Wawa Requires ID For All Tobacco, Vape Purchases At Some PA Locations

PENNSYLVANIA — Select Wawa stores in Pennsylvania are putting up notices that they have begun carding everyone for tobacco, vape, and alcohol-related purchases.

Cashiers are asking for valid IDs for all of these purchases and cannot make exceptions no matter how old someone appears, according to signage posted at a Philadelphia Wawa store. The company told Patch the policy is "a test in select stores."

"We continuously work to ensure our store teams have streamlined processes in place to support them in consistently complying with the law," Wawa Public Relations Manager Lori Bruce said.

Patch has asked Wawa how many stores in Pennsylvania are requiring ID for all tobacco and vapor purchases.

That store on Aramingo Avenue was also sent a warning letter by the Food and Drug Administration last fall for selling cigars to an underage person, records show. This move may be to ensure stores are in compliance with tobacco and vape sale regulations, as not all Wawa stores in PA sell alcohol.

Three Philly-area Wawa stores have been issued fines in the past six months, according to an FDA list of compliance checks.

Two Wawa stores in Upper Darby and one in Drexel Hill were fined $638, for violating the FDA's tobacco regulations at least three times within a 24-month period.

The FDA has issued 75 warning letters to Wawa stores in Pennsylvania for underage sales since 2011. And, FDA data shows that no PA Wawa stores have been issued a no-tobacco-sale order since it began tracking.

The stores given fines were at these locations:

• 8240 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby
• 460 South 69th Street, Upper Darby
• 525 Burmont Road, Drexel Hill

Patch has not yet been able to confirm if there is signage at these stores about ID checks.

Federal law stipulates that cashiers should check the photo ID of everyone "appearing under age 27" who tries to buy cigarettes, tobacco, smokeless tobacco, or vapor products.