Information for businesses

The following information is for employers, managers and business owners.


If you are a business owner, you are responsible for enforcing smoke-free legislation on your premises.

This means you must display signs at each entrance to your premises and on smoke-free vehicles.

If you do not display a no smoking sign, you could receive a fixed penalty fine of £200. You could also be prosecuted and may face a maximum fine of £1,000.

If you fail to prevent people from smoking in designated smoke-free places and vehicles, it may lead to a maximum fine, upon conviction, of £2,500.

You'll find all the information you need to comply with the law here:

Information packs

All business owners in Belfast are supplied with an information pack which contains everything you need to comply with the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

If you haven't received a pack, call us on 028 9027 0428.

Policy documents

The sample policies below outline your responsibilities under smoke-free law. They also show the type of premises affected by the law, as well as explaining how the legislation is enforced.

Hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, inns, residential members' clubs and hostels

Publication date: January 2007

Residential homes, hospices and nursing homes

Publication date: February 2007

General properties

Publication date: February 2007

Tobacco sales to under 18s

On 1 September 2008, the law controlling the sale of tobacco products in Belfast changed. The main changes were:

Inspections

Under smoke-free law, our officers can visit premises throughout Belfast to offer help and advice, check whether you are complying with the law and take legal action against offenders (where necessary).

Our officers can carry out inspections in several different ways, including:

Enforcing the law

If someone is smoking on your premises, and refuses to stop, use the following tips: