eBay prohibited and restricted items: how to check a product before you list it

What are eBay prohibited and restricted items?

eBay prohibited and restricted items are the products eBay either does not allow at all or allows only under certain conditions. A prohibited item cannot be listed on eBay under any circumstances. A restricted item can be listed, but only if you follow eBay's specific rules for it: that might mean age checks on delivery, listing in a particular category, providing certain information, or being an approved seller.

eBay publishes the rules in its help centre, starting from its prohibited and restricted items overview. The rules differ between eBay sites, because the law differs between countries, so always read the version for the site you list on.

What is the difference between prohibited and restricted?

The consequences are similar in both cases: eBay may remove listings and warn, restrict or suspend the account. The difference is that restricted items reward sellers who read the rules carefully.

Which product groups need the most care?

This is not a full list, and the detail changes, but these groups often have prohibitions or conditions on eBay. Read the specific policy page for each before you list.

• Weapons and knives: firearms, ammunition and many weapons are prohibited; some bladed items are allowed only under conditions such as age verified delivery on some sites.
• Medicines and medical devices: prescription medicines are not allowed; other medical products have conditions.
• Drugs and drug paraphernalia: generally not allowed.
• Alcohol and tobacco: heavily restricted, with tobacco and vaping products subject to strict rules.
• Hazardous materials: chemicals, flammable items and some batteries, with rules for both sale and postage.
• Food and supplements: allowed with conditions on labelling, dates and ingredients.
• Cosmetics and personal care: conditions on used items and on product safety.
• Recalled items: products subject to a safety recall should not be listed.
• Animals and animal products: live animals and products from protected species are tightly controlled.
• Adult items: allowed only in specific categories and under specific listing rules.
• Counterfeits and unauthorised copies: not allowed under eBay's intellectual property rules.

Allowed on one site, not on another

If you sell on more than one eBay site, check each one. A product group that is restricted on one site may be prohibited on another, or have different conditions, because the law and eBay's local rules differ. The same applies to international postage: an item you may sell in the UK may not be one you may send to buyers in some other countries.

Product safety

Separate from eBay's rules, products sold to consumers must be safe and meet the safety rules that apply to them. For electrical goods, toys, cosmetics and similar products, that can mean markings, warnings and documents that show compliance. If a product reaches you without the expected markings or instructions, treat that as a warning sign before you list it.

How do you check a product before you list it?

Step 1: identify what the product really is

Look past the title. A "cleaning kit" might contain a flammable solvent; a "phone accessory" might include a lithium battery; a "tool set" might include a blade. Note every component and material that could fall under a rule.

Step 2: find the matching policy page

From eBay's prohibited and restricted items overview, open the page for each group that applies. Read what is not allowed and what conditions apply.

Step 3: check the category and listing requirements

Some restricted items must be listed in a particular category, with particular item specifics, or with warnings in the description. Others need a specific postage service, such as age verification on delivery.

Step 4: check postage rules

Carriers have their own rules for dangerous goods, which can be stricter than eBay's. An item you are allowed to list may still be one your carrier will not take.

Step 5: record the decision

Write down what you checked and decided for each product. When you add similar items later, you can reuse the decision, and if a listing is ever questioned you have a record.

Keep your checks up to date

eBay updates its policies, and laws change. A product you checked a year ago may be under new conditions today. Review the policy pages for your main product groups every few months, and whenever eBay emails you about a policy change. Updating a short record of your decisions takes far less time than handling a batch of removals.

A worked example: three products, three answers

Example, with hypothetical products a seller is considering.

1. A set of kitchen knives. The seller checks the bladed items policy for eBay UK and finds conditions on how such items can be sold and delivered. The seller sets up a postage service that meets those conditions before listing.
2. A hair dye kit. The cosmetics policy allows new, sealed products with proper labelling. The seller lists only sealed, labelled stock, with ingredients in the description.
3. A vintage toy that the seller discovers has been subject to a safety recall. The seller does not list it.

None of the three answers can be found from the product title alone. Each needed a few minutes on the right policy page.

What happens if you list a prohibited or restricted item wrongly?

eBay finds these listings through its own checks, through reports from buyers and other members, and through rights owners and authorities. The usual first step is removal of the listing, often with an email that names the policy. What follows depends on how serious the breach is and on your history.

• A first, minor mistake often ends with the listing removed and a warning.
• Repeated mistakes in the same group can lead to limits on what you can list, or a temporary restriction on selling.
• Serious breaches, such as dangerous or illegal items, can lead to suspension, and in some cases the law is involved too.

If you receive a removal email, do not relist the item in a slightly different form. Read the policy it names, remove any similar listings you have, and change how you check products. If you believe the removal was a mistake, use the appeal route in the email, with facts.

Orders already paid

If a buyer has already paid for an item that turns out to be prohibited, do not send it. Contact the buyer, cancel and refund in full, and explain briefly. Sending a prohibited item to complete a sale only adds to the problem.

Why prohibited items cause trouble for sellers who list in bulk

Sellers who import many products at once, for example from a supplier's catalogue or another retailer's pages, are most exposed. A product can be on sale elsewhere and still be prohibited or restricted on eBay, and a bulk import does not read the policy for you.

Sellers who source from retailers should also know eBay's drop shipping policy: dropshipping from a wholesale supplier is allowed, but listing an item and then buying it from another retailer or marketplace that ships directly to your customer is not, and the seller stays responsible for delivery and the buyer's satisfaction. That is a separate rule from prohibited items, and both apply.

Picture and listing rules still apply

Even when an item is allowed, its listing must follow eBay's listing policies. Photos, for example, must be at least 500 pixels on the longest side, must accurately represent the item, and must not carry added borders, text or watermarks, according to eBay's picture policy.

A checklist before listing any new product

• List every material and component, not just the product name.
• Check each against eBay's prohibited and restricted items pages for your site.
• Confirm the category, item specifics and warnings the policy requires.
• Check your carrier will accept it and set the right postage service.
• Search for any product safety recall on the item.
• Write down the decision so you can reuse it.
• Recheck your decisions when eBay announces a policy change for that product group.

For brand and intellectual property checks, which are a separate set of rules, see our guide to eBay's counterfeit policy and the eBay VeRO programme.