Can you vape or smoke in a Waymo?

Short answer: no. Smoking and vaping are banned in every Waymo, and so is using cannabis, even in states where it's legal. A first smoking or vaping violation can cost a $100 cleaning fee, later ones more, and Waymo can suspend your account. Tesla Robotaxi and Zoox ban it too.

An empty car with no driver makes some riders think nobody will notice a quick vape. Waymo saw that coming and wrote it into its Rider Rules with a fee attached. Here is what the rules say, how you get caught, and what other robotaxi companies do. For everything else you can and can't do in the car, see our Waymo rules guide.

What Waymo's rules say

Cigarettes

Not allowed

Vapes and e-cigarettes

Not allowed

Cannabis

Not allowed, even where legal

Alcohol

Not allowed, even where legal

First violation

Up to $100 cleaning fee

Repeat violations

Higher fees; account at risk

Waymo's wording is short: a cleaning fee of $100 "may be charged for the first violation of smoking or vaping inside our cars", your account standing "could be impacted", and "any drug or alcohol use inside the car is against the rules, regardless of whether permitted by local law". Waymo also reserves the right to suspend or close accounts at its discretion.

Weed is legal where Waymo operates. Does that matter?

No. Recreational cannabis is legal in California, Arizona and Nevada, home to Waymo's San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas services. Waymo's rule doesn't depend on local law: any drug use inside the car is banned. Edibles you ate before the ride are your business; lighting up or vaping THC in the car is not. Carrying a sealed product or a vape pen in your bag is fine.

How you get caught

• Cabin cameras. Every Waymo car has interior cameras that are used to check the car between rides.
• Smell and residue. Vape clouds leave a film and a smell that the next rider notices, and riders can report a dirty car in the app.
• Your account is the ticket. Every trip is linked to the account that booked it, including rides booked through Uber, so a fee lands on the card that paid.

If you're the one who booked the ride, you're responsible for your guests. A friend who vapes in the back seat can get your account charged and flagged.

Tesla Robotaxi and Zoox

Tesla Robotaxi bans smoking or vaping "of any kind", drinking alcohol and using drugs, plus open containers of alcohol or drugs, even where local law allows them. Tesla can charge a fee for dirtying or damaging the car.

Zoox tells riders not to smoke. In July 2026 its design team told Fast Company that riders were smoking in the cars anyway, and that it had switched to cabin materials that resist moisture and odors so they can be cleaned quickly.

What to do instead

• Smoke or vape before the car arrives, away from the pickup spot.
• Waymo gives you a few minutes to board, so don't count on finishing a cigarette at the curb.
• If you get into a car that smells of smoke, report it in the app before the ride starts so the fee isn't blamed on you.

Want the other rules too? Read can you eat in a Waymo, can you bring a dog and our full Waymo rules guide.

Frequently asked questions