The federal minimum age for the sale of tobacco and nicotine products, including vapes, is 21. Selling to a customer under that age is a serious compliance failure that can lead to penalties and, in repeated cases, threaten a store's ability to sell the category at all.
The practical rule used in U.S. retail is to request a valid, government-issued photo ID from anyone who appears to be under 30. Building the check around appearance rather than a hunch removes the inconsistency of staff judging individual customers and gives everyone a clear standard to follow.
A sound daily routine is short and repeatable: ask for ID before the sale, confirm the photo and date of birth, and decline the transaction if anything is unclear or expired. Training every team member on the same routine, and keeping it consistent, is more valuable than a written policy that is never applied.
The compliance centre summarizes the Tobacco 21 requirement and the under-30 ID verification rule so your team can reference the exact expectations.