Kazakhstan Tourist Bans & Laws (2026): Vapes, Smoking, E-Scooters & Medicines

Tourist laws at a glance

Kazakhstan’s Vape Ban

Status: Prohibited nationwide

Kazakhstan’s vape prohibition took effect on June 20, 2024. The national Public Health Code prohibits the import, manufacture, sale and distribution of electronic consumption systems, vape liquids and flavorings. The ban covers nicotine and nicotine-free vaping products.

Import is the most important distinction for tourists. The General Prosecutor’s Office has stated that bringing vapes into Kazakhstan is punishable regardless of quantity. A traveler therefore cannot rely on a “personal use” exemption for disposable vape or a device already in use. The potential punishment under Criminal Code Article 301-1 includes a fine of up to 2,000 monthly calculation indices, restriction of liberty or imprisonment for up to two years. Read the official prosecutorial warning on vape import before travelling.

Sale and distribution are also criminal offenses. Do not purchase devices from unofficial sellers, arrange delivery from abroad or carry products for another person.

The vape ban should not be confused with the rules for conventional cigarettes or heated-tobacco systems. Legal tobacco products may still be sold to adults aged 21 or over, while their use is restricted in smoke-free locations. Because vaping products cannot legally be imported, airline battery rules do not create an exception: leaving the device at home is the safest action.

For brief information about border rules rather than domestic conduct, see Kazakhstan Customs: Alcohol, Vapes & Cash.

Cigarettes, Heated Tobacco and Hookah Rules

Status: Allowed with conditions

Kazakhstan prohibits smoking and heated-tobacco use in a wide range of locations. These include restaurants and cafés, nightclubs, public transport, railway and bus stations, airports, healthcare and educational premises, cultural and sports facilities, government buildings and common areas of apartment buildings. Some locations may have specifically designated smoking areas, but an ashtray or open window does not by itself make smoking lawful. 

Hookah use is also covered. Police and municipal authorities have repeatedly enforced the ban against customers and businesses offering hookahs in public food and entertainment establishments. A standard violation of the tobacco-use prohibition can carry a fine of 15 monthly calculation indices under Administrative Code Article 441. 

The minimum legal age for buying tobacco, heated-tobacco products and hookah tobacco is 21. Retail displays are restricted, so cigarettes may be available even when packs are not visibly displayed.

Use a signed outdoor smoking point and ask staff when uncertain. Do not smoke in an aircraft toilet, enclosed station area, apartment stairwell or restaurant terrace unless the venue confirms that the specific area is permitted.

The relevant rules appear in Kazakhstan’s Public Health Code.

Alcohol, Public Drinking and Retail Hours

Status: Allowed with conditions

Alcohol may be purchased and consumed by people aged 21 or over. However, drinking in public places is prohibited outside premises where alcohol consumption is legally permitted, such as licensed bars, restaurants and cafés. Public streets, parks, stations, building entrances and shared residential courtyards should not be treated as open-container areas.

Administrative Code Article 440 also covers appearing in public while intoxicated in circumstances that offend human dignity or public morality. The rule is not a general ban on having consumed alcohol before walking outside, but disruptive or visibly disorderly behavior can lead to police action.

Retail hours are restricted nationally:

• Most takeaway alcohol cannot be sold between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.

• Drinks containing more than 30% alcohol cannot be sold between 9 p.m. and noon.

• These retail-hour restrictions do not apply in the same way to licensed restaurants, bars and cafés serving customers on the premises.

A shop refusing a late-night sale is following the law. Do not ask hotel staff, drivers or delivery couriers to obtain alcohol during restricted hours.

Driving with a Foreign Licence

Status: Allowed with conditions

Temporary visitors may drive using a valid national licence that meets the requirements of Kazakhstan’s international road-traffic agreements. A foreign-issued international driving permit is recognized when presented with the corresponding national licence; it is not a standalone document. A licence that does not comply with the applicable treaty format may be considered invalid.

Travelers whose licence uses an unfamiliar format or script should carry a properly issued international driving permit or official translation and confirm the documentation requirements with the rental company before collecting a vehicle. Rental approval does not override traffic law.

The minimum age for category B driving under Kazakhstan’s Road Traffic Law is 18. Drivers must carry their licence and the vehicle’s registration documents. Seat belts, speed limits, road signs and phone-use rules apply to tourists in the same way as residents.

Driving while intoxicated is prohibited. Kazakhstan’s traffic rules do not provide tourists with a safe “one drink” assumption, and penalties for intoxicated driving can include lengthy disqualification and other sanctions. The practical rule is not to drive after consuming any alcohol or impairing substance.

The detailed licence provisions are in the Kazakhstan Road Traffic Law.

E-Scooters and Mopeds

Status: Allowed with conditions

Kazakhstan distinguishes ordinary electric scooters from faster vehicles classified as mopeds. For e-scooters, riders should use cycle paths or cycle lanes where available. Roadway riding is limited to people aged 18 or over who hold a driving licence of any category and wear a fastened helmet. Riders must dismount at pedestrian crossings, must not carry passengers or cargo and need visible reflective material when using the road after dark. 

Rules for rental scooters changed on July 1, 2026. Rental devices must have identification numbers and compulsory liability coverage, while operators must manage speed, location and parking controls.

A further change takes effect on August 25, 2026, after the date this guide was checked: riding electric scooters on sidewalks and pedestrian paths will be prohibited. Until then, the published rule allows sidewalk movement at no more than 6 km/h. Travelers visiting on or after August 25 should plan to use cycle infrastructure or other legally permitted parts of the road network.

Review the Interior Ministry’s 2026 e-scooter update before renting.

Vehicles capable of more than 25 km/h may fall within moped rules. Since April 5, 2025, mopeds have been treated as motor vehicles requiring registration, insurance, inspection and an appropriate A1, A or B licence. 

Prescription Medicines, Cannabis and Other Drugs

Status: Declaration or documentation required for controlled medicines; recreational drugs prohibited

Keep prescription medicine in its original packaging and carry a prescription or doctor’s letter listing the active ingredient, dosage, quantity and medical need. Brand names vary between countries, so documentation based on a commercial name may not clearly establish what the medicine contains.

Medicines containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances require particular care. Kazakhstan’s customs guidance says passengers carrying such medicines must declare them rather than using the green channel. Carry the medically necessary quantity and have the supporting documents ready for inspection.

Do not assume that an ADHD medicine, strong painkiller, sedative or sleep medicine is automatically prohibited. Its treatment depends on the active ingredient and controlled-drug classification. Contact Kazakhstan’s customs or health authorities before departure when the ingredient is controlled or uncertain.

Cannabis is not legal for tourist recreational use. The same caution applies to cannabis oils, gummies and CBD products: foreign labeling such as “hemp,” “THC-free” or “legal CBD” does not establish legality under Kazakhstan’s controlled-substance rules.

Non-medical consumption of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues and certain potent substances is prohibited. Article 440-1 provides a first-offense penalty of 40 monthly calculation indices or administrative arrest for up to 10 days, while possession, import, production and supply may be prosecuted separately under criminal law. 

Mobile Data for Maps and Official Guidance

Mobile data is useful for checking official transport updates, scooter operating zones, digital maps, translation services, emergency contacts and changes announced by government agencies.

Kazakhstan eSIM can provide data without replacing your passport, licence, prescriptions or offline copies of important documents. Plans are data-only, and hotspot use comes from the purchased allowance.

Compare options in Best eSIM for Kazakhstan: Plans, Price & Coverage and read How to Get Internet in Kazakhstan for broader connectivity choices.