What are the requirements to sell on Amazon FBA?

You need a verified Amazon seller account registered for FBA, products that are allowed in the fulfillment network, each unit prepped and labelled to Amazon's standards, and shipments created in Send to Amazon within your monthly capacity limit. Gated categories and dangerous goods need approval first.

Does Amazon still prep and label FBA inventory?

Not in the US. Amazon ended prep and labelling services for US FBA shipments on January 1, 2026, including stock sent through AWD and Amazon Global Logistics. Sellers now prep and label their own units or use a third-party prep center.

Do I need FNSKU labels for FBA?

Most sellers should use FNSKU labels, which tie units to your account and keep your stock separate from other sellers. Some products can use the manufacturer barcode, but those units may be commingled with identical units from other sellers, which raises counterfeit and quality risks.

Can I use FBA with an Individual seller account?

Yes, FBA is available on both plans. Amazon says the Professional plan at $39.99 per month is usually more cost-effective if you sell around 40 or more items a month, and it unlocks advertising and other tools that most FBA sellers need.

What products are not allowed in FBA?

FBA prohibits certain dangerous goods, items that need temperature control, some regulated products and anything banned under Amazon's restricted products policies. Other items, such as batteries or expiration-dated goods, are allowed only with extra review or labelling. Check FBA product restrictions before you buy inventory.

Amazon FBA Requirements 2026: Account, Prep and Labels

What changed: Account, product, prep, labelling, shipment and capacity rules for FBA
When: US prep and labelling services ended January 1, 2026
Who it affects: New and existing sellers sending inventory to US fulfillment centers
What to do: Confirm eligibility, prep and label every unit, then create a Send to Amazon shipment

Key takeaways

FBA needs a registered seller account, eligible products and Send to Amazon shipments within your capacity limit.
Since January 1, 2026, sellers must prep and label all US FBA inventory themselves or through a prep center.
Use FNSKU labels and proper cartons to avoid refused shipments and lost reimbursement rights.

FBA readiness checklist

Account registered for FBA
Category and hazmat approvals
Units prepped and bagged
FNSKU labels on every unit
Cartons within Amazon limits
Shipment within capacity limit
Fees modelled per SKU

Account requirements for FBA

You need an Amazon seller account, which needs identity verification, a bank account and a payment card. Amazon offers an Individual plan at $0.99 per item sold and a Professional plan at $39.99 per month; Amazon says FBA may be more cost-effective on the Professional plan if you sell about 40 or more items a month.

To turn on FBA, go to the settings gear in Seller Central, choose Account Info, then Manage, and select Register for FBA. Our guide on how to open an Amazon seller account covers verification step by step.

Product eligibility: what you can send to FBA

Not everything can go into Amazon's warehouses. Products must meet FBA product restrictions and Amazon's general selling policies, and some need approval first.

Category approval for gated categories such as grocery, beauty or supplements
Dangerous goods review for items with batteries, aerosols, flammable liquids and similar
Expiration-dated products need dates printed on each unit and enough shelf life
Prohibited items cannot be stored in FBA at all
Brand approvals where a brand restricts resellers

Prep requirements: now the seller's job

Amazon's developer documentation confirms that prep and labelling services for US FBA shipments ended on January 1, 2026. The change covers inventory sent directly and inventory routed through Amazon Warehousing and Distribution, Amazon Global Logistics, Amazon SEND and Supply Chain Portal.

Prep means making each unit safe to store and ship: poly bags for loose or fragile items, bubble wrap for breakables, sets bundled and marked as sold as set, and sharp items covered. Unprepped units can be refused, repackaged at your cost or lose reimbursement eligibility if damaged, which makes Amazon FBA reimbursement claims harder. Many sellers now use an Amazon prep center.

	Before 2026	From Jan 1, 2026
Amazon could prep for a fee
Amazon could label for a fee
Seller or prep center preps
Applies to AWD and AGL stock

US marketplace only.

Labelling requirements: FNSKU and carton labels

Every unit needs a scannable barcode Amazon can match to your listing. Most brands use an FNSKU label, which ties each unit to your seller account and keeps it out of commingled inventory.

Print FNSKU labels from Seller Central and cover any other barcode on the unit
Labels must be scannable, flat and not placed over a curve or seam
Each box needs its own box ID label from the shipment workflow
Pallets need pallet labels on all sides when shipping LTL or FTL
Use manufacturer barcodes only if the product is eligible and you accept commingling

Packaging and box requirements

Shipping cartons must be sturdy, sealed and within Amazon's weight and size limits for standard boxes, with heavier boxes marked as team lift. Use one SKU per box where you can, fill empty space with dunnage and never use loose packing peanuts. Our Amazon packaging requirements guide covers each rule with examples. Check the current limits in Seller Central before you book freight, because oversize cartons can be refused at receiving.

How to send inventory to FBA step by step

Amazon's Send to Amazon workflow in Seller Central handles the full process.

Choose the SKUs and quantities to send
Confirm prep and labelling are done by you or your prep center
Pack boxes and enter box contents, weights and dimensions
Pick an inbound placement option; fewer splits usually cost more
Choose a carrier: Amazon partnered carrier or your own
Print box and pallet labels and ship
Track receiving and reconcile any missing units

1Pick SKUs
Choose quantities
2Prep and label
You or a prep center
3Pack boxes
Enter contents and weights
4Placement
Choose split option
5Ship
Print labels, track receiving

Capacity limits and inventory rules

Even an approved product cannot be sent in unlimited quantity. Amazon sets a monthly capacity limit in cubic feet for each storage type, shown in the Capacity Monitor, and limits are influenced by your Inventory Performance Index, sales forecasts and fulfillment center capacity. Read our guides to Amazon FBA capacity limits and FBA restock limits to plan shipments around them.

Fees you agree to with FBA

Registering for FBA means accepting fulfillment, storage, aged inventory, inbound placement and other charges. In 2026 Amazon raised FBA fees by an average of $0.08 per unit and added a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge from April 17. See our Amazon FBA fees breakdown before you price your products.

Where PPC Spider helps

PPC Spider's FBA inventory management team sets up compliant prep, labelling and replenishment, and SpiderOS monitors stock alongside bids, budgets and search terms so ads slow down before a stockout. For a review of your FBA setup and fees, book a free Amazon audit.

Sources

Amazon: Fulfillment by Amazon (sell.amazon.com/fulfillment-by-amazon)
Amazon Selling Partner API: US FBA prep and labeling services to end January 1, 2026 (developer-docs.amazon/sp-api/changelog)
Amazon: Announcing the FBA capacity management system (sell.amazon.com/blog/announcements/fba-capacity)

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