FBA Requirements + Regulations

General requirements

• Each unit must have an exterior scannable barcode or label (which includes a scannable barcode and the corresponding human-readable numbers) that is easily accessible. For more information, see FBA product barcode requirements.
• Remove, cover, or render unscannable any existing scannable barcodes on the outside of shipping boxes.
  

Sold as set

Units that are sets must be marked as sets on their packaging. Add a label to the unit that clearly states that the products are to be received and sold as a single unit. For example, "Sold as set," "Ready to ship," or "This is a set. Do not separate."

Boxed units

• Must be six-sided.
• Must have openings or a lid that will not easily open on its own. If the box can easily open on its own, use tape, glue, or staples to keep it closed.
• Must not collapse when medium pressure is applied to any of the sides.
• If the boxed unit has perforated sides or openings, the product must pass a 3-foot drop test, consisting of one drop on each side, and one drop on a corner. If the product does not pass the drop test, it must be placed in a poly bag with a suffocation warning.
  

Poly-bagged units

Poly bags used to protect units must meet the following requirements:

• Poly bags with a 5-inch opening or larger (measured when flat) must have a suffocation warning, either printed on the bag or attached as a label. Failure to apply a suffocation warning may lead to the items being re-bagged.
• The warning should be printed or placed in a prominent location and in a legible font size for the size of the bag.
• Print size of this warning should conform to the following table:

INPUT TABLE

• The thickness of the bag must be at least 1.5 mil (thousandth of an inch).
• The poly bag must be transparent.
• The poly bag must have a barcode (UPC, EAN, etc.) or X00-label that is scannable through the bag or have an X00- or ASIN label on the outside of the bag.
• Poly bags must be completely sealed.
• The poly bag or shrink wrap must not protrude more than 3 inches past the dimensions of the product.

Case-packed products

• All products in a box must have matching SKU and condition and must have been packaged together by the manufacturer.
• All boxes with the same product must contain equal quantities of that product in each box.
• The case pack limit is 150 units per case.
• While receiving this type of shipment, the fulfillment center scans one unit from the box and the box is placed in inventory. There is no need to scan every unit because they are all the same.
  

Expiration date

• Products that expire must include the expiration date on the master carton in 36-point or larger font and on the individual units. Lot numbers alone are insufficient.
• Expiration dates must be displayed in the format MM-DD-YYYY or MM-YYYY. If the expiration date is printed in a different format, a sticker with the correct format must be applied, covering the original expiration date.
• Products that expire and are contained in packaging that requires additional prep, such as glass jars or bottles, must be prepped to ensure that the expiration date is accessible for Amazon associates during the receiving process.
• For more information about requirements for products with expiration dates, see Expiration-dated FBA inventory.

HAZMAT guidelines

Dangerous goods (also called Hazmat) are substances or materials that might pose a risk while storing, handling or transporting because they contain flammable, pressurised, corrosive or otherwise harmful substances.

To learn more about dangerous goods, see the Dangerous goods identification guide (UK Page).

If products are regulated as dangerous goods, you must provide Amazon with specific product information and documentation (for example, a Safety Data Sheet) via the Upload dangerous goods documents tool (UK Page).

Instructions

Check if an ASIN is a Dangerous / HAZMAT GoodUse the  Upload dangerous goods documents tool (UK Page) to provide a safety data sheet (SDS) or an exemption sheet. For more information, visit Required dangerous (hazmat) goods information and documentation (UK Page). Documents uploaded through this tool will be reviewed by the Dangerous Goods team within four working days (Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays).  

Document types

Safety data sheets (SDS) are for chemical-based products that might be regulated as dangerous goods (see examples of common dangerous goods/ UK Page). If you cannot obtain an SDS for your product and it does not contain any harmful chemicals (such as alcohol, acid or sodium), you can upload an exemption sheet for products without harmful chemicals.Battery exemption sheets are for products that are, contain, or are sold with batteries, or that are otherwise powered. Download the appropriate template below.

Download exemption sheets

1. ​Exemption sheet for battery and battery-powered products​
2. ​Exemption sheet for products without harmful chemicals​
   

Grocery Guidelines

Product requirements

• Food must be properly prepared, packaged, sealed, and labeled.
• You must be licensed, or have approval from the relevant government agency for the products you plan to sell.
• You must ensure your products and business operations comply with federal and state laws. This includes laws not described in Amazon policies.
• Sell all Grocery & Gourmet Food products as new. You cannot list used products. See the Condition guidelines.
• Food is viewed as date-sensitive. It must have an expiration date permanently marked on every unit, unless the product is exempt. This includes every unit that is shipped, and every unit displayed for sale.
• Label in English all products covered by federal, state, and local laws. For federal labeling policies, see the FDA Food Labeling and Nutrition, FDA Pet Food, and USDA Label Approval web pages.
• Enclose and seal food in packaging suitable for shipping. It must keep food from contamination, spoiling, melting, and damage.
• You must ship food with enough of its shelf life remaining. You must not remove or alter the expiration date.
• When you sell products in multi-packs, the expiration date on the multi-pack packaging must match the earliest expiration date of the products inside.
• You must list Grocery & Gourmet Food products using the manufacturer's UPC code. For more information, see Product UPCs and GTINs. For information on listing products without UPCs, see Amazon Brand Registry.

Refrigerated, frozen, and temperature-controlled food, and raw agricultural commodities

• You must enclose and seal refrigerated food, frozen food, and raw agricultural commodities in packaging suitable for shipping. Packaging must keep temperatures safe for the product throughout delivery. Temperature limits are shown in the table below.
• Some foods need to be temperature-controlled for quality and performance. Chocolate could melt. Vitamin D supplements' potency could be affected. You must control temperature to meet quality and performance standards.
• Raw agricultural commodities that do not have an expiration date must have an acceptable shelf life. They must meet quality standards for ripeness and stopping mold, pests, or contamination.
  

FBA Grocery Guidelines

Expiration dates

• To be eligible for FBA, food and beverage products and products that ship with food or beverages must be lot-controlled and have a minimum remaining shelf life that is greater than 90 days.
• Items within 50 days of the expiration date at the time of arrival will be marked for disposal by Amazon. Inventory subject to disposal cannot be returned to you.
• Keep the Fulfilment Center (FC) shelf life details up to date for grocery products. In the inventory file template, set the value of the is_expiration_dated_product field to "true". The FC shelf life is the length of time a product is sellable or fit to be eaten.
• When shipping expiration-dated inventory to Amazon, each box must only contain ASINs with a single expiration date. Multiple ASINs can be shipped in the same box only if all of the ASINs in the box have the same expiration date.
• All expiration-dated products must have the expiration date printed in a font that is 36 point or larger. All case packs, multi-packs, and display boxes must have the expiration date on the box or bundle, as well as on each individual item inside the box or bundle.
• Expiration dates must be displayed in the format MM-DD-YYYY or MM-YYYY. If the expiration date is in a different format, you must cover the existing date with a printed label with the expiration date in the correct format. Lot numbers alone are insufficient.
• Any printed manufactured date must be covered with a label with the expiration date in the correct format. Failure to cover the manufactured date on a product may cause delays in receiving your products, or may cause your products to be received as expired.
• Expiration-dated products that require additional prep, such as poly bagging or bubble wrap, must have labels with expiration dates in 36-point font or larger applied to the outside of the product prep or packaging.

Meltable Products

• FBA accepts products that are subject to melting between October 1 and April 30 of each calendar year. Any meltable inventory in our fulfilment centers after May 1 is marked as unfulfillable and disposed of. Meltable inventory that arrives at fulfillment centers between May 1 and September 30 is marked as unfulfillable and disposed of.
• Box markings must not display storage temperature requirements unless those requirements explicitly specify a range of 50-120°F.
• Products requiring refrigeration, air conditioning, or freezing are prohibited year round. Perishable products, including but not limited to, fresh meats, fruits, or vegetables are also prohibited throughout the year.