Tobacco Control Legislation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Statutory No Smoking Area" in accordance with the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance?

In accordance with the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, the following areas are designated as "Statutory No Smoking Area". No person may do a smoking act in statutory no smoking areas, or else will be liable to a fixed penalty of $1,500 until 31 December 2025 and $3,000 commencing on 1 January 2026.

Indoor Areas (Note 1) as
No Smoking Areas		 Indoor and Outdoor Areas
as No Smoking Areas		 Other No Smoking Areas Public places that lie within 3 metres outside the entrances / exits exclusively used for the following
(Effective on 1 January 2026):
  • restaurants
  • workplaces, offices (Note 2)
  • indoor public areas (e.g. lift lobbies of private buildings, back stairs)
  • footbridges
  • shops, departmental stores, shopping malls, publicly or privately operated markets, supermarkets
  • bank
  • residential care homes, treatment centres
  • all bars, nightclubs, mahjong-tin kau premises, bathhouses and massage establishments.
  • public lifts, escalators
  • child care centres, schools, universities and tertiary institutes
  • cinemas (including car cinemas), theatres, concert halls, amusement game centres
  • hospitals
  • The Hong Kong Wetland Park
  • public pleasure ground managed by LCSD (e.g. playground, parks, sitting-out area, stadium and sport ground), but not including those areas designated as smoking areas (Note 3)
  • public pools and bathing beaches managed by LCSD
  • Hong Kong Stadium, Mongkok Stadium
  • approved institutions where probationers are placed, reformatory school and place of refuge
  • Residential care homes
  • Child care centres
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Specified clinics or health centres
Note 1: The definition of "Indoor Areas" is:
- having a ceiling or roof, or a cover that functions (whether temporarily or permanently) as a ceiling or roof,
- and enclosed (whether temporarily or permanently) at least up to 50% of the total area on all sides, except for any window or door, or any closeable opening that functions as a window or door
Note 2: Including non-office hours
Note 3: Please click here for LCSD venues where smoking is prohibited
Note 4: Even there is no passenger on the vehicle, public light bus & taxi drivers cannot smoke inside the vehicle.

Illustration of 3 metres outside the entrances / exits: