corridors of shopping centres and large retail spaces.
Certain premises are excluded from selling tobacco altogether under article 15 — such as schools and healthcare facilities among others — so a vending machine cannot lawfully be present there either.
The age-lock requirement
Every machine must be fitted with an electronic device or other blocking system that stops anyone under 18 from operating it — for example a system requiring staff to unlock it, or an ID/age-check mechanism. A machine without this requirement is non-compliant regardless of where it stands.
How they typically work in practice
In practice this usually means the machine sits behind or beside the counter and staff release it (physically unlocking it or pressing a token/remote control) after visually confirming the customer looks of legal age or after checking ID, rather than a customer walking up and buying unsupervised the way one might from a drinks machine.
Their real limits
Because they must sit inside a supervised, licensed premises, vending machines are not a way to buy tobacco unattended, out of hours, or outside somewhere already selling it. They do not extend a shop's opening hours or offer a route around age checks; the same identification rules apply as at any counter.
Common questions
- Can I buy tobacco from a vending machine without showing ID?
- The law requires the machine to be supervised and locked against under-18 use, so staff may still ask for ID before releasing it, exactly as at a counter sale.
- Are there tobacco vending machines on the street in Lisbon?
- No — the law requires them to be inside a licensed establishment, not in outdoor or unsupervised public spaces.
- Do vending machines operate outside a shop's normal hours?
- No, because they must be supervised by the premises' staff to be lawful, so they follow that premises' own opening hours.
Sources
This page is general information about Portuguese rules and Lisbon practice, not legal advice. Rules change; check the sources for the current text. Tobacco is for adults 18 and over.