Cigarette machines

Pay with the GeldKarte and prove your age

When buying cigarettes, a vending machine is often the smoker's last resort - be it in rural areas or late at night. However, most of these machines do not give change. Comfortable solution: In Germany you can pay at cigarette machines with your GeldKarte. Since 2007 the usage of GeldKarte is mandatory to prove the smoker's age.

The GeldKarte is your proof of age at cigarette machines

Protection of minors

GeldKarte at cigarette machines: means of payment and proof of age  

By enabling their machines for GeldKarte acceptance, the German tobacco wholesalers and vending machine operators are making a major contribution to the protection of minors: 

According to law, people younger than 16 years are not allowed to buy cigarettes. In shops this should be verified by checking the national ID card. At German cigarette vending machines the age is checked will be done accessing the GeldKarte chip.

To identify a smoker's age, the so-called "Jugendschutzmerkmal" is stored in the microchip on your Maestro or banking card. White cards do not carry this special code.

How to get the "Jugendschutzmerkmal"

The following credit institutions issue their cards automatically with the "Jugendschutzmerkmal":

• Volks- und Raiffeisenbanken
• Sparkassen
• several private banks, such as HypoVereinsbank, or comdirect bank

If you are a customer of e.g. Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank or SEB bank, you have to ask for a girocard (former ec card) with GeldKarte chip. Otherwise you will get a conventional magnetic stripe card which will not work at cigarette machines.